![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/cold-case-without-clues-for-30-years-cracked-in-four-days-in-dna-breakthrough/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/331084_178334908943673_1350419214_o.jpg&description=Forensic techniques that weren't available before have easily cracked open the 30-year-cold case of Roxanne Wood, who was discovered brutally murdered and sexually assaulted inside her Michigan home in 1987 The case of Roxanne Wood perplexed law enforcement and true crime buffs for years. The woman's body was found in the kitchen of her home, and it turned out she had been sexually assaulted, battered with a frying pan, and was bleeding profusely from a neck wound. Police believed the wound was inflicted with a filet knife. The case was blown open by top investigative genetic genealogist Gabriella Vargas, who was able to trace back family DNA to the 1700s, working with the best labs to test the small pieces of DNA evidence found at the scene. "We found out there was, what I would call, a gnat's eyebrow of DNA left," said Colleen Fitzpatrick, president and founder of Identifinders. About three percent of what we normally use. That was the lowest amount of DNA we've ever had to work with to solve a case. For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US "It really did feel impossible." After 10 months with no leads, the company decided to reach out to the talented Gabriella Vargas, a mom in California who happens to be on of the most skilled investigative genetic genealogists in the country. "I said, 'Well, why don't you let me look at it," said Vargas, who worked as a consultant for Identifinders. "I concluded that I did not stand with the others. I believed that this case was extremely solvable. And I believed that I could solve it." By using GEDmatch, Vargas was able to create a family tree using the DNA of Roxanne's killer that went back to 1797. "Essentially, what we're looking for amongst these matches are where they connect to each other. And it led me to a union couple," said Vargas. She found that this couple, who were born in the 1920s, had three sons. Two of which were discarded as potential suspects while the third){kind=link}
Forensic techniques that weren’t available before have easily cracked open the 30-year-cold case of Roxanne Wood, who was discovered brutally murdered and sexually assaulted inside her Michigan home in 1987
The case of Roxanne Wood perplexed law enforcement and true crime buffs for years.
The woman’s body was found in the kitchen of her home, and it turned out she had been sexually assaulted, battered with a frying pan, and was bleeding profusely from a neck wound. Police believed the wound was inflicted with a filet knife.
The case was blown open by top investigative genetic genealogist Gabriella Vargas, who was able to trace back family DNA to the 1700s, working with the best labs to test the small pieces of DNA evidence found at the scene.
“We found out there was, what I would call, a gnat’s eyebrow of DNA left,” said Colleen Fitzpatrick, president and founder of Identifinders. About three percent of what we normally use. That was the lowest amount of DNA we’ve ever had to work with to solve a case.