AV天堂网

When Lauren Felix learned about the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo 鈥� better known as the Golden State Killer 鈥� in 2018, it sparked her interest in forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG). The case was especially relevant to Felix, a deputy for the Orange County Sheriff鈥檚 Department in southern California, since the killer鈥檚 victims included individuals from within the department鈥檚 jurisdiction.

Felix says she was 鈥渂lown away鈥� when she learned how investigators had used FIGG to identify DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer. Inspired to learn how to use FIGG in her work, she began researching programs that could teach her. That鈥檚 how she found the FIGG online graduate certificate program at the AV天堂网.

Felix, who earned her graduate certificate as part of the program鈥檚 2022 cohort, and her partner Robert Taft, a member of the 2023 cohort, have already applied what they鈥檝e learned in the program. They recently solved two of their department鈥檚 cold cases, identifying victims who had been known as 鈥淛ohn Does鈥� for more than four decades.

鈥淚鈥檇 done my own family tree, but I鈥檇 never done genealogy beyond that,鈥� explained Felix, who has been a deputy for 12 years and who previously served as a crime analyst with the department. 鈥淭he highlight of the University鈥檚 program for me was my internship with the . It took everything I learned through the courses and put it together. I feel like that鈥檚 really where I began to grasp all the concepts we learned.鈥�

鈥楾hey鈥檙e always thankful鈥�

Drawing on their training in the program, Felix and Taft identified the remains of Lonnie Raymond Thomas, who was found in the spring of 1980 near an oil well in an unincorporated area in north Orange County. The case is now a homicide investigation.

Felix and Taft were grateful to be able to provide Thomas鈥檚 mother and half-sisters with answers regarding what had happened to Thomas more than four decades earlier.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine being in the position of having a loved one or a family member simply disappear and never know what happened to them,鈥� said Taft, who has been with the department for more than 30 years. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e always thankful for at least giving them some resolution for what happened to their loved ones.鈥�

鈥楾he families of these victims now have answers鈥�

Felix and Taft also investigated a second case involving the body of a man who had been discovered nearly 50 years ago. He had been found nude, and there were no signs of trauma. His death had initially been ruled accidental after investigators found alcohol and drugs in his system, but they later noted similarities between the case and the victims of Randy Kraft, a serial killer who was arrested in 1983. Kraft was convicted of 16 murders and sentenced to death, and he is still incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison.

After applying what they鈥檇 learned in the FIGG program, Felix and Taft identified the victim as Michael Ray Schlicht, who was just 17 years old when he鈥檇 gone missing. They took DNA samples from members of Schlicht鈥檚 family and identified his great grandparents as the union couple 鈥� meaning that after taking samples from each side of the family, they determined that Schlicht had to be their descendent. His family members are now installing a headstone to mark his final resting place.

鈥淲e went to Kansas City, Missouri, to get a confirmation DNA sample from Michael鈥檚 mother,鈥� recalled Felix. 鈥淭he weight of 50 years of not knowing what happened to her son being lifted from her was the highlight of my career.鈥�

鈥淩obert and Lauren were both exemplary students in the FIGG program,鈥� added Claire Glynn, Ph.D., founding director of the program. 鈥淭heir ability to simultaneously manage all of their coursework and full-time jobs while actively working on these cases is a testament to their dedication to justice, public service, and their communities. Their hard work means the families of these victims now have answers to what happened to their loved ones.鈥�

鈥楾he successful outcomes of my students鈥�

The first program of its kind in the world, the University鈥檚 FIGG graduate certificate provides individuals, such as Felix and Taft, from the public and private sectors with the knowledge and training to carry out and apply FIGG. More than 200 students have earned their certificate in the last three years, and the program鈥檚 fourth cohort begins this month.

The program offers students training and education in a new and evolving field that is becoming increasingly important to law enforcement and in investigations. Dr. Glynn says the need for trained professionals is critical, as there are more than a quarter million unsolved homicides and more than 20,000 cases of unidentified remains in the U.S. alone. She hopes the program will prepare dedicated investigators such as Felix and Taft to make a meaningful impact by providing answers to families, as well as justice.

鈥淲hen I created the FIGG program in 2020, my goal was to contribute to the criminal justice/forensic science industry by providing expert training in how to use the tool effectively, and, importantly, in a responsible and ethical manner,鈥� explains Dr. Glynn. 鈥淪eeing the successful outcomes of my students who are making such a great impact in our society is a much-needed reminder of why we do what we do and why we work so hard.鈥�

鈥榃ithout public participation, this tool doesn鈥檛 exist鈥�

Felix and Taft hope law enforcement professionals will continue to have the support, education, and tools they need to ensure that they can use FIGG to make the greatest impact possible. They hope the public will support them by making their own DNA and genealogy information available to investigators, enabling them to find the answers they seek that they can then provide to families who have lost a loved one.

鈥淚f people have done an or test, I hope they consider uploading to the two databases that allow law enforcement use, which are GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA,鈥� said Felix. 鈥淭his is the only way we could have identified Michael and Lonnie. Without people participating, we lose it. Without public participation, this tool doesn鈥檛 exist. And without this tool, there are a lot of people out there who won鈥檛 get identified.鈥�

鈥淛ust being able to do this technique and being able to provide those answers to families is incredible,鈥� added Taft. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want law enforcement to lose this technique. There are rules, practices, and ethical conduct in place for a reason, and we need to maintain the public trust when it comes to that.鈥�