About Solved By DNA
Solved by DNA is an investigative genetic genealogy company dedicated to helping law enforcement agencies across the country solve violent crimes and identify human remains. Solved by DNA understands that law enforcement agency funding is often limited, and we do not want cost to hinder an agency’s ability to solve crimes. Please contact us directly for pricing information.
Solved by DNA was started in 2021 by Michele Kennedy, who is a law enforcement professional in the field of investigative genetic genealogy. With several hundred thousand unsolved cold cases across the country and a limited number of experienced investigative genetic genealogists, Solved by DNA is committed to helping law enforcement agencies seek justice for victims and their families.
About Michele Kennedy
Michele Kennedy has been in the law enforcement field since 1993, and she has been a crime analyst for a law enforcement agency in the State of Colorado since 1997. She is currently assigned to her agency’s Cold Case Unit as an investigative genetic genealogy She is also a volunteer search angel, helping adoptees and other searchers identify birth parents. Michele has worked over 100 unknown parentage cases and she has identified over 100 birth parents using genetic genealogy.
Bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice
Master’s certificate in forensic criminology
Certified Law Enforcement Analyst, International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA)
Certified Crime and Intelligence Analyst, California Department of Justice
Member, International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG)
Volunteer, DNA Detectives
Volunteer, Search Squad
Volunteer, Trees for the Missing
About Investigative Genetic Genealogy
Investigative genetic genealogy, also known as forensic genetic genealogy, combines the use of crime scene DNA and SNP-based relative matching with genealogical research to predict where a suspect or unidentified person may fit in a family tree. Crime scene DNA samples are converted to SNP files by an independent lab and the SNP files are uploaded to two DNA databases—GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA. These two DNA databases offer users the ability to opt-in for law enforcement access, and law enforcement SNP files are only compared against users who have opted-in. Investigative genetic genealogists then build family trees using the match lists to determine how a suspect or unidentified person is related to their matches. Determining how different genetic networks or clusters of relatives connect can oftentimes narrow the search down to a small number of family members or to a specific person. These investigative leads are then given to the law enforcement agency, who must then confirm the leads with DNA STR testing typically done by government forensic labs.
Steps for Investigative genetic genealogy submission:
- Confirm that your case is an unsolved violent crime that is permitted by the GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA terms of service (homicide, non-negligent homicide, aggravated assault, rape, robbery, kidnapping and unidentified human remains)
- Confirm that your unknown suspect’s DNA has been submitted to CODIS and there are no hits, or confirm there are no hits in CODIS on your unidentified human remains
- Confirm that a suitable DNA sample exists in your case (varies by lab)
- Send subsample to a lab that can perform SNP analysis
- Obtain SNP file for upload to GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA
Note: Solved by DNA is not in partnership and is not endorsed by any direct-to-consumer databases or GEDmatch