Forensic investigative genetic genealogy (F/IGG, FGG, or IGG) is the investigative technique of combining DNA, genealogical studies, and public records to identify unknown individuals. Since the arrest of the Golden State Killer in 2018 and his subsequent conviction and sentencing in 2020, hundreds of criminal and missing persons cases have benefited from this investigative technique. Verogen launched a four-part webinar series featuring renowned experts in the field of F/IGG to introduce the technique to law enforcement professionals who are interested in applying this technique to their cases.
This workshop is a roundtable discussion featuring five F/IGG practitioners from law enforcement sharing their perspectives on how they have used F/IGG. Attendees will learn:
- How to overcome hurdles when you are the first person in your department to use this technique
- The working relationship between the investigator and the genealogist (forensic investigative genetic genealogist)
- Where to find resources to work an F/IGG case – grants, hiring a genealogist, learning the technique yourself, collaborating with a forensic lab (public or private), and others
This workshop is only available to members of law enforcement. Please use your government-issued email address when registering.
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Speaker |
Biography |
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Anthony Conyers Captain of Inspectional Services Bureau, Troy Police Department, New York. |
Anthony Conyers is an 18-year veteran with the Troy Police Department in New York and is currently a Police captain overseeing the Inspectional Services Bureau. Prior to his current assignment, Anthony was a detective sergeant within the departments detective bureau where he has investigated everything from minor and major crimes, including homicides and officer involved shooting incidents. In addition to investigations, during his time as a detective sergeant, he has been assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the departments Evidence Technician Coordinator, and Sergeant in charge of the departments Domestic Violence Unit. |
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Tobi Kirschmann Investigative Genetic Genealogist, Owner of DNA Investigations; former forensic analyst in California |
Tobi Kirschmann is a veteran DNA Analyst who worked in the California DNA Databank for 10 years before moving to Saratoga Springs, NY in 2017. She worked at the NYSP Forensic Investigation Center for a year and a half before starting DNA Investigations, a company dedicated to bringing genetic genealogy knowledge and services to local law enforcement agencies and the community. As part of the fleet of law enforcement personnel who worked on the Golden State Killer case, Tobi was moved by the success of the leads generated through genetic genealogy. She is adamant about the power of this new DNA tool and has aligned DNA Investigations to educate the public and promote the use of genetic genealogy in the hands of local law enforcement. |
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Michele Kennedy Investigative Genetic Genealogist, Owner of Solved by DNA, Crime Analyst with a metropolitan law enforcement agency in the state of Colorado |
Michele Kennedy is an investigative genetic genealogist and owner of Solved by DNA, an investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) company. Michele has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, primarily as a crime analyst for a major metropolitan law enforcement agency in Colorado. She is also assigned to her agency’s Cold Case Unit as a crime analyst and forensic genetic genealogist. Michele has solved several cold cases for her agency and through Solved by DNA using IGG, and she has identified over 100 birth parents for adoptees and other searchers as a volunteer genetic genealogist. Michele holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s certificate in forensic criminology from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. She is a Certified Law Enforcement Analyst with the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA) and is also a certified Crime and Intelligence Analyst through the California Department of Justice. Michele is a member of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Cold Case Review Team and her agency’s Cold Case Review Team. Michele is the co-founder of a nationwide IGG working group for law enforcement detectives and analysts and hosts training sessions for its 90+ members, and she has started a private LinkedIn group for law enforcement where she trains on the basics of IGG. |
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Mike Thompson Senior Investigator Riverside DA's Office Cold Case Unit |
Mike Thompson began his career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in 1990. He has worked custody, patrol, plain-clothes assignments, and background investigations. He was promoted to investigators in 2005. He’s worked General Investigations (2005), Economic Crimes (2005-2007), Homicide (2007-2014), and Computer Forensics (2014-2018). In May 2018, I lateraled to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and currently hold the rank of Senior Investigator III. I started in the Consumer Protection unit and transferred to Cold Case in March 2020. In addition to working cold cases, I was tasked with developing the use of forensic genealogy on cases. We recently made an arrest on a 1994 cold case, identifying our suspect by the use of forensic genealogy and identified a Jane Doe homicide victim through forensic genealogy. We are currently applying FGG to several other cases. |
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Patricia Busby Investigative Genetic Genealogist, Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Criminal Intelligence Center (AKCIC) |
Patricia Busby has worked at the Alaska State Troopers for 21 years and has assisted with narcotics, human trafficking, unidentified human remains, missing persons, and homicide cases. AST’s first IGG case was in 2018 and Patricia has been working on these cases since then. Patricia is thrilled to combine her hobby and her profession to assist others inside and outside of law enforcement in this profound way as AST’s in-house investigative genetic genealogist.
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This workshop is brought to you by Verogen, the steward of GEDmatch and GEDmatch PRO, and the only company committed exclusively to the innovation, development, and commercialization of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology for forensic and human identification applications. |
