By Blake Hollingsworth | Staff Writer
A high-tech tool that cracked the infamous Golden State Killer case is giving new life to unsolved crimes in Waco.
Waco PD adopted Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy — which uses DNA and public genealogy databases to generate leads — in 2020.
“As the cold case investigations began, we received training from the Attorney General’s Office on FIGG,” Detective Francisco Reyes, head of the Cold Case unit, said via email. “We have several cases in mind that could benefit from FIGG.”
One such case is the 2002 death of an abandoned infant, known only as Baby Angelina. While leads in the case had long gone cold, FIGG recently brought in promising new directions.
“All leads in this case had been exhausted in 2002,” Reyes said. “FIGG was not available at that time. Since this case was sent to Othram Inc, we have had multiple leads to follow and continue to follow to this day.”
The technique works by uploading DNA from a crime scene or unidentified remains into public databases like GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, according to Christi Guerrini, associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine. From there, genealogists build family trees using matches to identify potential relatives — and eventually, suspects or victims.
“It is becoming well integrated into law enforcement practices,” Guerrini said. “Law enforcement agencies are training individuals in-house to do that work, or they’re just hiring those independent practitioners to come work for them.”
However, Reyes said the method isn’t quick or easy.
“FIGG cases are extremely time-consuming,” he said. “There are several challenges we face … One is getting the public to share their DNA results with law enforcement. Another is that there are only a few DNA genealogy websites that are law enforcement-friendly.”
Cost is another obstacle; while traditional DNA testing is usually handled by state labs, Reyes said FIGG often requires private companies, making the cost of analysis about $7,600.
To help with funding and resources, Waco PD works with forensic DNA laboratories like Othram Inc., Bode Technologies and the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Reyes said.
However, the tool also depends heavily on public cooperation, as DNA matches rely on users who voluntarily upload profiles and opt in to law enforcement access.
“Public trust is the foundation of this technique,” Guerrini said. “FIGG relies for its very existence on individuals being willing to participate in these two databases and opt in to their profiles being matched.”
Guerrini said she’s encouraged by efforts to professionalize the field, with organizations like the new Investigative Genetic Genealogy Accreditation Board helping to set standards.
“I’m very encouraged by the efforts that are ongoing now … to ensure that there are good, scientific and ethical guardrails around the practice of this technique,” she said.
Waco has over 140 unsolved cold cases, and Reyes believes FIGG may help solve many of them.
“I know for a fact that about 80% of our cases could benefit from forensic genealogy,” he said. “This will be one of the multiple tools we will use in attempt to solve these cases.”
