DNA Phenotyping for cold cases

DNA Phenotyping is the prediction of physical appearance from DNA. It can be used to generate leads in cases where there are no suspects or database hits, to narrow suspect lists. Here is a real case: On 11 September 2008 Brittani suffered severe injuries from the attack, including multiple skull fractures, lacerations on her head and face, and a broken arm and wrist. At the hospital, she was reported to be in critical condition, with fixed pupils, minimal brain activity, and a low likelihood of survival. She remained in a coma for several weeks. When she awoke, she had no recollection of the attack. The police managed to find the suspect’s blood at the crime scene, but it was not in the criminal database. Only when the investigation reached a dead end 6 years later, the chief investigator gave a try to Snapshot® DNA Phenotyping and decided it might point her in a useful direction. And here you see a snapshot they got - on the left computer generated on the right of the criminal that was later identified and arrested thanks to this new DNA phenotyping technology.