Forensic Weekly: IGG’s Big Wins & The New Science of DNA Age-Estimation

Week’s Date: October 28, 2025

This week, the forensic world was buzzing with a powerful mix of past and future. Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG)Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) is a powerful forensic method used to identify suspects or unknown remains by searching consumer DNA databases for distant relatives and building family trees to pinpoint the source of the DNA... Read Full Definition absolutely dominated the headlines, with agencies from Toronto to San Bruno solving decades-old cold cases, including the identification of an infant from 1981. At the same time, a European consortium announced a major leap forward in a different area of DNADNA, or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is the genetic material found in cells, composed of a double helix structure. It serves as the genetic blueprint for all living organisms. Read Full Definition analysis: a new tool that can estimate a person’s age, with remarkable accuracyIn scientific and measurement contexts, "accuracy" refers to the degree of proximity or closeness between a measured value and the true or actual value of the measured quantity. Accuracy indicates how well a measurement reflects Read Full Definition, from a biological sample.

The Dominant Theme of the Week

The Two Fronts of DNA Innovation: This week’s news clearly shows two parallel stories. The first is the undeniable momentum of Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG). It’s no longer an experimental technique but a standard, award-winning tool for law enforcement, closing cases from 1981, 1999, and 2022. The sheer volume of IGG-based resolutions (like the 52 solved by the Toronto Police team) is staggering. The second front is the next wave of DNA intelligence—tools that tell us more than just “who.” The new Polish-led “epigenetic clock” for age estimation is a perfect example, giving investigators a powerful new dataInformation in analog or digital form that can be transmitted or processed. Read Full Definition point from the same biological evidenceBiological evidence - physical evidence such as bodily fluids that originated from a human, plant or animal. Read Full Definition.

This Week’s Forensic Highlights

• Toronto Police Genealogists Win Prestigious Award: Three genealogists from the Toronto Police Service won the IACP August Vollmer Leadership in Forensic ScienceDiscover the fascinating field of Forensic Science, the application of scientific principles to legal matters. This post delves into its many disciplines, from DNA analysis to crime scene investigation, its importance in the justice system, Read Full Definition Award. The team was recognized for its pivotal role in over 100 investigations, successfully using IGG to solve 52 cases in partnership with other Ontario police services.
• Polish Researchers Develop DNA Age-Estimation Tool: As part of the European VISAGE consortium, Polish scientists have co-developed one of the most advanced tools to date for estimating a person’s age from DNA. The models use DNA methylationA core epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression by adding a methyl group to DNA. In forensics, it's used for age estimation, body fluid identification, and distinguishing identical twins... Read Full Definition (chemical tags on DNA) to estimate age within roughly three years and are designed to work on forensic-sized samples from various tissues, including blood, bone, and semen.
• IGG Identifies Washoe County John Doe from 1999: Othram Inc. and the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office have successfully identified a man found deceased in a Reno motel room in 1999. The man, who had registered under a fictitious name, remained a “John Doe” for 26 years until Forensic-Grade GenomeA genome is the complete set of an organism's genetic material, while genomics is the study of genomes, investigating their evolution, structure, and function. Read Full Definition Sequencing and IGG provided the leads needed for identification.
• DNA Doe Project Names Jane Doe Missing Since 2022: The DNA Doe Project has identified “Los Lunas Jane Doe” as Lisa Marie Vernon, a 56-year-old woman reported missing in 2022. This case highlights IGG’s power in solving recent cases, not just historical ones, as the team built a family tree of thousands to pinpoint her identity.
• Scientists Identify 250-Year-Old Revolutionary War Soldiers: In a stunning application of ancient DNA techniques, scientists have successfully extracted and sequenced DNA from the skeletal remains of soldiers who died at the Battle of Camden in 1780. The quest to identify these men is breathing new life into some of the nation’s oldest cold cases.
• Harvard’s Ancient DNA Database Faces Funding Crisis: In a concerning development for researchers worldwide, the Allen Ancient DNA Resource (AADR) at Harvard Medical School may be shut down after its primary funding expired. The public database, which has been downloaded over 67,000 times, is a critical resource for geneticists, and its loss could significantly impact the field.

Analyst’s Take

This week is a perfect snapshot of a field in rapid, dual-track evolution. On one hand, IGG has officially hit the mainstream. When a police service (Toronto) has a dedicated team of genealogists winning international awards for solving dozens of cases, you know the technique has matured from a “novelty” to a core investigative pillar. It’s closing the book on cases many analysts (myself included) would have once considered permanently unsolvable, like the 1981 infant case. The speed at which Othram and the DNA Doe Project are resolving cases from the ’90s, ’00s, and even the 2020s is becoming the new standard.

On the other hand, the Polish “epigenetic clock” is a glimpse into the exciting next chapter. As a DNA analystA designated person who examines and analyzes seized drugs or related materials, or directs such examinations to be done; independently has access to unsealed evidence in order to remove samples from the evidentiary material for Read Full Definition, my primary job is answering “who.” But tools that can accurately tell us “how old” are game-changers. Imagine finding a DNA sample at a scene with no database match. Being able to tell detectives, “You’re looking for a male, approximately 35-40 years old,” is a massive leap in investigative intelligence. It focuses the entire investigation. This move from identification to characterization is where the field is headed.

Finally, the Harvard AADR funding story is a quiet but critical warning. All this amazing progress—both IGG and new research—is built on the back of large-scale genetic databases. If these foundational public resources are allowed to fail due to a lack of funding, it stifles the very innovation we’re all celebrating.

Forensic Term of the Week

DNA Methylation (Epigenetic Clock): This is a biological process where small chemical groups (methyl groups) are added to a DNA moleculeA molecule is a fundamental unit of matter composed of two or more atoms that are chemically bonded together. It is the smallest possible amount of a particular substance that retains all of the unique Read Full Definition. These additions don’t change the DNA sequence itself but can control which genesGenes are DNA segments (or RNA in some viruses) that dictate cellular processes, traits, and hereditary information, promoting genetic diversity and evolution in living organisms. Read Full Definition are turned “on” or “off.” Crucially for forensics, many of these methylation patterns change in a predictable way as a person ages. By analyzing the methylation status at specific locations (lociA locus is the precise position of a gene on a chromosome. Different alleles of the same gene occupy the same locus. Read Full Definition) on the DNA, scientists can create an “epigenetic clock” to estimate an individual’s chronological age from a biological sample like blood or bone.