In Pima County, a breakthrough tool is offering a glimmer of hope in cold cases that have, for too long, remained shrouded in silence. Utilizing investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), a method that leverages DNA from consumer-based companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com, law enforcement and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) are piecing together the identities of unknown individuals, like the man found in the woods of Vernon, Apache County, whose case has been unresolved since 2008.

Dr. Bruce Anderson, a forensic anthropologist at OME, revealed that roughly 10 cases have already been solved using this method. "A lot of manpower – and a lot of womanpower – goes into this. It’s the best new tool," he said, according to the Pima County newsroom. Furthermore, the OME is looking to identify about 40 more individuals, partnering with agencies such as the DNA Doe Project and Moxxy Forensic Investigations to combat the steep tally of unidentified remains.

Anderson's office, a space seemingly papered with the stories and faces of the unidentified, reminds us that these are more than cold cases; they are human tales half-told. "So far, the IGG people have not been wrong. For these 10 cases, our office found a way to corroborate that candidate and prove that it was them," Anderson disclosed to the Pima County newsroom. The mission extends beyond freeing up space in their office — it's about restoring dignity to the nameless and delivering long-awaited closure to families.

Despite the challenges, the partnership between the OME and organizations specializing in forensic genetic genealogy is steadily chipping away at the vast unknown. Jennifer Randolph, driving operations and case management for the DNA Doe Project, points to the success stories and Pima County's urgent need. "We have a great working relationship and there’s such a high need in Pima County,” she told the Pima County newsroom.