What cases are you baffled DNA hasn't solved or given huge clues about?

I feel like Zodiac should be solveable by now
The Boy in the Box they should be able to get some distant relations
Faith Hedgepeth - I am stunned this isn't solved yet
The 2 that would amaze me: Georgette Bauerdorff and Black Dahlia


It feels like DNA should be able to get us these answers but watching shows like Cold Justice you really get a glimpse at how the system (LEOs, Investigators, District Attorneys) fail families on many seemingly obvious cases.

The Boy in the Box they should be able to get some distant relations

As I recall, they are actually working on his through genetic genealogy. I remember reading something fairly recently about that, like in the last month or two.

As I recall, they are actually working on his through genetic genealogy. I remember reading something fairly recently about that, like in the last month or two.

I am glad to hear that.

I was glad to read the hatbox baby case was solved. The article was super long but a very good read. I was stunned to find the parents were a married couple. Perhaps they didn't have the money to take care of her or maybe were pregnant before marriage. What a cruel thing to do. I still think the whole thing was staged and the people who found her knew way more.

I still think the whole thing was staged and the people who found her knew way more.

Definitely.

As I recall, they are actually working on his through genetic genealogy. I remember reading something fairly recently about that, like in the last month or two.

Oh wow I hadn't heard that! Good!

John Wilkes Booth. And they apparently were close to an exhumation before it was blocked by the courts.

OH! Also the case that perplexes me the most from UM: Blair Adams.

I feel like Zodiac should be solveable by now
The Boy in the Box they should be able to get some distant relations
Faith Hedgepeth - I am stunned this isn't solved yet
The 2 that would amaze me: Georgette Bauerdorff and Black Dahlia


It feels like DNA should be able to get us these answers but watching shows like Cold Justice you really get a glimpse at how the system (LEOs, Investigators, District Attorneys) fail families on many seemingly obvious cases.

The problem I had heard with the boy in the box case is police cannot get an clean DNA sample because of bacteria and ages.

I had read they are using the same Technology that was used in the Bear brook murders where they can get an working dna sample from rootless hair

I feel like Zodiac should be solveable by now
The Boy in the Box they should be able to get some distant relations
Faith Hedgepeth - I am stunned this isn't solved yet
The 2 that would amaze me: Georgette Bauerdorff and Black Dahlia


It feels like DNA should be able to get us these answers but watching shows like Cold Justice you really get a glimpse at how the system (LEOs, Investigators, District Attorneys) fail families on many seemingly obvious cases.


Hey 2 out of 3 ain't bad, although still feels like there's some murkiness around Joseph Augustus Zarelli's murder. Hope we will someday know who Zodiac was.

Hey 2 out of 3 ain't bad, although still feels like there's some murkiness around Joseph Augustus Zarelli's murder. Hope we will someday know who Zodiac was.

The murkiness is that.. We don't know who killed him. We know who BOTH his parents were, but.. What happened from there?

Based on what I know of it, there's next to no chance that his father even knew the kid existed.

The mother.. Doesn't seem the type.. So, the assumption here would be that she put him up for adoption.. Based on the timeframe.. There were quite a number of 'baby brokers' with VERY poor record keeping and ethics around this time. So, that would make knowing who the killer was.. Difficult.


basically any and every "Lost Loves" case that was family.. I'm surprised when we don't get an update. I can give a pass to the "We want to find the soldier from WWII who gave us candy..." even though.. Shockingly, many of those seem to have been solved.

But.. cases like.. And this was not a UM case. But Bobby Dunbar.. That was only solved pretty recently.. Mostly solved. The man who grew up as Bobby Dunbar wasn't Bobby Dunbar and the REAL Bobby Dunbar was likely eaten by an alligator... But, family blocked DNA.. They just didn't want to know. I hate those.. Information is gold. But as far as who is your family.. It doesn't change anything.

Frankly.. it's astounding how many of the lost loves cases were solved BEFORE DNA testing. People just happened to be watching UM and saw their story profiled.

Marlene Santana (the kidnapped baby, where the mom hauntingly repeats how the kidnapper was threatening to shoot the baby in the head). She would be 38 years old by now.

I feel like Zodiac should be solveable by now
The Boy in the Box they should be able to get some distant relations
Faith Hedgepeth - I am stunned this isn't solved yet
The 2 that would amaze me: Georgette Bauerdorff and Black Dahlia


It feels like DNA should be able to get us these answers but watching shows like Cold Justice you really get a glimpse at how the system (LEOs, Investigators, District Attorneys) fail families on many seemingly obvious cases.

I could be wrong, but didn't they use up all the available DNA for Zodiac years ago?

I could be wrong, but didn't they use up all the available DNA for Zodiac years ago?

I seem to recall there might be a tiny amount left. They never actually generated a profile, though, correct?

Shocked to see one of my former threads making a comeback.

I am going to add Laurence Harding Jr. to the list.

If Laurence made it to adulthood and had children of his own they would be of the age to use DNA kits.

All it takes is one person to make that one connection.

I had a once in a lifetime DNA mystery that I solved simply because I had created an extensive family tree on all sides and tested my mom and grandmother and knew which matches came from which side (or had a good guess for most). So certain matches I could tell if they came from my maternal grandmother or paternal grandfather.

My mom had a 1st cousin range match and it was shocking because we thought we knew all of our close family.

Long story short I was able to surmise the way this girl was matching my mom and myself (not a match for grandmother) that one of her parents had to be my mother's paternal 1st cousin. (she ended up being my mom's 1st cousin 1x removed). She was adopted and had no info other than her mother's first name and what city she was born in (which happened to be in Germany). I was able to cross-reference that my grandfather's brother was enlisted in WW2 at the same time her mother was born. I was positive this girl's mother had to be my great-uncle's child.

We were able to confirm this and I actually helped her find her mother's other children. Sadly her mother had died years before and had only told a sister she had given a child up for adoption. One sibling couldn't accept her and wouldn't but the other welcomed her with open arms.

In a weird happenstance my great-uncle's baby was actually brought back to the states by another man who raised the girl as his own. He had a wife who accepted and raised the baby with him. Sad thing is this man blew his entire life up to take responsibility for and raise a child that ended up not being his. Remarkably the man was still alive and some of his daughters took a DNA kit to confirm there was no relation to my newfound cousin or her biological siblings. The siblings matched me confirming what we already knew.

It was very devastating for them, but even more devastating for the old man. I got a copy of my Uncle's obituary (with picture) and he instantly recognized them and called him a nickname that was not in the obituary. They were buddies in the war likely messing around with the same woman (who I suspect was probably a young German woman looking for a war husband and a way into the states). Only problem was the man who took responsibility for the child was already married and she was willing to give him the baby (who was mixed race) probably so the child could have a better life. I'm sure having a mixed race child with no husband in Germany at that time would have been hard.

I am not sure that my Uncle didn't know he was the father or if he even knew about the child he left the army shortly before the child's birth and his buddy stayed in the war a year longer than him. Knowing how close he and my grandfather were I'm sure he would have mentioned it to my grandmother. However; we really just don't know.

Anyway I really hope the cases that can be solved via DNA get the lucky break that happened for my cousin. Out of all the matches she messaged she happened to message the right person who put the puzzle together for her.

She gave me access to her matches and I was able to surmise her father was one of 6 brothers. They were all married with kids and she didn't want to go through with reaching out to find out which one was her dad. I told her the one I suspected was her dad. I respected it she didn't want to be disappointed or rejected. But at least she knows what family she comes from.

I was happy to be a blessing for her. I discovered I have a knack for this sh*t and really enjoy it. I was able to create an extensive family tree for myself on some sides where I had very little information.

With Zodiac, I just want to point out that some people are inclined to say it was impossible for the suspect (I believe to be ALA in most cases) to foresee DNA at the time, and DNA should easily identify him. While I agree with the notion that the foresight about forensic implications of DNA could not be foreseen then, the killer could have figured something less than that (say, just a saliva "type" or spit test, like known blood types) and taken steps accordingly to minimize the possibility of forensic identification.

I feel like Zodiac should be solveable by now
The Boy in the Box they should be able to get some distant relations
Faith Hedgepeth - I am stunned this isn't solved yet
The 2 that would amaze me: Georgette Bauerdorff and Black Dahlia


It feels like DNA should be able to get us these answers but watching shows like Cold Justice you really get a glimpse at how the system (LEOs, Investigators, District Attorneys) fail families on many seemingly obvious cases.

Was the Hedgepeth case ever featured on UM, obviously in a later incarnation? If so I totally missed it.
I know one of her uncles personally, oddly enough. He used to coach the girls basketball team at my local high school and won a state championship with them. They honored Faith a handful of times over the years at their games.

I'm honestly just more surprised that Familial DNA has survived this long without being ruled out by the courts.

I'm honestly just more surprised that Familial DNA has survived this long without being ruled out by the courts.

Why's that?

Why's that?

Violation of the 4th Amendment, along with other privacy concerns.

Here is some semi-recent literature courtesy of the Houston Law Review (https://houstonlawreview.org/article/36547-keeping-it-in-the-family-direct-to-consumer-genetic-testing-and-the-fourth-amendment)

That case where the woman believed she was kidnapped as a kid

While there are obviously both innocent and understandable reasons that people do so, I think it's extremely unwise to be giving your DNA to anyone. We've already seen what this can do, and frankly, are likely still on the brink of what such information is capable of doing, both good and bad. Your DNA is the most precious personal information unique to you. It will become increasingly valuable with each advancement in technology and each encroachment of personal privacy that the future may hold in store. Guard it with your life unless a very important situation deems it completely necessary to relinquish. It's only logical.

With Zodiac, I just want to point out that some people are inclined to say it was impossible for the suspect (I believe to be ALA in most cases) to foresee DNA at the time, and DNA should easily identify him. While I agree with the notion that the foresight about forensic implications of DNA could not be foreseen then, the killer could have figured something less than that (say, just a saliva "type" or spit test, like known blood types) and taken steps accordingly to minimize the possibility of forensic identification.

Where did they get DNA from Zodiac? I'll have to re-read details on it, but at this moment.. I can't think of any evidence, other than perhaps bullet casings that he left at a crime scene.

Pulling DNA from those.. Not impossible, but.. Considering that they get quite hot once a bullet is fired.. It's easier to get fingerprints than DNA from them.

Was the Hedgepeth case ever featured on UM, obviously in a later incarnation? If so I totally missed it.


No I don't think so. I wasn't only considering UM cases when I responded. Glad to see it's been resolved since.

"Where did they get DNA from Zodiac? I'll have to re-read details on it, but at this moment.. I can't think of any evidence, other than perhaps bullet casings that he left at a crime scene.

Pulling DNA from those.. Not impossible, but.. Considering that they get quite hot once a bullet is fired.. It's easier to get fingerprints than DNA from them."



They got a partial profile many years ago, it was enough to exclude suspects but not make a match to the actual perpetrator.

The stamps or envelope he sent his correspondence in would be the most likely candidate for DNA retrieval

What cases are you baffled DNA hasn't solved or given huge clues about?

Little Miss Panasoffkee and Gary Grant Jr