Solving The Toughest Cold Case Murders With Forensic Genetic Genealogy

Solving The Toughest Cold Case Murders With Forensic Genetic Genealogy

Author: Robert Riggs May 8, 2023 Duration: 21:19

The Golden State Killer got away with 12 murders, 50 rapes, and more than 100 burglaries for over forty years before being caught. 

DNA evidence from his crime scenes never matched DNA samples in the FBI’s CODIS databases because he had never been arrested for murder or rape.

Eventually, investigators uploaded the profile to genealogy sites and identified a relative on the killer’s family tree.

It led to the conviction of James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer.

I’m investigative reporter Robert Riggs from inside the crime scene tape reporting how DNA analysis, called Forensic Genetic Genealogy, also known as FGG, is solving cold cases once thought unsolvable.

You can learn more about the Golden State Killer case in my episode titled How Cold Case Investigator Paul Holes Unmasked The Golden State Killer, dated April 25th 2022.

In my second episode about Forensic DNA, Dr. Suzanne Bell, who served on the National Commission of Forensic Science (NCFS), returns with more insight on the subject.

She coauthored Understanding Forensic DNA and emphasizes that DNA does not solve cases by itself. DNA results are always part of an extensive investigation.

At the end of our interview, Dr. Bell also provides advice on how to get into forensic science. It’s attracting large numbers of women. 

Here’s our discussion about forensic genetic genealogy. 


FOLLOW the True Crime Reporter® Podcast 

SIGN UP FOR my True Crime Newsletter

THANK YOU FOR THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS ON APPLE Please leave one – it really helps.

TELL ME about a STORY OR SUBJECT  that you want to hear more about


Robert Riggs has spent decades as an investigative reporter, and in True Crime Reporter, he applies that relentless, document-driven approach to the stories that haunt us. This isn't just a retelling of grim headlines; it's a meticulous walk through active case files, historical injustices, and the societal undercurrents that allow crime to flourish. Each episode feels like you're sitting across from Riggs as he lays out his notes, connecting dots between evidence, witness accounts, and the often-overlooked details that change a narrative. You'll hear the tension in the pursuit of truth, the weight of unresolved questions, and the quiet impact on communities and families left in the wake of violence. The podcast moves beyond the sensational to examine the cultural and systemic factors at play, offering a sober, deeply researched perspective. Listen for long-form narratives that build like a detective's board, where every piece of audio, every interview, and every document serves a purpose. It’s for those who want to understand the 'why' and the 'how' as much as the 'who,' presented with the clarity and authority of a seasoned journalist who knows the terrain. This is a journey into real stories, handled with the care they demand, and it naturally becomes an essential listen for anyone fascinated by the intersection of human behavior, justice, and the news.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

True Crime Reporter
Podcast Episodes
Beneath the Charm: Unveiling The Black Widow Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:36
Sandra Bridewell has fallen from grace in Dallas Society. Shunned by neighbors and most friends in the posh Highland Park community that is home to oil and real estate barons. In Parts 1 & 2 Beneath the Charm: Unveiling…
Beneath the Charm: Unveiling The Texas Black Widow Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:09
Dallas Socialite Sandra Bridewell cultivated an image of elegance and vulnerability. In part one of our series, Beneath the Charm: Unveiling The Black Widow, Sandra Bridewell’s first husband’s life tragically ends with h…
Beneath the Charm: Unveiling The Texas Black Widow Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:58
Amidst the sprawling cityscape of Dallas, where power and prosperity intersect with secrets and lies, Sandra Bridewell’s story unravels. Bridewell was a beautiful, alluring socialite in the affluent enclave of Highland P…
The Bulldog Detective: The Untold Story of America’s First Top Cop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:13
Through the mist of forgotten histories, the figure of William J. Flynn beckons, offering a glimpse into a life that, though eclipsed by time, remains a testament to human endeavor and spirit. In the early 20th century,…
Searching For Patty Hearst:  Militant Marxist or Brain Washed? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:50
The mystery of Patty Hearst’s transformation from a college student born into privilege to a Marxist militant wielding an M-1 carbine in a bank robbery remains as compelling as ever on the 50th anniversary of her kidnapp…
Unmasking Evil: Face-to-Face with the Son of Sam [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:07
David Berkowitz, known as the “Son of Sam,” terrorized New York City for a year in the late 1970s with a series of random murders and cryptic taunts to police and the press. Ever since then, the question of why he did it…
The Axe Falls: The Shocking Execution of the Teenage Queen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:54
I opened my reporter’s notebook to the historical case called the “Nine Days Queen.” It’s a tragic story from 16th-century England about Lady Jane Grey. Her life, a fleeting moment in the annals of English royalty, ended…