How AI and Genetic Genealogy Are Helping Solve Cold Cases

DNA science isn’t the only technology helping detectives solve cold cases.

AI Helps Detectives Analyze Thousands of Pages of Evidence

One of the challenges detectives face when investigating major cases, such as the hunt for Sperino’s killer, is the sheer amount of evidence collected over many years.

Police officers investigating Sperino’s murder realized that artificial intelligence could help them examine the mountain of evidence that had accumulated since 1993.

They used Centerline AI, a platform from Florida-based software company Central Square, to analyze more than 2,000 pages of records and identify DNA-testing evidence that could help solve the case.

The AI helped reconstruct the timeline and organize witness sightings. “It’s a lot easier than having a detective read 2,000 pages,” Lawrence says. His team was also able to interact with the AI like a chatbot.

The technology also proved useful when detectives interviewed Ziggler after tracking him down. Lawrence said investigators were able to ask the AI questions to “determine if Ziggler was telling the truth.”

However, the captain says the technique “depends on the skill of the investigator.” “There comes a point where you have to leave technology behind and find people and talk to them,” he says.

Why Investigative Genetic Genealogy Has Limits

Investigative genetic genealogy also has limitations. “We can’t solve every case. Without DNA, we can’t really use this technology,” Mittelman said.

“However, this technique is much more powerful than relying on the likelihood of finding a match elsewhere in a database, and has a much higher chance of identifying an identity,” he added.

Privacy Concerns Surround DNA Databases

Although companies such as Othram only use ancestry platforms where users have consented to law enforcement matching, concerns remain about the ethical implications of using genetic data.

“There are serious privacy concerns,” says Dennis Syndercombe-Cote, professor of forensic genetics at King’s College London. While a person may have opted in to having their DNA used, their genetic relatives may not have consented.

Funding Remains a Major Hurdle

Lack of funding is another obstacle. “Every law enforcement agency wants to do that. There just isn’t a lot of money to do it,” Mittelman said.

In some cases, funding may come through donations or crowdfunding. Osram maintains a website listing lawsuits that members of the public can help fund.

Could the UK Adopt Investigative Genetic Genealogy?

Investigative genetic genealogy has been adopted in countries including Sweden, Denmark and Australia, but it is not yet used in the UK.

The Home Office is conducting a study to consider whether the system should be adopted in the UK, but did not respond to requests for comment.

Britain is already in a strong position, Syndercombe-Cote says. “We have a very efficient DNA database, so if we can get DNA out of a crime scene, we have a 65%-plus chance of identifying the person, which is very powerful,” she says.