Science is Fun Fridays!

 

Othram is a company providing forensics technology for cold case work.

"Justice is not a luxury; it is a basic human right."

In 1997, rock climbers in rural Washoe County found human remains buried under stones in a shallow grave.  While cause of death could not be determined, it was ruled a homicide.

Investigators entered her information, including a forensic facial reconstruction, into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System but no leads yielded a match.

Earlier this week, with Othram's help, Washoe County was able to identify Lorena Gayle Mosley, who was 41 at the time of her death.  

Scientists were able to develop a DNA extract to be used in genome sequencing, building a comprehensive profile for the victim.  Their in-house genetic genealogy team was then able to develop investigative leads that were returned to Washoe County.

In follow-up investigation, the Medical Examiner's Office Medicolegal Death Investigator/Technician Supervisor Sarah Turner, was able to match old paper fingerprint records to the prints taken from the body.

Project Justice is a philanthropic effort to reduce the backlog of unsolved cases, and they contributed funds for this research.

There are more than 250,000 unsolved homicides as well as 50-75,000 unidentified human remains.