Law Enforcement Leveraged Genealogy and DNA Proof to Solve the Mystery Surrounding Bastian and Welch's Unresolved Case
In a groundbreaking development, the use of forensic genealogy has helped solve two cold case homicides that had remained unsolved for over four decades. The cases of Jennifer Bastian and Michelle Welch, both young girls who tragically lost their lives in the 1980s, have finally seen justice served, thanks to this innovative technique.
Forensic genealogy is a method that expands the utility of DNA evidence beyond direct matches by leveraging extended family connections and genealogical research. This approach is particularly useful when traditional DNA databases, like CODIS, fail to provide a direct match because the suspect is not in the system.
Investigators take DNA samples from crime scenes, which can be from victims or perpetrators. Instead of only seeking a direct match, they upload the DNA profile to commercial genetic genealogy databases. These databases may identify distant relatives of the unknown individual, such as second or third cousins. Using these genetic leads, investigators build family trees by integrating traditional genealogical research tools—public records, census data, newspaper archives, etc. By tracing relationships and narrowing down the family tree, they can zero in on potential suspects or identify victims.
This method has successfully solved more than 700 cold case homicides and sexual assault cases since it became prominent after 2018. One such case involved unidentified babies, known as "Baby Does," where investigators identified the mother through forensic genetic genealogy, leading to a murder charge years after the case went cold.
In the case of Jennifer Bastian, a 13-year-old girl who went missing following a bicycle ride at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington, on August 4, 1986, and was found dead around three weeks later, DNA found on her bikini was different from the DNA found at the Welch murder scene. However, a DNA sample recovered on Bastian's bikini matched the one that Robert Dwane Washburn voluntarily gave detectives a year ago. Washburn was arrested on murder charges in May 2018, as he was on Tacoma Police Department Detective Lindsey Wade's suspect list due to a tip he called in shortly after Michelle Welch's disappearance.
Michelle Welch, a 12-year-old girl who went missing on March 26, 1986, and her body was found in Tacoma's Puget Park. She suffered from physical and sexual abuse and died as a result of a throat cut. The advancements in DNA sequencing technology have led to an increase in convictions and exonerations for various crimes, including these two cases. Gary Hartman, Welch's murderer, was sentenced to more than 26 years in jail in March 2022 after pleading guilty to raping and killing the 12-year-old.
The ability to identify DNA samples from various sources such as hair, bones, skin, tissue, and minute amounts of blood and other bodily fluids has progressed over time. DNA can be collected and analyzed to help identify the guilty and clear the name of the innocent. The utilization of forensic genealogy in cold cases has significantly increased the chances of generating usable profiles from old, unsolved cases.
In summary, forensic genealogy expands the utility of DNA evidence beyond direct matches by leveraging extended family connections and genealogical research, enabling law enforcement to solve cold cases that were previously intractable. This innovative technique has brought closure to the families of Jennifer Bastian and Michelle Welch, and many others, finally providing justice for the victims of these heinous crimes.
Forensic genetics, a branch of forensic science, has been instrumental in broadening the applicability of DNA evidence by utilizing extended family connections and genealogical research, a key aspect of health-and-wellness and general news. This approach, known as forensic genealogy, becomes particularly valuable when traditional DNA databases, such as CODIS, fail to provide a direct match due to a suspect's absence. The method involves taking DNA samples from crime scenes and uploading them to commercial genetic genealogy databases, which can identify distant relatives. By examining these genetic leads and integrating traditional genealogical research tools, investigators construct family trees, potential suspects or victims can be identified, and criminal cases, like Michelle Welch's and Jennifer Bastian's, can be solved—bringing justice to the victims and their families, thus intersecting with the fields of crime-and-justice and medical-conditions.
