Introduction
The DNA Hit of the Year Program aims to highlight the important work of forensic DNA professionals around the world by showcasing the cases they helped solve with forensic DNA. This year, GTH-DNA announced six finalists, including two US entries. Now in its seventh year, the program typically recognizes one case as the official hit of the year. However, this year, all six finalists have been recognized as the year’s 2023 hit(s).
Benefits of Forensic DNA Databases
The program also aims to highlight the benefits of a forensic DNA database when constructed correctly and ethically. Two specific cases submitted from outside the US were recognized for their creative application of familial searching and for inspiring other countries to establish DNA databases.
Case 1: Kingdom of Bahrain
The first case we will discuss is a forensic scientist’s groundbreaking work in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Dr. Noora Al Snan, whose work primarily focuses on robberies and sexual assaults, developed a new methodology to swab IEDs. This new technique helped Al Snan link the detonation of 34 IEDs to a single man who was not in the DNA database. The discovery was made in 2020 and it was a major breakthrough in the field of forensic science.
Al Snan’s methodology relied on familial searching, which involves searching for partial matches in the DNA database. Using this technique, Al Snan was able to find a partial match to a man who was already in jail for a terrorism act. With the help of homozygous peaks, Al Snan was able to connect the IEDs to the man’s brother, who didn’t have his DNA in the database. This method proved to be extremely effective and has led to more accurate and efficient identification of criminals in the region.
It is worth noting that Al Snan’s work has significantly impacted the field of forensic science. Other regional forensic scientists have adopted her methodology, which has helped solve many previously unsolvable cases. Moreover, her work has opened up new avenues of research in the field of familial searching, which has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach forensic investigations.
Case 2: South Africa
In the second case, authorities in South Africa discovered the decomposed body of an unidentified female in a wooded area next to a roadway. This tragic incident began when Linda Metata, a 23-year-old woman, went missing after attending a party. Linda’s mother filed a report with the police, but the case grew more concerning as days passed without any news. It was later discovered that Linda had left the party with Thabo Mosia, who was known to be a robbery kingpin with a record of arrests, but no convictions.
The police worked tirelessly to locate Linda and eventually escalated the case to a kidnapping investigation. Suspecting Mosia, the police arrested him and collected a swab from him for evidence. After a period of interrogation, Mosia finally confessed to the murder, leading authorities to the decomposed body of the unidentified female. The remains were processed by Wilhelm Diedrick Fouche, the assistant director of forensic pathology at Bronkhorstsoruit Gauteng Department of Health, who had found the unidentified remains in October 2016.
Months later, investigators contacted Fouche to determine if the remains they had discovered were those of Linda. The buccal swab taken from Mosia matched the profile developed from the rape kit taken from the unidentified remains, confirming that the remains were indeed those of Linda.
It is a heartbreaking tale of a life cut short and a family left to suffer, but the dedicated work of the police and forensic scientists helped bring justice to Linda and her loved ones.
Conclusion
These cases demonstrate the importance of forensic DNA databases and the impact of forensic scientists and investigators. They also highlight the need for ethical and correct construction of such databases. The case from South Africa is an example of how passing laws and implementing criminal offender and crime scene databases is only the beginning to ensuring a national DNA database program is working to full capacity and providing a framework for other countries to follow.
