DNA Evidence Helps Solve Decades Old Murder Case

     51 years after the murder of New York teenager Yvonne Leroux, her murderer has finally been caught thanks to the help of DNA evidence. For context, Leroux was last seen alive Nov. 29, 1972 in Toronto and her body was found the next morning. Until today no one knew who killed her. The police announced they were able to ID the killer using a new investigative tool, implemented DNA evidence from the scene. From this they Identified the killer as Bruce Cantelon from Toronto. Police described that dozens of investigators worked the case over the course of the years and had issued a $50,000 reward twice linked to the case, but no one provided. After the years passed it was investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) technology, which identifies relatives of the source from the DNA found at the scene, which then lead them to Cantelon. Even though they found the murderer responsible years later, it is revealed that Cantelon ended up taking is own life 19 months after Leroux's death. At the end, the investigators said that they did not find any connection between Cantelon and Leroux and that no murder weapon was ever found. 

Links:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/yvonne-leroux-york-police-cold-case-1.7028987

https://globalnews.ca/news/10092863/cold-case-yvonne-leroux-toronto-ontario/

Transferring DNA to Places You've Never Been

It is a common known fact that everywhere you go, you leave at least a trace amount of your own DNA. However, recent studies completed by forensic scientists are finding that something as simple as a handshake can actually spread DNA to places regardless of whether or not one has been there. The experiment found that after a ten-second handshake (which “is still two to five times longer than a typical handshake [Saey 3]), the other person’s DNA was found in objects touched immediately after, one in every fourteen times. The same concept was tested in a mimic-restaurant style setting and it was found that despite whether or not someone at the table touched another’s cup, the fact that their DNA was on the handle of the shared pitcher then effectively transferred their DNA and every person’s DNA was found on every person’s cup. This is a huge finding in forensic science and allows scientists to better understand how the transfer of DNA can majorly effect evidence in crime investigations.

A real-world example of the findings from this experiment was displayed in a 2012 robbery crime. This is fascinating to me but also somewhat troubling as there has been a real example of how someone’s DNA can turn up in places they have never been. Since DNA in crime investigations is still a relatively new idea, considering it became accepted in the 1990’s, it is extremely interesting to see the understandings of it still being unraveled and figured out in ways that will maximize efficiency and minimize mistakes.

Forensic Evidence Poses a Threat to the Innocent

Cynthia M. Cale argues that "touch DNA" could be causing issues in current forensic analysis. Research has been conducted at the University of Indianapolis proving that it is quite easy for someone's DNA to be transferred to a crime scene without the person being there at all. It is now possible for genetic profiles to be made from merely a few skin cells left, but these genetic profiles prove to be inaccurate.

In a courtroom, "touch DNA" is assumed to be left somewhere from direct contact, but studies are showing that there is no way to know whether or not it was from direct contact or secondary contact. It is possible that after shaking someone's hand, that person could deposit your DNA somewhere else, unknowingly. Because DNA amplification kits have become so sensitive and advanced, a forensic analyst only needs as few as 100 pico grams of DNA to create a genetic profile.

In 2013, Lukis Anderson was charged with murder because his DNA was found under the fingernails of the victim. At the time of the murder, he was in the hospital and the same paramedics took him there that transported the victim. The paramedics transferred Anderson's DNA to the victim most likely. An experiment was carried out by having a pair shake hands for two minutes and then held separate knives, In 85% of the cases, the DNA of the partner was transferred to the knife, and in 20% of the cases the other person was identified as the main contributor of DNA to the knife. This means that it is a very real possibility that this happens in the real world,

With the advancement of technology all the time, this could pose a very big issue. This secondary transfer of DNA could possibly wrongfully convict an innocent person just because they came in contact with someone else. In the courts, the jury is just told that there is a 1 in a quadrillion chance it's not the defendant, but they don't know the process behind it. This definitely needs to be addressed in certain cases of using "touch DNA" as the evidence in a case.

The Future of Knowing your Height before Adulthood

There was a study done on height variations at Erasmus University Medical Center (Rotterdam, Netherlands). Professors Manfred Kayser and Stenvert Drop led and collaborated the study. A rather large sample size of seven hundred seventy-seven extremely tall cases and nine thousand of normal height as the control. It also included 180 DNA variants from the previous study which implicated normal height, and the new results were compared to the old study.

The results of this study were compiled through DNA-based prediction. This DNA-based prediction helps in accuracy of results. It had been used for eye color, hair color, and age before, and now for the height. However, the results are still quite lower than what it should have been. With some more improvement I believe, it could only be useful in several areas. Medical usage is one, specifically looking at endocrinology, and crime scene investigations are a few that can be named.