genetic genealogy

A combination of traditional DNA evidence with the type of genealogical analysis made famous by companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.

Historical perspective: The genetic genealogy field has allowed law enforcement to crack cases that had long frustrated investigators, like that of the Golden State Killer in April, 2018. With genetic genealogy, DNA evidence can be put into the free website GEDMatch, which then shows a list of extended family members who are related to a perpetrator. This allows investigators to begin zeroing in on those who may have had close contact with the victim based on other public information.