I watched “The Codebreakers” on “20/20” last Friday evening. No, it was not about a World War II secret facility breaking codes against the Nazis, but rather different kinds of specialists using genetic and forensic DNA to solve long-term cold cases. The difference between the two is that “genetic” refers to a comprehensive blueprint of DNA study and “forensic” refers to a targeted study of a particular set of DNA.
Both studies are rising areas of career opportunities in the study of genealogy. Cold cases are being solved through genealogy and forensic and genetic DNA. One of the biggest labs that does this work is located in Houston, Texas. This lab was instrumental in solving the two cold cases described in the “20/20” program I watched. They have been aiding law enforcement since 2019 in finding answers for families and victims.
kAm%96C6 2C6 >2?J AC@8C2>D 2E F?:G6CD:E:6D 2?5 @?=:?6 7@C E96 DEF5J @7 86?62=@8J[ 2?5 H:E9:? E96D6 AC@8C2>D 2C6 DA64:2=:K2E:@?D 😕 86?6E:4 86?62=@8J @C 7@C6?D:4 s}p] s}p E6DE:?8 😕 86?62=@8J 92D 364@>6 G6CJ A@AF=2C] v6?62=@8J D:E6D =:<6 p?46DECJ @776C D2=6D E@ E6DE J@FC s}p[ 6DA64:2==J 2C@F?5 E96 9@=:52JD] xE’D >2<:?8 :E 277@C523=6 7@C 72>:=J 86?62=@8:DED E@ 7FCE96C E96:C C6D62C49]k^Am
kAm|2?J :?E6C?6E D:E6D H:== 96=A H:E9 86?62=@8:42= DEF5:6D @7 2== E96D6 G2C:6E:6D] |2?J H63:?2CD[ A@542DED[ 3@@@DE 😕 86?62=@8J] vC@FAD DF49 2D E96 $E6A96?D r@F?EJ v6?62=@8J $@4:6EJ 2C6 2=D@ 2C6 2G2:=23=6 E@ 2?DH6C BF6DE:@?D @C 96=A H:E9 3C:4< H2==D] ~7 4@FCD6[ J@F 42? 42== >6 2D H6== 2E dg_\add\gf`g E@ 2D< 7@C C64@>>6?52E:@?D @? 2?J @7 E96D6 E9:?8D]k^Am
kAm%96 qC@H? q28 7@C $6AE] b 😀 @? 5:8:E:K:?8 J@FC C6D62C49] qC@H? q28D 2C6 2=H2JD 2 8@@5 E:>6 E@ E2=< E@ E96 C68F=2CD 23@FE 2?J BF6DE:@?D J@F >2J 92G6 23@FE s}p 2?5 9@H E@ C625 :E @C H92E E@ 5@ H:E9 :E] %9:D AC@8C2> DE2CED 2E ?@@? 2?5 2== 2C6 H6=4@>6 E@ ;@:? FD] &?E:= ?6IE E:>6]k^Am
kAm%96 $E6A96?D r@F?EJ v6?62=@8J {:3C2CJ 😀 =@42E65 2E ba` }] gE9 $E] 😕 sF?42?] w@FCD 2C6 h 2]>] E@ a A]>] |@?52J E9C@F89 %9FCD52J] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 42== dg_\add\gf`g]k^Am