MUHR – Page 2 – Forensics TTA

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Highlights

Concealed Evidence Leads to Identification of 1997 Tarrant County Decedent

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified remains discovered on February 2, 1997, as Phillip LaRyan Jones, resolving a case that remained open for 28 years. During a renewed review of the case in June 2025, investigators reexamined property recovered with the decedent and located a small, folded piece of paper concealed inside a wallet. Infrared photography revealed handwritten names and phone numbers, providing the first substantial investigative lead in decades. This information guided investigators to potential relatives in Mississippi. Multiple family members came forward, confirming key details and providing DNA reference samples to support the investigation. On November 6, 2025, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification confirmed the identity through DNA comparison, conclusively identifying the decedent as Phillip LaRyan Jones. This identification was supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program.

June 2026

Highlights

Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office uses MUHR funding to confirm the identification of a 1980 John Doe

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office identified an individual recovered on October 18, 1980, as U.S. Army veteran John Davis Webster, resolving a case that remained unidentified for more than 40 years. At the time of the original investigation, personal property recovered with the decedent including a social security card and a Texas Employment Commission card indicating military veteran status suggested a potential identity. However, the available information was insufficient to confirm who the individual was. During a renewed examination of the case, investigators photographed the recovered items and identified faint, faded numbers on the laminated social security card. These numbers appeared to represent a possible date of birth and provided a new investigative lead. This information prompted collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Latent Print Unit, which identified a 1961 military fingerprint card associated with the individual. Investigators also obtained postmortem fingerprints preserved from the original investigation through the Fort Worth Police Department. A comparison conducted by the FBI confirmed a fingerprint match, conclusively identifying the decedent as John Davis Webster. This identification was supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program.

June 2026

Highlights

Riverside County Coroner uses MUHR funding to strengthen forensic infrastructure and advance case resolutions

Support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program has significantly enhanced the Riverside County Coroner’s (RCC’s) investigative and identification capabilities, resulting in measurable operational improvements and case progress. MUHR funding enabled RCC to acquire portable dental imaging equipment, allowing investigators to conduct postmortem dental radiographs directly at exhumation sites. This capability has addressed long-standing gaps in cases lacking prior dental records, expanding the number of cases that can be meaningfully evaluated. RCC also leveraged MUHR funding to purchase scanning and computer equipment, which facilitated the complete digitization of legacy case files. Historical records have been organized into a centralized digital system, eliminating the need for manual file retrieval and enabling rapid access to case information, improving both efficiency and case review capacity. Additionally, MUHR funding supported exhumation efforts that enabled RCC to complete dental charting, obtain dental X-rays, and collect biological samples for DNA analysis. The resulting information has provided Riverside County with several investigative leads, further strengthening its ability to evaluate unresolved cases. Collectively, these outcomes demonstrate how MUHR funding strengthens foundational forensic infrastructure, enhances investigative capabilities, and supports the resolution of long-standing unidentified remains cases.

May 2026

Forensics TTA

Legal Document Repository

This repository provides a centralized collection of legal documents related to cold case investigations and prosecutions. It contains opinions, motions, warrants, and other relevant legal documents such as court orders and affidavits. This repository aims to assist investigators, prosecutors, and other criminal justice professionals in navigating the legal complexities often associated with cold cases, including those involving emerging tools like Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG).

April 2026

Highlights

Cold Case Homicide Victim From 1980 Identified; Investigators Seek Public’s Help

On February 18, 1980, motorists discovered the body of an unidentified female in a ravine off Highway 74, south of Cahuilla, in an unincorporated area near Palm Desert. Despite extensive efforts, including fingerprint and dental record comparisons, investigators were unable to identify the victim. A photograph taken during the autopsy was released to the public in hopes of generating leads, but no viable information was received, and the case eventually went cold. The case was reviewed again in 2008 and 2009, but no new leads were developed.

April 2026

Forensic

‘Stranger’ Targeted in 1985 Fatal Stabbing Now Identified

On October 12, 1985, an unidentified man was attacked outside of a liquor store in Fort Worth, Texas. Two individuals approached him, stole his wallet, and stabbed him in the chest. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died during surgery. At the time, the victim had no identification, and his identity could not be determined. Investigators documented the victim’s physical characteristics, clothing, and other identifying details and shared postmortem photographs with the public. Two suspects were subsequently arrested following a Crime Stoppers tip and later stated they had targeted the victim because he was unfamiliar in the neighborhood, luring him to the location before the attack. Despite these investigative efforts, the victim remained unidentified and was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as an unidentified person case. In 2024, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office submitted evidence from the case for advanced DNA testing which yielded the development of a DNA profile suitable for Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG). Investigative leads to potential genetic relatives were generated, enabling the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office to begin outreach. Investigators reached a potential close relative who immediately recognized the case as that of her missing uncle, Barry Thompson, who had disappeared in 1985. A reference DNA sample was collected from the potential close relative, and the comparison confirmed the victim’s identity as Barry Thompson. This case resolution was supported by a cold case review initiative funded through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program.

March 2026

Forensics TTA

DNA Basics: Understanding the Science and Tools Behind DNA Kinship Analysis

This presentation features Michelle Halsing, Assistant Laboratory Director of the Missing Persons DNA Program at the California Department of Justice. It is tailored for non-laboratory criminal justice professionals—including investigators, prosecutors, victim advocates, and program administrators—seeking to strengthen their foundational understanding of forensic DNA testing, with a particular focus on kinship analysis. The presentation offers an overview of the forensic DNA testing process, explains how DNA profiles are searched and compared within the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and outlines the capabilities and limitations of these tools in both investigative and judicial settings. Viewers are also introduced to the fundamental principles of forensic DNA kinship analysis, supported by discussions of real-world case applications, common testing strategies, and key considerations for interpreting laboratory reports. This resource highlights the critical role of kinship analysis in supporting missing persons investigations, unidentified human remains cases, and other complex forensic scenarios.

February 2026

Castanet

Remains found in Florida identified as woman last seen in Saskatchewan

In January 1985, skeletal remains of an unidentified woman were found in a densely wooded area in Malabar, Florida. Despite extensive early investigative efforts, investigators were unable to identify her, and she became known as “Malabar Jane Doe”. In 2024, leveraging Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program funding, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), working with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the District 18 Medical Examiner, outsourced forensic evidence to a vendor laboratory for advanced DNA testing. These testing efforts enabled FDLE’s Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) team to conduct a genealogical search, generating new investigative leads into the woman’s possible identity. This investigation ultimately identified the remains as Jeanette Marcotte, a woman originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, who was last seen in Saskatchewan in 1981 or 1982.

January 2026

Get the Coast

Skeletal remains found in Miramar Beach identified as Niceville 19-year-old missing since 2015

Skeletal remains discovered in Miramar Beach, Florida in October 2022 have been positively identified as Jacob Lyon, a 19-year-old from Niceville, Florida who went missing in late 2015. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Niceville Police Department announced the identification after DNA analysis performed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) matched the remains to family reference samples obtained from Lyon’s family nearly a decade earlier. Lyon was last seen in late 2015 and officially reported missing by his mother on February 1, 2016, the same day he was entered into state and national missing person databases. DNA confirmation from FDLE came on January 21, 2026, bringing long-awaited news to the family. Investigators emphasized that while the identification provides partial closure, the case is now an active death investigation. Evidence found near the remains will undergo further analysis as part of continued investigative efforts.

January 2026

Forensics TTA

A Guide to Resources for Unidentified Human Remains Investigations

Every year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHRs) are found across the United States, which poses a challenge for the law enforcement and medical examiners/coroners tasked with identifying these individuals and resolving the cases. UHR investigations are complex and require specialized skills and resources, such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, fingerprint record searches, dental coding and comparisons, facial reconstruction, and the use of missing persons databases and investigative resources. However, many agencies lack the necessary training, equipment, funding, or personnel to conduct these investigations effectively and efficiently. As a result, many UHR cases remain unresolved for years or decades, leaving families and communities without resolution and justice. This guide aims to provide agencies with information on federal programs and other organizational resources that offer support to these types of investigations.

December 2025

Tag: MUHR