Unidentified Human Remains Forensic Genetic DNA Testing

Nationally, according to the FBI, there are more than 250,000 cold cases and 40,000 unidentified human remains cases.  In the FY 2023 House of Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations bill report, Congress recognized the important role Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) can play when legacy DNA testing fails to produce any investigative leads (p.100).

Funding this project will allow Humboldt County to access technology used to identify human remains that have been collected in the County going back to the 1960’s.  This will allow for the return of these individuals to their families and to provide answers as to why they went missing, some of which have been waiting for decades.