Collaboration Leads to a Breakthrough in a Case That's Close to Home | | |
After over 30 years, breakthroughs in forensic science have led investigators to identify a person of interest in the 1991 murders of four young Austin-area girls; Eliza Thomas, Amy Ayers, and sisters Jennifer Harbison and Sarah Harbison. Announced at a media briefing held by the City of Austin on September 29, this development in the “Yogurt Shop Murders” case represents the outcome of years of tireless commitment, open communication, and coordinated efforts across the forensic and law enforcement communities.
As members of the Austin community, headquartered just a mile from the site of this horrific crime, Signature Science was honored to contribute DNA testing in this investigation – joining the many laboratories and agencies who united to help bring answers in this long-unsolved crime.
All of us at Signature Science extend our profound sentiments of sympathy and support to the families of the four girls whose lives were tragically taken. We are grateful to the Austin Forensic Science Department, Austin Police Department, and the Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit within the Texas Attorney General’s Office for their dedication and persistence in solving this case.
| | On the Road with SigSci Forensics - Where We've Been and Where We're Going | | Since you last heard from us in July, our staff have been busy crisscrossing the country to engage with the forensic science, law enforcement, and medical examiner communities. There have been so many exciting stops so far, and we're not done yet! Take a look back at the conferences and meetings we've been to on our journey so far this fall, and gear up for what's next! | |
Where We've Been
Regional Organized Crime Information Center (ROCIC) Annual Fall Conference
Austin, TX | October 5-8
One of six Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) centers, ROCIC serves thousands of law enforcement member agencies in states across the Southeast, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Island. This year's annual conference conference drew nearly 600 attendees from across member agencies.
In addition to hosting an exhibitor booth at this conference, Signature Science DNA Analyst Mark Gonzalski, Jr. teamed up with Ed O'Carroll, Major (Ret.) Fairfax County Police Department to deliver their talk, Solving the Unsolved: Mobilizing innovation and Investigative Genetic Genealogy.
More on FIGG at Signature Science.
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National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) Annual Meeting
Louisville, KY | October 17-21
The NAME Annual Meeting provides forum for discussion of a broad range of topics related to the medical investigations of violent, suspicious and/or unusual death.
SigSci's Kris Cano and Erin Gorden were on the ground to learn from and engage with medical examiners from across the world. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to present our talk, Digging into Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy: Transforming the Identification of Unidentified Human Remains, to this group of professionals, as we believe that the advanced DNA technology and family tree building that goes into FIGG have the potential to move cases toward justice in medical examiners' offices across the country.
More on solutions for medical examiners.
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International Symposium on Human Identification
Palm Beach, FL | November 2-6
ISHI is the largest annual symposium dedicated to forensic science, and we were thrilled to be in attendance once more this year, and to have contributed to an agenda alongside experts in their field and jam-packed with important topics!
For the second year in a row, SigSci was proud to contribute to the development of the workshop, "Report to Court: Effective Communication of DNA Evidence." Together with colleagues from across the criminal justice arena, Signature Science DNA Technical Leader Samantha Wandzek dove into the topic of expert DNA testimony - how it’s presented in court, the language we use and the expectations that exist, and the effect it can have on jury deliberations and, ultimately, the final verdict.
More on expert witness testimony.
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Cold Case Investigations: Strategies & New Technologies Summit
Salt Lake City, UT | November 3-5
The Sherry Black Foundation and The International Homicide Investigators Association (IHIA) teamed up this year to present a 3-day law enforcement training summit at Salt Lake Community College.
Signature Science was proud to support this event as exhibitors. As Technical Leader of our Advanced Genomics Laboratory, Christina Neal was on the ground sharing her team's expertise with extracting DNA from the most challenging sample types like bones, cremains, and old or mixed samples - the kinds of evidence usually present in a cold case. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to talk about your case - we look forward to working together!
Support The Sherry Black Foundation's mission to advocate for victims of violent crimes and become a genetic witness today!
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Where We're Going
Solving Crimes Through Emerging Technologies Conference
Las Vegas, NV | January 13-15
The National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College will be hosting a three day training for law enforcement, focused on helping agencies get the most out of new and emerging technologies relevant to digital forensics, like connected devices and AI. With input from SigSci DNA Analysts and Genealogists, Retired Major Ed O'Carroll of the Fairfax County Police Department will speak as part of the workshop: The Future is Here: Solving Violent Crime with Publicly Supported Databases and Genetic Genealogy.
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Wisconsin Police Leadership Foundation Winter Training Conference & Expo
Wisconsin Dells, WI | February 7-10
Signature Science is headed to the Midwest! This conference, held in association with the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association brings together leadership from law enforcement agencies across the state. We are thrilled to attend this event for the first time, and look forward to making connections at our exhibitor booth.
| | Attending one of our upcoming events? Let's meet up and discuss your agency's forensic DNA casework needs! | | Making FIGG Technology Accessible Through Law Enforcement Trainings | | |
Enhancing Investigations through Genetic Genealogy
Early this fall, Signature Science was proud to support two regional training courses. The trainings in Thornton, CO and Detroit, MI were hosted by the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC). We were able to deliver presentations in which we explained the laboratory methods and genealogical research that shape the FIGG process. We shared insights into our case review and strategic evidence selection processes we employ in order to maximize the potential for probative DNA results, and highlighted the value of partnering with a private laboratory. Attendees walked away from the training with insights into how investigative leads generated through FIGG can help lead to case resolution.
Next stops:
Beaumont, TX - November 13-14
Bellingham, WA - February 2-3
Everett, WA April 27-28
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Solving the Unsolved: FIGG Training at Virginia Beach PD
We were so excited deliver a two-day FIGG training course on site at the VA Beach Training Academy. Over the course of the event, the students learned about FIGG, and how to leverage the powerful technology in their cases, from top to bottom. The goal of the training was to empower the attending officers with the tools they need to make FIGG work for them. The students gained an introductory understanding of the science behind FIGG, factors that determine case suitability, what it takes to implement the required interagency workflows and protocols, and the importance of building public trust in FIGG in their communities. Crucially, thanks to a guest presentation from Season of Justice, they also gained insight into how to apply for and access grant funding for their cases.
We were honored to have been invited to Virginia to engage with the officers from across several police departments who took time out of their weeks to attend our training, and we are proud to support their continued education.
Interested in setting up a training session for your department? Contact us!
| | Introducing the SigSci Forensics Customer Hub | | |
In July, we announced the launch of www.sigsciforensics.com, our dedicated forensics website designed to make working with Signature Science easier and more efficient than ever before! Now we're excited to share that the SigSci Customer Hub is live!
Where the broader site provides a deep dive into our company's mission and opportunities to learn about the forensic DNA services we offer, the Customer Hub is a place for action! Current and prospective customers can use this Hub to find everything they need to begin, execute, and grow a laboratory casework outsourcing relationship with us. The Hub is a one-stop-shop, where visitors can:
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- Log in to our secure document portal to access your case files
- Request a quote for services
- Download case submission form
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- Request discovery
- Access our laboratory accreditation documentation
- Read our validation studies
| | Build Your Career with Signature Science! | | |
You heard it here first - we are looking to fill a few exciting roles! Signature Science is hiring for a Remote DNA Analyst and a DNA analyst based in our Austin, TX Forensic DNA laboratory.
In either role, you'll serve a robust, growing client base, and enjoy a diversified, exciting caseload in a supportive environment that fosters and encourages career growth and development.
Learn more about Forensic DNA testing at SigSci here and apply to start a rewarding career at Signature Science today!
Current Openings:
Remote DNA Analyst
DNA Analyst III
| | Want to stay connected? Keep up with SigSci on LinkedIn. | | | | |
