Episode 173 DNA ID Replay Kim Bryant and Diana Hanson

While Jess is on winter break preparing new episodes of DNA ID for 2026, we are airing some of our favorite one part episodes weekly in  what we call 'DNA ID Replay' episodes. These Replay episodes will air every week while on break with the exception of Christmas week. In this episode, we explore the case of Kim Bryant and Diana Hanson which originally aired in episode 37.

1979 Las Vegas, a weekday morning. 16 year old Kim Bryant was at a Dairy Queen waiting for her ride – and then she was gone. Her body was found a month later, sexually assaulted, beaten and murdered. A notorious serial killer was the only real suspect – he was executed in Texas, but he didn't kill her. When a tip came in in 2019, new testing was conducted on the biological evidence in Kim's case that isolated a male DNA profile. Forensic genealogy led to the name of a suspect, and further testing of his living relatives revealed that he was the killer of Kim Bryant. But naming him also allowed the LVMPD to close another cold case – the 1983 abduction, rape and murder of 22 year old Diana Hanson. The same killer had struck twice – at least.

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Ep172 DNA ID Replay Susan Negersmith 

While Jess is on winter break preparing new episodes of DNA ID for 2026, we are airing some of our favorite one part episodes weekly in  what we call 'DNA ID Replay' episodes. These Replay episodes will air every week while on break with the exception of Christmas week. In this episode, we explore the case of Susan Negersmith which originally aired in episode 74.

In 1990, 20 year old college student Susan Negersmith went to beach town Wildwood, NJ with friends for Memorial Day weekend. Her body was found behind a local restaurant, half naked, shoeless, bloody, riddled with injuries, and with visible marks on her throat. Someone had taken pains to ensure she was obscured from view of passersby – yet her death was ruled an accident. It took her father 6 years to get her death certificate changed to reflect that her death was a homicide – but by that time, the damage was done. Even forensic genealogy, with its wondrous power to provide answers, may not be able to deliver justice for Susan Negersmith.

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Episode 166 Opal Weil Part 1 of 2 

In January 1987, 82 year old Opal Weil was slain in her St. Petersburg, FL home. The crime scene reflected a burglary, with Opal's wedding ring pulled off her finger.  Within a week, it happened again. Octogenarian Eleanor Swift's home, just 6 miles from Opal's, was burgled, she was killed, and her wedding ring taken.  A third victim in the same month survived, but remembered nothing.  The cases, quickly connected in the eyes of the investigators, went cold, despite a large number of suspects being considered.  Hairs found at Opal's crime scene, distinct from her own, would prove to be the key to an IGG analysis, and a suspect was finally identified and arrested for her murder in 2023.  But that is not the end of the story.     

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Episode 106 Rita Curran Part 1 of 2

The brutal 1971 murder of Rita Curran in her own bedroom rocked the tight-knit town of Burlington, Vermont.  The circumstances of Rita's death seemed so random – yet pointed to an insider. The mystifying slaying had no apparent motive and no good leads, and perplexed generations of frustrated investigators.  The case was so out there, Ted Bundy was considered a viable suspect, with good reason.  Fifty years later, modern DNA technology would reach back in time and give a name to Rita's killer, helping finally to assuage the heartache of Rita's family and allowing Burlingtonians to put the tragic murder in their midst behind them.  

In this episode, Jessica announces the winners of the Rating/Review contest. 

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Episode 105 DOE: ID 'Mary Jane Doe' Tabetha Slain Murlin

In may, 1992, a construction worker renovating a home in Fort Wayne, Indiana made a gruesome discovery. In the flooded basement of the home, he discovered a woman's body wrapped in a blanket. Investigators were unable to determine an exact cause of death due to the condition of her remains, although they did make one important discovery; she was about 26 weeks pregnant when she died. Although police suspected foul play, they didn't have much in the way of leads to ID a suspect in her death, and they didn't even know who she was. Efforts to ID her came up empty, and she was laid to rest with the moniker 'Mary Jane Doe'.

Decades would pass before DNA & genealogy would finally provide some answers by late 2023; the dead woman was Tabetha Slain Murlin who was about 23 when she died. Her family had lost contact with her in the late 1980s, and although they tried to look for her over the next three decades, they had no luck, and presumed the worst.  Now, police know who Tabetha is, but if she met with foul play, they don't know who it was at the hands of. They would also like to determine the identity of her baby's father, and perhaps genealogy will one day help them do that. 

Anyone with information on what led to Tabetha Murlin's death should reach out to authorities at 260-427-1201 for the Fort Wayne Police Detective Bureau; Fort Wayne CrimeStoppers at 260-436-7867; or report an anonymous tip using the P3Tips mobile app.

After more than three decades, 'Mary Jane Doe' finally has her name back; it's Tabetha Slain Murlin, and this is her story.

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Episode 104 Sherri And Megan Scherer And Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 Of 2

This is the Part 2 of the Scherer/Zitricki cases. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and listen to that part first.

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Episode 104 Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2

In 1998, an unthinkable crime rocked farm community Portageville, Missouri.  Sherri Scherer and her 12 year old daughter Megan were shot and killed, and Megan was sexually assaulted, in their own home in a 41 minute window of time.  A massive investigation into one of the state's most heinous crimes ensued.  And soon, with the discovery of more and more crimes, the investigation would burgeon into a multi-state investigative effort to catch a killer.  Finally, forensic genealogy using DNA collected from an adolescent rape survivor provided answers to the questions that had haunted investigators and families in Missouri, Tennessee, and South Carolina.  But many fear that these crimes were just the tip of the iceberg for the monster that was Robert Brashers.

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Episode 103 Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson 

In 1986, the body of a man was pulled from Crater Lake in Montgomery TX 40 miles North of Houston. It soon became clear to investigators that he was the victim of a homicide having been shot multiple times, and his body weighed down with cinder blocks. Due to the injuries the man had suffered along with the water exposure and decomposition, police were unable to ID the man. He did have a couple tattoos, but it was not enough to help police give him his name back.  Somehow, police came to believe that the dead man went by the street name "New York Billy' but they didn't have much else, and he was laid to rest; buried with little hope of him ever being identified, or his killer caught. Years later as DNA Science evolved, police exhumed the man's body and used genealogy to finally ID him after decades. It turned out that New York Billy was actually Clarence Wilson who would have been 34 years old when he was found. He was living in Texas after a falling out with family back in Modesto, CA. He was last known by his family to be alive in 1985. 

Now the police know who New York Billy is, but they don't know who killed him or why. That part of the mystery remains, but police are working hard to provide answers. 'New York Billy' finally has his name back; it's Clarence Wilson, and this is his story

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Episode 102 Jane Hylton 

Sometime between 10:30 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. on the night of July 6-7, 1985, someone entered the house she was staying at and stabbed Jane 54 year old Jane Hylton 29 times.  Police set their sights on the most likely suspect – another resident of the house, 20 year old Ricky Davis.  It was just too far-fetched to believe that someone else random had come along and killed Jane, and Ricky was arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to prison.  But when the Northern California Innocence Project took up his case, they found untested DNA evidence. And this evidence would change everything.  Forensic genealogy showed that Ricky was innocent – and someone else entirely was to blame for Jane's vicious murder. 

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Episode 101 DOE: ID 'Valentine Sally' Carolyn Eaton 

On Valentine's Day, February 14th, 1982, the body of a young woman was discovered by a worker along interstate 40 in Williams, Arizona. It became clear quickly to investigators that she had been murdered, and her body dragged out of sight of the road.  She was given the moniker 'Valentine Sally' An autopsy revealed that she had died from suffocation or asphyxiation. One potential clue found by the ME, was that Valentine Sally had recently had a tooth drilled in preparation for a root canal, and baby aspirin remnants were found packed into the open hole in her gum.Police were able to find multiple witnesses that they were confident had interacted with Valentine Sally in the days before she was killed. One of them gave her a ride and recalled her talking about a toothache. The other witness, a truck stop waitress, was the one who provided Valentine Sally with the baby aspirin for her gum. This waitress was able to describe an older man in a cowboy hat who was with Valentine Sally, and a sketch was made of him

 Police sifted through hundreds of missing persons cases to ID Valentine Sally. They came to believe that she was Melody Cutlip; a runaway from Florida who left home in 1980. Despite Melody's mother saying that Valentine Sally was not her daughter, officials buried her and marked her headstone with the name Melody Cutlip, and closed her case. The case was thrown for a loop, when the real Melody Cutlip showed up alive and well. Police were back to square one with not much to go on. 

Decades later, genealogy would provide detectives with Valentine Sally's real name; it was Carolyn Eaton who had run away from her Missouri home following an argument with her mom, over the holidays in late 1981, or close to New Year's 1982. Now police know who Valentine Sally really is, but they don't know who killed her. It seems likely that they have his DNA, and they also have the sketch of the man last seen with Carolyn. Time will tell if it's enough to close her case once and for all. 

After four decades, Valentine Sally finally has her name back, it's Carolyn Eaton, and this is her story. 

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Episode 100 Cathy Sposito Part 2 of 2

This is the second part of episode 100; Cathy Sposito. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to that part first.

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Episode 100 Cathy Sposito Part 1 of 2

In April 1987, Cathy Sposito was brutally killed on a popular, scenic hiking trail in broad daylight in Prescott Arizona.  Despite multiple earwitnesses to her murder, her killer eluded police.  A massive investigation turned up two prime suspects, but there was no smoking gun.  Then, a 1990 sexual assault on the same trail mirrored the MO, and again, the killer escaped.  This time, the survivor was able to describe her attacker, but his identity remained unknown. The two crimes were linked only theoretically until DNA evidence connected them, and tied them to the same man.  And that man was given a name by forensic genealogy, which solved the two cases at once. 

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Episode 99 Doe ID 'Bones 17' Lori Anne Razpotnik

On December 30, 1985 Auburn city employees  25 miles south of Seattle, Washington were investigating a car that had gone over an embankment. While surveying the area, they made a startling discovery; two sets of human remains. The remains, which turned out to be those of two young women, could not be identified at the time and were named Bones 16 and Bones 17. For investigators, it became clear that the remains were quite possibly victims of The Green River Killer who was responsible for the murders of potentially dozens of sex workers in the Seattle area. 

Eventually, The Green River Killer was caught and identified as Gary Ridgway, and though he was more than willing to talk about his crimes with investigators, he couldn't ID all of his victims, so for years some of them remained un-named; including the victim referred to as 'Bones 17'. Eventually genealogy would reveal that Bones 17 was actually Lori Anne Razpotnik; who had run away from home as a teenager in Lewis County, Washington in 1982. Lori had called home over the Thanksgiving holiday to tell her family she was okay and living in Seattle, but they never heard from her again, and were left to wonder what happened to her. Sadly, she crossed paths with Gary Ridgway. After nearly four decades, 'Bones 17' has her name back; it's Lori Anne Razpotnik, and this is her story. 

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Episode 165 Doe ID: 'Government Camp Jane Doe' Wanda Herr

In August, 1986, a human skull and some bones were found of Highway 26 near Government Camp, Oregon. There was nothing to help ID the victim, who the authorities believed was a female between the ages of 17 and 30. An expert believed that the skull had been there for as long as ten years, but some time later, that idea would be challenged. 

Eventually, DNA & genealogy would prove that 'Government Camp Jane Doe' was actually Wanda Ann Herr who was described as a "chronic runaway" and had last been seen by her family in Oregon in 1976. Her case is being investigated as a possible homicide, although it's likely due to very little potential evidence, the mystery surrounding her death will never be solved. 

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Episode 98 Krista Martin

In October 1989, Krista Martin was found bludgeoned and raped in her apartment in Wichita, Kansas.  Krista was a very social young woman with lots of friends and quite a bit of drama in her life – none of which led to her murder.  Police investigated thoroughly, but were stumped for years.  Krista's case went cold until the WPD reopened it in 2020 with a focus on the DNA evidence.  Like most of DNA: ID's cases, this case never would have been solved without forensic genealogy – but in this case, the genealogical analysis uncovered a misattributed parentage event, and left one family relieved and thankful to have answers, and one family in complete denial and anger. We still don't know what happened between Krista and Paul Hart on that day in 1989. But we do know the he lived just six houses away from Krista, and that he killed her.

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Episode 97 Doe ID: Ada Fritz

In May, 1976,  a group of boys fishing along Sessions Creek in Grand Bay, Alabama when they found what appeared to be a mannequin in the water. Closer examination told them that it was the dead body of an older woman, and they ran to get help. Police retrieved the dead woman from the water and found that she had been shot in the head. She carried no ID, and her hands and dentures were missing. Police were not able to match her to any specific women that were missing and she was cremated and her ashes place into a mass grave. That might have been the end of ever finding out who the dead woman was had it not been for a crucial piece of luck and old evidence from the case that was re-examined. Police eventually were able to get a DNA profile from the dead woman, and genealogy determined that she was Ada Fritz who seemed to drop from sight not long before her body was found. While police couldn't prove who killed her, they had a good guess. They believed that a Mississippi man named Henderson James Williams was responsible. In 1994 he had been convicted of killing his mother, whose body was found in water off Hall Road in Grand Bay. The details of both crimes were very similar. Although police have yet to prove Henderson Williams is responsible for Ada's death, they were happy to give her her name back. It's Ada Fritz, and this is her story. 

Christina Castiglione Part 2 of 2

This is part 2 of the Christina Castiglione case; if you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to that part first. 

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Episode 96 Christina Castiglione Part 1 of 2

Christina Castiglione was last seen walking along Five Mile Road in Redford Township, MI.  The date was March 19th, 1983, and it was about 8:30 p.m. Her boyfriend waited for her at a store up ahead, but she never showed.  In the distance of about a half mile, she vanished.  Her half nude, strangled body was found a week later, miles away in a state-owned recreation area.  Her murder immediately called to mind another murder, almost exactly one year earlier.  Kim Louiselle was last seen looking for a ride home in Livonia, MI, on March 20th, 1982. She, too, vanished seemingly into thin air. Her body was found a month later, nude and strangled in a different state-owned recreation area. The two cases were always considered to be connected, but two murders proved no easier to solve than one, and decades passed. Not until forensic genealogy solved Christina's case were answers also found in Kim's case.  The same man had killed both women, and when police dug into his past, they discovered some extremely disturbing information about who Charles Shaw was.

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Episode 95 Doe ID: Eileen Truppner

In 1998, an unidentified victim of a brutal rape and murder who was left for dead was found by chance by a boater in a grassy area in southwest Broward County off of U.S. 27 in the state of Florida. The dead woman carried no identification, and did not match any missing women in the area. Attempts to ID her initially failed, although police suspected that she may be the victim of a serial predator in that area who had fled the United States. Years later, when DNA evidence was re-examined in  an effort to ID the victim through genealogy, police caught a break. The genealogy determined that the victim was Eileen Truppner;  a down on her luck woman who had bounced around the area prior to her death. But the re-examination of DNA that led to Eileen's identity, also led to that of her killer; Lucious Boyd, who turned out to be a different predator than the one police initially suspected. Boyd is on death row for his other crimes, and a case is currently being built against him in Eileen's case.

This Florida Jane Doe finally has her name back, it's Eileen Truppner, and this is her story. 

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Episode 94 Rachael Johnson Part 2 of 2 

This is part 2 of the Rachael Johnson case. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, go back and listen to that part first. 

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Episode 94 Rachael Johnson Part 1 of 2

In 1991, a woman was found lying in the street near Akron, Ohio, half naked and set ablaze.  She was quickly identified as Rachael Johnson, a young single mother who had last been seen walking in the parking lot of a local convenience store.  A thorough investigation by Akron police looked at everyone Rachael knew even remotely – investigators were certain that she knew her killer.  They were right, but it was not until decades later that forensic genealogy pointed them to someone they had never considered – someone who Rachael's family knew all too well.

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Episode 93 DOE: ID Robert Mullins

On November 1st, 1991, hunters in Circleville, Ohio discovered unidentified human remains in a shallow grave near a private farm. Based on the size of the remains, the authorities thought that they belonged to a young woman. They also found evidence that the Doe's head had been moved with some kind of toothed saw, possibly indicating a homicide. After searching for missing women who might be a match for the Doe, police came up empty, and the case went cold. Over the years, various teams and experts worked with the remains, and the DNA gathered from them, and eventually discovered that the Jane Doe they had was actually a John Doe; the victim was a male. Eventually, DNA & genealogy led the authorities to ID the remains as belonging to Robert A. Mullins who was reported missing by his family. He had disappeared in Ohio in late 1988, or early 1989 when he was 21. Now the investigators knew who their victim was, but the search to find out the circumstances of his death, and who was involved, goes on. 

The case remains an open homicide investigation with the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Lt. Jonathan Strawser at (740) 474-2176.

This Doe finally has his name back; it's Robert Mullins, and this is his story. 

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In 2024 , for the second year in a row, DNA: ID has been invited to be on podcast row at the Crimecon true crime convention. Stop by and say hi to host Jessica Bettencourt, pick up some goodies, and enter for a chance to win some DNA ID swag. 

Crimecon 2024 is happening at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN May 31st to June 2nd, 2024. DNA: ID listeners can save 10% on their  standard Crimecon badges at checkout when they use code: DNAID (all one word). Don't delay because badges and hotel accommodations are going quickly. Hope to see you there! 

Episode 92 Pam Cahanes and Kathy Hicks Part 3 of 3

This is part 3 of 3 in the case of Pam Cahanes and Kathy Hicks. If you have not listened to parts 1 & 2 yet, stop now and go back and listen to those parts first. 

This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh home delivery meal kits. Go to HelloFresh.com/dnafree  and use code dnafree for FREE breakfast for life! One breakfast item per box while subscription is active. 

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Episode 164 The Denver Four Part 2 of 2

This is part 2 of the Denver Four case. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, please stop now and go back and listen to that part first. 

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Episode 92 Pam Cahanes and Kathy Hicks Part 2 of 3

This is part 2 of 3 in the case of Pam Cahanes and Kathy Hicks. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to that part first. 

This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh home delivery meal kits. Go to HelloFresh.com/dnafree  and use code dnafree for FREE breakfast for life! One breakfast item per box while subscription is active. 

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Episode 92 Pam Cahanes and Kathy Hicks Part 1 of 3

Season 4 of DNA: ID kicks off with a massive 3 part episode; In 1982, young Naval recruit Pam Cahanes had finally finished boot camp and graduated with her apprentice airman class. A weekend Liberty Pass allowed Pam to leave the Naval Training Center Orlando base for the first time in months. But Pam didn't live to enjoy her newfound freedom. She was found strangled in her underwear, in the yard of a vacant house, shopping bags of personal items and her clothing strewn around her.  Despite an extensive investigation, DNA evidence, and a prime suspect, her case went cold.  This case was one of the first in Florida to use Forensic Genealogy to identify a suspect, someone never named in the case file.  And when that person's DNA was entered into CODIS, the investigators learned that he WAS named in the case file – in a murder case in Hawaii two years before Pam's.

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When a charismatic young doctor announces revolutionary treatments for cancer and HIV, patients from around the world turn to him for their last chance. As medical experts praise Serhat Gumrukcu's genius, the company he co-founded rockets in value to over half a billion dollars. But when a team of researchers makes a startling discovery, they begin to   suspect the brilliant doctor is hiding a secret. From Wondery, the new season of Dr. Death: Bad Magic is a story of miraculous cures, magic and murder. Hosted by Laura Beil.
Listen to Dr. Death - Bad Magic: http://wondery.fm/MAGIC_ID

In our final episode of 2023, we review the full length cases we covered this season on DNA:ID as well as the Doe mini episodes. We also touch on current events, trials, and news, that may affect past cases, and change the future of investigative genealogy. 

DNA: ID will return for an all new season on January 29, 2024. Happy holidays to all of our listeners.

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Episode 90 DOE: ID 'Jonesport John Doe' Philip Kahn

On July, 24th, 2000, an unidentified man's body was found floating 27 miles off the coast of Jonesport, Maine.  Due to the lack of ID, and condition of his remains, not much could be gathered to help investigators determine who this John Doe was, or how he died, although they were able to determine that he did have some specific health issues. The man known as 'Jonesport John Doe' was cremated and buried in an area cemetery. A sample of his DNA was collected with hopes that he would one day be identified, although early attempts proved fruitless.

Eventually, genealogy made it possible to determine that Jonesport John Doe was actually a man named Philip Kahn who had been reported missing by his family in Las Vegas shortly before his body was found. Why Kahn left his family behind and how and why he wound up in Maine remains a mystery. Confounding the mystery is the fact that Philip Kahn may actually have been someone else altogether; creating a mystery within a mystery.

'Jonesport John Doe' finally has his name back; it's Philip Kahn, and this is his story.

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Edna Laughman Part 2 of 2

This is the conclusion of the Edna Laughman episode. If you have not yet listened to part 1, stop now and go back and listen to that part first. 

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Episode 89 Edna Laughman Part 1 of 2

In 1987, someone broke into Edna Laughman's home and suffocated and raped the 85 year old widow.  She was found by her relative and best friend, Madeline Laughman.  Within 2 weeks, Madeline's son was arrested for Edna's slaying.  Barry Laughman "confessed" to the crime, and was tried, convicted, and spent 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.  Barry was finally exonerated by updated DNA testing in 2003.  But the investigation into who killed his elderly relative was back to Square 1. The case languished until forensic genealogy pointed the investigators to Edna's killer – someone who had been right under their noses the whole time.

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Episode 88 DOE: ID 'Queens Backyard John Doe' George Seitz

In 2019, a woman called into Queens PD with a tip. She recalled that as a child in the late 1970's, she believed that her and her mom had witnessed her mom's then-boyfriend, Martin Motta, clean up, and cover up a murder he had committed in his barber shop, before dismembering his victim's remains to dispose of them. Although the witness couldn't provide exact details and dates, police took her seriously. She told police that some of the remains were likely buried in on the property she lived in as a child. Police wasted no time searching the area, and were able to recover human remains exactly where the tipster told them they would find them. And just as she had indicated, there was evidence that the victim; a man, had been dismembered. 

Although police had a murder victim on their hands, they didn't know who he was, so they turned to genealogy to identify the victim. It turned out that he was a WW1 veteran named George Clarence Seitz. The 81 year old had been reported missing after going out for a haircut in 1976 and he never returned. Unfortunately, George Seitz was able to survive a war, but he didn't survive a trip to Martin Motta's barber shop. He was killed for the large amount of cash he carried with him. Martin Motta was tried and convicted for Seitz's murder and sent to prison. 

'Queens Backyard John Doe' now has his name back; it's George Seitz, and this is his story. 

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Episode 87 Christine Franke Part 2 of 2

This is the conclusion of the Christine Franke case. If you have not listened to Part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to that part first. 

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Episode 87 Christine Franke Part 1 of 2

In 2001, Orlando bartender and college student Christine Franke was attacked, shot, sexually assaulted and robbed in her own apartment.  The evidence showed that she had just walked in the door from work when her assailant struck. DNA was collected from Christine's person. Her romantic partner told police of a stalker, who was tracked down after an extensive investigation. The DNA ruled him out.  After 17 years, police finally turned to the burgeoning new technique, forensic genealogy, which led them to focus on a very large family in Georgia.  In this early forensic genealogy case, reference samples obtained from family members via a ruse led to the killer, and obtained justice for Christine, but left the killer's family feeling manipulated. 

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Episode 164 The Denver Four Part 1 of 2

Four women were murdered in the Denver, CO area, three in 1980 and one in 1978, in crimes that remained unsolved – and unconnected – for decades.  The victims had nothing in common, the circumstances varied widely.  But modern DNA testing technology provided investigators with some very surprising information – and IGG tied it all together.  They were looking for one man for all four murders – and those were not the sum total of his heinous crimes.  Today's episode is about one of the more depraved killers identified by IGG, one you've likely never heard of. 

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Episode 86 Doe: ID 'Cheatham Jane Doe' Linda Karnes

In October, 1981, skeletal remains were found by hunters at an old landfill in Cheatham County, Tennessee  on Highway 249 in Ashland City.  Forensic anthropologists at the University of Tennessee determined the remains belonged to a young, white female, estimated to be between 14 and 17 years old. She carried no ID, and her arms were missing, presumably taken by scavaging animals, so fingerprinting was not an option. But part of her legs were also missing, and showed signs of being removed with a saw. It was clear to authorities that this young girl, who was dubbed 'Cheatham Jane Doe',  had been a murder victim and they set out to determine who she was and who was responsible for her death. 

Decades later, DNA & genealogy would combine to reveal her identity as Linda Sue Karnes, who had spent time as a teenager in the Montgomery County Girls Home in Clarksville not long before her remains were found. Although authorities now know who she is, it's not clear what led to Linda's murder, or who is responsible. Police are still trying to fill in the blanks and are seeking the public's help. Anyone with pertinent details is encouraged to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or via email at TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov

After more four decades, 'Cheatham County Jane Doe' has her name back, it's Linda Sue Karnes, and this is her story.

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Episode 85 Ellen Mathys and David Schuldes Part 2 of 2

This is part 2 of the Mathys/Schuldes case, if you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to part 1 first. 

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Episode 85 Ellen Mathys and David Schuldes Part 1 of 2

A stunning double murder shocked quiet, rural Marinette, Wisconsin in 1976.  A loving engaged couple went camping in one of the verdant parks in the northern part of the state – and were found dead.  David had been shot in the throat; Ellen had been raped and shot to death.  The senseless, seemingly random crime double homicide rocked Marinette County, and set determined investigators on a 40 year journey to catch a killer.  Despite a good sketch of the suspect, he remained unidentified until forensic genealogy led investigators right to his door – 20 miles from the park where he had slain David and Ellen. Prosecutors put together a case against grandfather Raymand Vannieuwenhoven that was largely based on the DNA – would it be enough for the jury?

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In June, 1979, the body of an unidentified woman was found near Highway 290 and FM 696 in Elgin, Bastrop County, Texas. The condition of her remains made it tough to determine a cause of death, let alone figure out who she was. Police theorized that she was the victim of a hit and run due to a broken pelvis. She was laid to rest in Elgin cemetery. Years later, in an effort ID the unknown Jane Doe, her body was exhumed multiple times for DNA testing. Finally, she was identified via forensic genetic genealogy, as Kathy Ann Smith. To date,not much has been shared publicly about Kathy's background besides the fact she was adopted. While police are still investigating her death and can't confirm whether she was murdered, infamous serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to Kathy's murder before recanting. Police have not ruled Lucas out in Kathy's death. 

If you have any information about Kathy's case, please call the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office at 512-549-5100

After more than three decades, this Texas Jane Doe has her name back, it's Kathy Ann Smith, and this is her story. 

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Episode 83 Cheryl Thompson

Cheryl Thompson was missing for 15 days in 1978 before her body turned up dumped on a riverbank in Loveland, Ohio. Investigators weren't certain whether she'd been held captive, alive – and they also weren't sure what to make of the story her boyfriend told. It involved car chases, blown tires, shaggy haired strange men – all on the last night Cheryl was seen.

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Episode 82 DOE: ID 'Frog Boy' Winston 'Wint' Maxey III

In July, 1971, some teen boys in Coos Bay, Oregon discovered a decomposed body along Snedden Creek. The body was that of a young male in his teens, but due to the condition of the body, the medical examiner could not determine exactly when the young man had died, or a cause of death, but he deemed it suspicious. Since there was no ID with the body, investigators didn't know who the young man they affectionately called 'Frog Boy' was, and their efforts to find someone missing from the area that matched his description came up empty. 

For decades, the identity of Frog Boy remained a mystery until advancements in DNA & genealogy finally provided a name for him; Winston 'Wint' Maxey III, who had left his Idaho home as a teenager, and had never been reported missing. It turned out that his daughter, who was born weeks after Wint went missing and put up for adoption, had been looking for him.

 Questions remain to this day. How exactly did Wint die, and was he the victim of foul play?

'Frog Boy' now has his name back; it's Winston 'Wint' Maxey III, and this is his story.

If you have information about Wint, please contact Captain Patterson at (541)-396-7820 or call the Coos County Sheriff's Office at (541) 396-7800.

Visit the Facebook page set up by Wint's Daughter Lori to learn more about the case, or to help Lori find more information on her father. 

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Episode 81 Lisa Holstead Part 2 of 2

This is the second part of the Lisa Holstead case. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and listen to that part first. 

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Episode 81 Lisa Holstead Part 1 of 2

Lisa Holstead vanished sometime between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. on the night of August 12th-13th, 1986.  Her boyfriend told the police Lisa had jumped out of his car after an argument, and he never saw her again. Police were skeptical of this story, even after two witnesses said they saw Lisa getting out of the vehicle at a stop light.  Lisa was found the next day in a nearby marsh.  She'd been strangled by her own braided hair.  Her boyfriend became the target of the family's suspicions and the police investigation for years to come.  Not until forensic genealogy pointed modern investigators in another direction altogether was Lisa's case finally cracked, and her real killer brought to justice.

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Episode 80 DOE: ID 'Nogales John Doe' Donald Sigurd Hadland Jr. In September, 2002, a man using the name 'Edward C', checked into the low budget Time motel in Nogales, Arizona. He claimed to the hotel manager that he was there to get surgery in Mexico. Just days after checking in, the mysterious Edward C was found dead in his hotel room. An autopsy determined that the guest had died of an apparent accidental overdose. When the authorities tried to notify the man's next of kin, they discovered that he was using a false identity; one that had been stolen from a real Edward C, and he was alive and well in Florida. That began a years-long search for the man's identity. Eventually, in 2023,  a determined group of college students taking a genealogy course provided the answer. The man who had been dubbed 'Nogales John Doe' was actually Donald Sigurd Hadland Jr. His family had lost track of him years before. Although the authorities finally knew who he was, questions remain, including just why it was that he chose to steal the identities of others.  "Nogales John Doe' now has his name back; it's Donald Sigurd Hadland Jr, and this is his story.  

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Episode 79 Jeanne Childs Part  2 of 2 

This is part 2 of the case of Jeanne Childs. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to part 1 first. 

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Episode 163 Doe ID: Roberta Mumma

In 1984, the decomposed remains of a woman wrapped in plastic were found in remote Wizard Wells, Jack County, TX.  Experts posited that she was a young white woman, but without any identification, no fingerprints, and no corresponding missing persons reports, she could not be identified. Fast forward nearly 40 years – when IGG would be used on her bones to identify her as Roberta Mumma.  Roberta hailed from the Lancaster, PA area and was believed to have died around age 25.  Her death is considered a homicide, and the Jack County authorities and the Texas Rangers are seeking information about her case.

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Episode 79 Jeanne Childs Part 1 of 2 

The 1993 stabbing murder of 35 year old Jeanne Childs was just one of the many homicides Minneapolis investigators had to deal with during the "Murderapolis" era.  But crime scene technicians did a thorough job, and carefully preserved many crucial pieces of evidence from the bloody scene in the apartment Jeanne shared with her boyfriend and alleged pimp, Arthur.  Several potential suspects emerged, including a man who had killed another woman in a similar fashion, and a man whose blood was found near Jeanne's apartment.  But one clue – a set of bloody male footprints, would prove to be a vital supplement to the male DNA found at the scene. Forensic genealogy led investigators to a man whose name was not on police radar – but was in Jeanne's client list.  His name is Jerry Westrom, and his footprints placed him in Jeanne's apartment next to her bloody corpse.

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AbJack Entertainment, the true crime network that brings you DNA: ID and several other true crime podcasts, would like to introduce you to AbJack Insider through Apple Podcasts.

What is AbJack Insider? It's a value-based subscription that gives listeners VIP access to not only DNA:ID, but to every other show on the AbJack network. You'll get things like AD-FREE and early episodes, bonus content, and AD-FREE listening.

Every episode of every show on AbJack published in August, 2023 and after, will be AD-FREE with an AbJack Insider subscription. In addition, several shows on the network already have completely AD-FREE and bonus content published in the AbJack Insider APP, and more and more previously published episodes will be added to the AD-FREE lineup.

There are several DNA: ID episodes already available to listen to ad-free. You'll get access to exclusive content not available without a subscription, and in some cases, episodes in advance of their publish date giving AbJack Insiders the first chance at hearing new material.

Your subscription will get you VIP access to every podcast on the network, and any new shows added to the network, for one low price of $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year. You can also start off with a free trial subscription to see if it's for you. Simply visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started. Of course, you can also support DNA: ID with a Patreon subscription.

AbJack Entertainment is dedicated to bringing you the best in Indie true crime podcasts, and your support with an AbJack Insider subscription will support the network, and all of the hosts who are focused on continuing to bring you all of the great content you're looking for.

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Episode 78 Carol Sue Klaber Part 2 of 2

This is part 2 of 2 of the Carol Sue Klaber case. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back and listen to that part before listening to this part.

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