FamilyTreeDNA Helps Identify Two Victims from the "Texas Killing Fields"
FamilyTreeDNA works with League City Police Investigators to break open decades old Jane and Janet Doe cases
HOUSTON, April 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FamilyTreeDNA worked with cold case investigators at League City Police Department to positively identify the remains of two young women found in oil fields in 1986 and 1991 in an area known as the "Texas Killing Fields."
The original investigations into these deaths failed to identify the remains of Jane and Janet Doe, or, yield a suspect. Over the past three decades, attempts to identify the two women have been unsuccessful. Working with Houston-based FamilyTreeDNA, whose laboratory received DNA samples and data files that were processed and uploaded into FamilyTreeDNA's family matching database, League City Police Detectives were able to identify the two victims within a matter of days and are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
According to Bennett Greenspan, President and Founder of FamilyTreeDNA, "The fact that 99% of our customers have chosen to remain in our database after being given the option to opt-out of law enforcement (LE) matching is a testament to the public's support for the use of consumer DNA databases to help law enforcement solve violent crimes of murder and sexual assault."
An independent poll conducted by the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine* found that 91% of people polled supported law enforcement's use of investigational genetic genealogy and consumer DNA databases to help solve violent crime cases.
FamilyTreeDNA, the first company to begin offering direct-to-consumer DNA testing for genetic genealogy purposes, began allowing customers from competitor companies to upload their genetic files, at no charge, more than five years ago. Now, law enforcement must register their samples with FTDNA before uploading files into the system. As specified in FamilyTreeDNA's Terms of Service, law enforcement can only receive information not already accessible to the standard user by providing FamilyTreeDNA with valid legal process such as a subpoena or a search warrant.
*https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2006906
MEDIA: "Families Want Answers" :30 Spot. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hpaowzheym5p9yf/FTDNA%20Ed%20Smart.mp4?dl=0
About FamilyTreeDNA and Gene-by-Gene
DNA testing industry, and the top choice for strict consumer privacy, according to U.S. News and World Report - January 8, 2019. FamilyTreeDNA is a privately held company located in Houston, Texas. www.familytreedna.com. Gene-by-Gene is a CAP and CLIA accredited laboratory located in Houston, Texas which processes genetic tests for commercial customers, along with consumer DNA tests for its FamilyTreeDNA division. www.genebygene.com
SOURCE FamilyTreeDNA
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