In the ongoing effort to address the harrowing issue of missing persons and unidentified remains, Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is taking a definitive step toward providing closure for families in limbo. For over a decade, the BCA has enhanced the science behind forensic identification, paving the way to reunite families with lost loved ones. The entity's lab wields a comprehensive array of techniques, including odontology, fingerprint examination, forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and forensic investigative genetic genealogy, to generate leads from remains discovered across the region.
The initiatives are part of a broader partnership with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), an organization that streamlines efforts to solve such cases nationwide. NamUs serves as a central hub for data on missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases, which, in sync with law enforcement agencies, elevation the visibility of unidentified remains, and accelerates the provision of forensic services required for identification. This synergy builds on the BCA's collaborative ventures and the 2012-launched Unidentified Remains Project, enabling DNA sample collection from relatives of Minnesota's missing persons, effectively linking family DNA with profiles derived from unidentified deceased individuals across Minnesota.
Both family reference samples and DNA profiles from unidentified remains feed into the FBI's National Missing Person DNA Database, enabling a continuous search for potential matches. Amplifying this action, agencies continuously cross-reference entries hoping to locate a tie, which at best concludes a relentless quest for answers. As reported by the BCA, the Unidentified Remains Project has achieved significant success. According to a statement obtained by the BCA, Cathy Knutson, Deputy Superintendent of BCA Forensic Science Services, announced, "Since the Unidentified Remains Project started, nearly a dozen formerly unidentified people have been given back their names and returned to their families."
The BCA stresses the importance of participation by families of missing persons and invites them to contact their local law enforcement agency or the BCA's Minnesota Missing & Unidentified Persons Clearinghouse. By providing DNA samples, dental records, photos, and personal articles holding traces of DNA, such as a toothbrush or razor, families can aid in the process of making identifications. Those wishing to contribute critical information can reach out by calling 651-793-1118. The BCA will verify the missing person's report status in the FBI's National Crime Information Center, and, shepherd families through subsequent procedures necessary for establishing DNA comparisons with unidentified remains in Minnesota, and, if fate permits across the country.
