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DNA solves 30 year old rape, murder case. But how?

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posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 08:27 PM
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This is a story close to home for me.

I was in high school in 1988 when 8 year old April tinsley went missing and was found dead 2 days later. Her body was found within a few miles of my home.
Raped, choked to death and sodomized.
One sick bastard.
This case was even on Americas most wanted.


"On Sunday morning, the Fort Wayne Police Department and Indiana State Police arrested 59-year-old John D. Miller of Grabill for the April 1988 homicide of April Tinsley. According to a probable cause affidavit released to the media Sunday, Miller's DNA was matched to DNA recovered from Tinsley's underwear in 1988."

"According to the affidavit, police approached Miller after a DNA technology company that was working with Fort Wayne Police narrowed a suspect to two brothers: Miller and another man. After that early July development, police began surveillance on Miller's Grabill mobile home and began to analyze his trash."

The following was the part of the story that raised an eyebrow for me...

"In 2015, Virginia-based DNA technology company Parabon released a next-generation forensic composite of what young April Marie Tinsley's killer could look like. In 2016, then, the company released an updated - and more detailed - image of that suspect, extrapolated from genetic history and traits from DNA that police have gathered since Tinsley's death."

They had the killers DNA but you need something to compare it to.
How the hell did they find this guy?
Wtf?
Did I miss something?

www.wane.com...



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 08:31 PM
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a reply to: Bluntone22

The DNA probably showed that the culprit was Lewis Type Positive. That is a person who "sheds" their DNA through saliva, body fluids, etc.

Analyze the trash and you can harvest enough DNA (through PCA) to get a potential match.



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 08:46 PM
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a reply to: DBCowboy

It's kind of scary to think they could just pluck you out of nowhere with DNA.
How hard would it be to set someone up with some discarded DNA?

Sounds like a good sci fi thriller.


+5 more 
posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 08:46 PM
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That they initially narrowed it to "brothers" leads me to guess that they found it through one of the genealigical databases like Ancestry dot com.

They don't like to publicize that they are doing this.



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 08:50 PM
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a reply to: The GUT


I wouldn't be surprised if some branch of the government is behind the funding of those companies.



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 09:09 PM
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a reply to: The GUT

I suppose if companies like ancestry.com offered free genealogy exams, it would be too obvious.

But yes, give me your DNA and well send you a cool booklet about your family.

*all DNA is property of ancestry.com and its affiliates. Ancestry.com reserves the right to catalog, share and sell your genetic information. Etc



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 09:51 PM
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a reply to: Bluntone22

This is not the only cold case that was solved because a relative sent their DNA to one of those genealogy sites.

There is big money in DNA, and it is only one reason that so many are competing for your spit. On your dime of course.



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 10:08 PM
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While at the doctor's office, I was approached by a staff person and asked for DNA. The offer consisted of a "free" test for various genetic-based diseases.

I figured that if any lawmen wanted my DNA, it was easy enough for them to obtain it without my permission. Also figured that here was a reasonable offer that had an objective benefit, and was related to the actual procedure itself. It made sense and I did it. wtf do I have to hide???



posted on Jul, 15 2018 @ 10:50 PM
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There are some really sick, twisted fraks out there in the world. ANYONE who does this to a child should be executed very, very slowly, in the most inhumane way possible.

Slowly being lowered into a vat of boiling oil, vivisection, or drawing and quartering are the first things that come to mind. There just aren't words...

Or just hang him on a meat hook in the woods somewhere, and offer the girl's parents the opportunity for some therapeutic closure by means of a couple of slightly dulled straight-razors, a welding torch, a couple of Dremels and a belt sander.

Maybe they should televise it worldwide, via satellite, during Sweeps.
edit on 15-7-2018 by MteWamp because: sp



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 12:25 AM
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originally posted by: The GUT
That they initially narrowed it to "brothers" leads me to guess that they found it through one of the genealigical databases like Ancestry dot com.

They don't like to publicize that they are doing this.


The ways to get your DNA go far beyond that......
In 2007, I got a DUI (sober since then). At a probation appt, they did a cheek swab for THC/drugs. I noticed after sample was tested, the swab wasnt discarded.....it was placed in a sealed container and labeled.

Ive gotten cheek swabs for work......wanna bet those were kept?

Point is, I believe about 90% of us have had our dna taken.



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 12:36 AM
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originally posted by: MteWamp
There are some really sick, twisted fraks out there in the world. ANYONE who does this to a child should be executed very, very slowly, in the most inhumane way possible.

Slowly being lowered into a vat of boiling oil, vivisection, or drawing and quartering are the first things that come to mind. There just aren't words...

Or just hang him on a meat hook in the woods somewhere, and offer the girl's parents the opportunity for some therapeutic closure by means of a couple of slightly dulled straight-razors, a welding torch, a couple of Dremels and a belt sander.

Maybe they should televise it worldwide, via satellite, during Sweeps.


Then society ends up collectively being as sick a bastard as the sick bastard.

I'm no fan of Nietzsche, but he was right when he said, “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into you.”

:
edit on 2018 7 16 by incoserv because: I could.



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 01:37 AM
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a reply to: Bluntone22

If I understand correctly Parabon uses DNA to make genealogical comparisons, and to create composite pictures of unidentified victims or unknown suspects. The company can also use technology to predict how someone who left DNA at a crime scene 30 years ago might look today. I know there have been discussions of the validity of these images on other websites, but I have not done any research on the accuracy of Parabon's images.



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 02:28 AM
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a reply to: Bluntone22

This is what concerns me most about this move towards DNA harvesting and tracking etc. The "what have I got to hide" crowd terrifies me. I can only think that they lack even a modicum of imagination, have never read a history book and don't bother to pay attention to what's going on all over the world right now (I'm especially looking at you China, though I suspect the UK and probably the states are just as bad, but perhaps not as in your face about it).

With DNA samples of everyone it would be SO easy just to make ANYONE disappear anytime, and, whereas scooping somone off the street for saying bad things about the government (or throwing ink on a picture of the premier for example) may draw a lot of unwanted backlash, locking someone up for being a child murdering paedo will elicit cheers and whoops of delight from the baying masses (see MteWamp above). Go government! Thank God for DNA sampling!

And those that think this can't happen, or won't happen... I really don't know what planet you've been living on. I would go as far as to say it is not just likely to happen but GUARANTEED. This WILL be abused.

If they can they will.

Imagine if Hitler, the SS and the Gestapo had had facial recognition software and a DNA database. How much more efficient and powerful would they have been? How much more futile and impossible the resistance?

That was barely a lifetime ago... and in the West... where really bad # just doesn't happen... right?

What have you got to hide Sir? You're not doing anything wrong are you? It's just a quick swab. Painless. It'll be locked away and we probably won't even look at it. It's just a precaution. Just think of the kids! Those poor dead kids. All those paedos and murderers out there.... All those terrorists.... You don't want to be responsible for those guys getting away do you? Help us catch the bad guys... You want to help us catch the bad guys right? Cos you're not a bad guy, right?
It's really best to just get it over with before we have to start digging Sir. You never know what we might 'find'
C'mon, what have you got to hide Sir, what have you got to hide.......?
edit on 16-7-2018 by Indrasweb because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 06:55 AM
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originally posted by: FlyingFox
While at the doctor's office, I was approached by a staff person and asked for DNA. The offer consisted of a "free" test for various genetic-based diseases.

I figured that if any lawmen wanted my DNA, it was easy enough for them to obtain it without my permission. Also figured that here was a reasonable offer that had an objective benefit, and was related to the actual procedure itself. It made sense and I did it. wtf do I have to hide???


When the day comes that DNA can be recreated from a data record. Get someone angry and all of a sudden you are a DNA match in a 40 year old sex crime. How do you disapprove that?

Where were you on Sept 1st 1977 and can you prove it?



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 09:07 AM
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originally posted by: The GUT
That they initially narrowed it to "brothers" leads me to guess that they found it through one of the genealigical databases like Ancestry dot com.

They don't like to publicize that they are doing this.


I think that is the case too, I would like to see my ancestry but I have a feeling that the sample you give them ends up in a government database without our knowledge.
Then it could be used for who knows what.



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 09:11 AM
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originally posted by: Indrasweb
a reply to: Bluntone22

This is what concerns me most about this move towards DNA harvesting and tracking etc. The "what have I got to hide" crowd terrifies me. I can only think that they lack even a modicum of imagination, have never read a history book and don't bother to pay attention to what's going on all over the world right now (I'm especially looking at you China, though I suspect the UK and probably the states are just as bad, but perhaps not as in your face about it).

With DNA samples of everyone it would be SO easy just to make ANYONE disappear anytime, and, whereas scooping somone off the street for saying bad things about the government (or throwing ink on a picture of the premier for example) may draw a lot of unwanted backlash, locking someone up for being a child murdering paedo will elicit cheers and whoops of delight from the baying masses (see MteWamp above). Go government! Thank God for DNA sampling!

And those that think this can't happen, or won't happen... I really don't know what planet you've been living on. I would go as far as to say it is not just likely to happen but GUARANTEED. This WILL be abused.

If they can they will.

Imagine if Hitler, the SS and the Gestapo had had facial recognition software and a DNA database. How much more efficient and powerful would they have been? How much more futile and impossible the resistance?

That was barely a lifetime ago... and in the West... where really bad # just doesn't happen... right?

What have you got to hide Sir? You're not doing anything wrong are you? It's just a quick swab. Painless. It'll be locked away and we probably won't even look at it. It's just a precaution. Just think of the kids! Those poor dead kids. All those paedos and murderers out there.... All those terrorists.... You don't want to be responsible for those guys getting away do you? Help us catch the bad guys... You want to help us catch the bad guys right? Cos you're not a bad guy, right?
It's really best to just get it over with before we have to start digging Sir. You never know what we might 'find'
C'mon, what have you got to hide Sir, what have you got to hide.......?


I always ask people who say if you have nothing to hide why worry, if I can come to their house and look through anything I want .and they all say no.



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 07:56 PM
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"I have nothing to hide..."

Famous last words.

It'd be very easy for an alphabet agency to get ahold of your DNA and the place it somewhere. They've been accused of placing child porn on computers of those who expose various truths.

What would stop them from placing your DNA at a crime scene if they felt your peaceful protest was "treason"?

Nothing.



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 08:00 PM
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The way that law enforcement has been able to match these old DNA samples to people who have done ancestry DNA testing is through a service called gedmatch.com.

With gedmatch.com, people who have done DNA testing through services like 23&Me and ancestry.com can upload their test results to the site.

With these DNA cold cases, the investigators are analyzing the old DNA evidence and creating DNA test profiles that look like the ones created by the legitimate testing companies. Then they submit those results to gedmatch.com.

Gedmatch then compares their samples to other participants to calculate their familial relationships. Then the participants can access other public information, including published family trees, or they may contact one another to further explore their kinship.

Presumably once this information is combined with evidence related to the crime, a valid warrant can be issued to acquire more data from the actual testing companies, if necessary.

People voluntarily participate in gedmatch.com. That's the opening being used by these law enforcement agencies to find genetic clues to help solve these gruesome cold cases. The testing services themselves have significant controls in place to prevent fraudulent use of their data.

-dex



posted on Jul, 16 2018 @ 08:47 PM
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It's a double edge sword.

Because if you wanna cure cancer, an every disease then everyone allowing their DNA to be sampled is how that will happen.

Now also, if you wanna eventually prevent DNA fraud, you will ironically want more people having access to said DNA,to develop these control mechanisms and such safe guards that are if at all in their infancy now.

But then, how hard would it be to muddy said crimescene with multiple DNA footprints, in just the right place, to tell multi different stories.

I can see a future where out DNA will need to be encoded, like a DNA blockchain of it's own, just to give us identifiable token markers for identity, but all part of a checks and balances.
edit on 16-7-2018 by Tranceopticalinclined because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 17 2018 @ 07:27 AM
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a reply to: Bluntone22

Well, its important to understand what DNA does, what it is responsible for, in order to know how it is possible to almost pick a person out of the pack in this manner.

DNA is, as I am sure you know, the blueprint for your entire body. It can tell a person examining it, what eye colour, hair colour, skin tone, and natural body type (that is, unmolested by either compulsive eating or indeed compulsive workouts) you have, it can tell the scientist what illnesses you are likely to experience, whether you are susceptible to cancers of various sorts, or heart diseases, and indicate approximate age as well as a whole heap of other data.

While it is true that to get a match, one would have to find a sample for comparison, well, they DID find a sample. In fact, the only thing that makes this case anything out of the ordinary, in the way of crimes solved by DNA, is the fact that an awful lot of time has passed between the death of the victim, and the capture of the suspect. The first sample discovered, was in the underwear of the victim, back in 1988.

Now, in 1988, the science available to the common or garden forensics unit, was not even nearly as advanced as it is today. These days, genetics as an area of study and an industry unto itself, is a far more thoroughly informed beast, and a much more capable thing than it ever was in the late eighties. Since then, advances have been made in methods of examination, recovering material for study, and in terms of the size of sample required for positive identification of traits.

Modern science has likely been applied to the sample from the underwear, found in 1988, to give a more complete picture of the assailant, from which investigators were likely able to derive a profile, not just based on psychology (which has its merits in the criminal justice field), but also the DNA evidence. Its likely that in order for either Mr Miller, or his brother to have been identified as potential suspects in this case, their DNA would have to have been on file already for some reason, possibly as a result of interaction with law enforcement or the courts on a previous occasion.

Either that, or the DNA was enough to put together a profile which lead investigators to check the trash at the Miller residence, finding their match.

edit on 17-7-2018 by TrueBrit because: (no reason given)




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