All articles tagged with #forensics
Forensic analysts in Nevada are examining a disputed 2015 will in Tony Hsieh’s estate after his death in a Connecticut fire, testing ink and signatures to determine authenticity amid family and executor disputes; a Las Vegas judge has appointed a special master to oversee the process as the origin of the document remains murky.
Authorities expanded their probe into Miranda's Rescue in Humboldt County after a second search uncovered 117 intact dogs (many with gunshot fragments), 21 skulls, and hundreds of bones, along with more than 600 collars. About 900 dogs have been sent to the rescue since January 2025, but only roughly 100 adoption records exist, leaving hundreds unaccounted for and prompting potential animal-cruelty, fraud, and nonprofit-law issues; no charges have been filed yet as investigators review the large amount of evidence with ongoing forensic work.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology added 41 new cannabinoid spectra to its mass-spectral library (Standard Reference Database 1A), increasing cannabis-related entries to 121. The update emphasizes rare side-chain homologs and derivatives to improve identification of uncommon cannabis compounds for forensics, biomedical research, food science and environmental testing.
A 26-year cold case from Olympic National Park has been solved: remains found in a sleeping bag in 2000 were identified as Joseph Louis Serrao Jr., who was last seen in 1998, through forensic genealogy and DNA testing conducted by Othram and partners, bringing closure to his Hawaii-based family.
Ukrainian rocket-forensic experts debunk Moscow’s claim that the Oreshnik is a brand-new, state‑of‑the‑art weapon. Analysis of fragments from a January 2026 Lviv strike shows the missile was assembled in 2017 with components manufactured in 2016 or earlier and relies solely on Russian and Belarusian parts, in line with US DoD assessments that it is an experimental platform derived from the RS-26 project. The missile reportedly has a 3,000–5,500 km range and MIRVs, and has been used in three war-time strikes, none with nuclear warheads. Western analysts question its Mach 10 claim and evasive‑maneuver capabilities, noting it could be vulnerable to modern interceptors.
Italian authorities have seized the five Maldives divers’ electronic devices and gear as part of a widening culpable homicide probe into the May 14 cave tragedy. The data from phones, laptops, dive computers and GoPro cameras could reveal depths, timings and gas usage and help determine whether the divers entered the cave voluntarily or were pushed inside. The Finnish rescue team recovered four bodies and autopsies are expected after repatriation. While early theories include a navigational error leading to entrapment, experts debate the role of currents and gas mixtures, and the investigation is ongoing.
DNA and forensic genealogy linked the 1986 Virginia Beach rape-and-murder of 22-year-old Roberta Walls to Charles Berry, a 66-year-old man in Newington, Connecticut. Berry was arrested on a fugitive-from-justice charge and awaits extradition to Virginia, with investigators holding him on a $10 million bond as they prepare to pursue charges in the case.
Google is rolling out opt-in Intrusion Logging in Android's Advanced Protection Mode to store end-to-end encrypted forensic logs for investigating sophisticated spyware; developed with Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, the logs capture daily device and network activity, are retained for 12 months and can be downloaded by users (including Chrome Incognito activity), with encryption keys protected by the user's Google account password and device credentials.
Undercover detectives used a gum-tasting ruse to collect a DNA sample from Mitchell Gaff, which matched DNA found on victim Judy Weaver and connected him to her 1984 murder and Susan Vesey’s 1980 killing. Advances in DNA technology, including STRmix and CODIS, allowed investigators to link the cases four decades later; Gaff pleaded guilty and faces life in prison, bringing closure to families after years of uncertainty.
A Beverly Hills widow, Violet Yacobi, was found dead at her home in 2017 after detectives initially suspected a fall or suicide. Over time, investigators built a case around her son Daniel, uncovering inconsistencies in his stories, a large potential inheritance (about $13 million), and a trail of digital and surveillance evidence showing him at the house the night Violet died. Autopsy and expert testimonies sparked competing theories, but the prosecution argued the strangulation was motivated by money, supported by DNA under Violet’s fingernails and Daniel’s behavior and finances. After years of investigation, Daniel Yacobi was found guilty of first-degree murder for financial gain and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Human remains were found in the waterways of Tampa Bay in Pinellas County as authorities continue the search for Nahida Bristy, a 27-year-old USF doctoral student. Zamil Limon’s remains were located earlier on the Howard Frankland Bridge, and his roommate, Hisham Abugharbieh, is charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder. New court documents allege Abugharbieh asked ChatGPT questions about disposing of a body; autopsies indicate Limon died from multiple sharp-force injuries, and investigators believe Bristy’s body was disposed of in a similar manner. Abugharbieh remains in custody and is due back in court.
Apple released patches for iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 (and iOS 18.7.8 / iPadOS 18.7.8) to fix CVE-2026-28950, a Notification Services logging flaw that could leave deleted notifications on-device, potentially enabling forensic access to Signal messages. The update redacts data and removes inadvertently-preserved notifications; the fix follows a report that the FBI could obtain Signal content via push notification logs, though Signal says no action is needed beyond applying the patch and the EFF warns about notification metadata risks.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries; her severely decomposed remains were found in the front trunk of a Tesla linked to singer D4vd, who is charged with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a minor, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The report’s release followed police objections amid a high-profile investigation; if convicted, D4vd faces life without parole or the death penalty. Celeste was 13–14 years old at the time, and the case has attracted intense public attention.
Lawyers for Tyler Robinson, charged with aggravated murder in Charlie Kirk’s Utah shooting, have asked to push back the May preliminary hearing to allow time for reviewing extensive discovery and a ballistic analysis that could affect his defense. The ATF bullet-fragment analysis reportedly cannot conclusively link the fragment to the rifle, and the FBI is conducting additional tests. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty, while Robinson has not yet entered a plea; a separate April 17 hearing will address a motion to ban cameras from the courtroom.
A bone found on Salmon Creek Beach in 2022 has been identified as Walter Karl Kinney, a California banker who disappeared in 1999, after investigators used DNA-based investigative genealogy with the DNA Doe Project to link the remains to Kinney and connect the case to a prior John Doe discovery in nearby Bodega Bay.