All articles tagged with #dna
Houston police arrested Floyd William Parrott, 64, in Nebraska for the 1990 Lovers’ Lane murders of Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson, solving a 36-year cold case after a 2025 tip and a CODIS DNA match tied to Henry’s autopsy; Parrott faces capital murder charges and awaits extradition to Harris County, with investigators noting a history of crimes and possible additional victims.
Archaeologists in the Netherlands uncovered a skeleton beneath a centuries-old church floor that could be the grave of d’Artagnan, the famed Musketeer. Clues include a musket-ball fragment and a 1660 coin, with the burial located near the altar area; jawbone DNA sequencing and forensic analysis are planned to confirm the identity by comparing with living relatives, though confirmation awaits results.
A two-decade Japanese study recloned a female mouse across 58 generations. By generation 58, all offspring died within a day of birth, with no outward defects, and DNA analysis showed accumulating mutations and occasional loss of an X chromosome. The research indicates a hard limit to mammalian cloning and challenges hopes for infinite lineages, with implications for livestock cloning and de-extinction efforts; no method yet exists to overcome this genetic deterioration.
Two samples from asteroid Ryugu returned by JAXA’s Hayabusa2 contain the five nucleobases adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil—the building blocks of DNA and RNA. The find suggests these compounds can form in space without life and may have been distributed across the early solar system, with Ryugu showing different base concentrations than Bennu and meteorites, hinting at diverse formation histories and a wide cosmic availability of life's chemical ingredients.
In Cleveland, two Black girls believed to be between 8 and 14 were found dead, stuffed in suitcases and buried in shallow graves. Preliminary DNA indicates they were half-siblings, but identities and cause of death have not been released, and police have no leads or suspects as they investigate the discovery made by a dog walker near Ginn Academy.
A genetic analysis comparing Neanderthal genomes with African references shows Neanderthals carried far more modern human DNA on their X chromosome than on other chromosomes, while modern humans have very little Neanderthal DNA on their X. The researchers argue that this pattern results from sex-biased interbreeding—likely Neanderthal males with modern human females—rather than widespread genetic incompatibility. Computer simulations using a mating bias reproduce the observed distribution, suggesting social/partner-choice factors shaped inheritance. The team plans to investigate population structure to determine which sex moved between groups and how cultural practices influenced mating in ancient encounters.
German police arrested an 81-year-old man in Koblenz for the 1994 murder and sexual assault of American student Amy Lopez after advances in DNA technology and re-examining evidence led to a match between a saliva sample and DNA found in Lopez's jeans. The suspect had a prior 1999 conviction for attempted rape; his genetic data, once deleted, was re-accessed to secure the arrest, and he is now in pretrial detention as investigators continue the case decades after the crime.
DNA recovered from Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home is described as low-level and may not yield a clean, usable profile for comparison in FBI or private databases; investigators say enhancement is possible but could take longer. A Florida lab is analyzing the samples as the case remains unresolved, with no suspects named. A DNA profile from gloves found near the home did not match the FBI’s CODIS. Authorities are turning to genetic genealogy via GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA, both using opt-in consent. Rewards total up to $1 million for information, in addition to a $100,000 FBI reward.
Saudi researchers found seven naturally mummified cheetahs in five caves near Arar, with DNA from three mummies showing two of the oldest specimens belonged to Acinonyx jubatus hecki (Northwest African cheetah). Dated up to 4,000 years old (and up to ~1,870 years for some), the remains reveal multiple cheetah lineages once roamed the Arabian Peninsula and indicate cheetahs thrived there historically. The study, based on exceptionally preserved tissue, offers a DNA-backed guide for selecting subspecies and lineages best suited to potential reintroduction in Saudi Arabia’s protected habitats.
Three weeks after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, CNN outlines a visual guide to the evidence: surveillance footage shows a masked man at the door attempting to block Guthrie’s Nest camera, investigators recovered a backpack and gloves, DNA found on Guthrie’s property has no matches in CODIS, and ransom notes are being scrutinized with genetic genealogy as a potential next step. A private donor has added a $100,000 reward and authorities have boosted the reward to $100,000, bringing total offers to $200,000 as investigators pursue tips and leads.
The 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie remains missing 19 days after her Feb. 1 abduction near Tucson. Authorities say gloves found about two miles from her home contained DNA from an unknown man and appeared to match a masked suspect seen on her doorbell footage; the Pima County Sheriff has cleared all Guthrie family members as suspects. Investigators have conducted searches including a nearby private residence and a Culver’s parking lot, and a ransom note has fueled public speculation that officials warn against. Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have publicly pleaded for her return, highlighting how true-crime attention and social media chatter are impacting the investigation.
DNA found on a glove near Nancy Guthrie’s home did not match CODIS, and authorities have not identified suspects or persons of interest. The case remains open as investigators continue analyzing DNA from the residence and consider using Investigative Genetic Genealogy to help identify a potential suspect or lead, with officials saying the perpetrator appeared to have had a targeted motive.
Investigators probing the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie (Savannah Guthrie’s mother) report no CODIS match from DNA found on a glove discovered near the home, while DNA at the residence remains under analysis. Surveillance footage showed a masked man, and authorities say the case may be targeted, prompting a potential shift to investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) if CODIS yields nothing. The FBI and sheriff’s investigators continue to work leads and have not named any suspects.}
The FBI says a recovered glove with a male DNA profile appears to match gloves seen in surveillance footage outside Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home, fueling a DNA-based lead as the search enters its third week. Authorities have increased the reward to $100,000 and are awaiting private-lab DNA results, with NBC reporting investigators are moving away from Guthrie relatives as suspects. Savannah Guthrie posted a hopeful video marking two weeks since her mother’s disappearance, while investigators continue to pursue surveillance footage and other leads.
DNA recovered from a glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home appears to match the glove worn by one of five suspects in her disappearance, as the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Office release surveillance imagery and maintain a missing-person alert and ongoing investigation.