The remains of two women were discovered back in 1994 in one case and in 2013 in the other. Since then, police had no idea who they were, let alone who killed them.

Albuquerque police say they were able to use DNA from the victim’s remains and turn that into a profile. From there, they’re able to upload the profiles to genetic testing sites like 23andMe.

If they get a match, then they start the process of tracking down the victim’s family.

“You can take DNA that’s left behind at a crime scene or that from a victim in this case, and we turn it into an ancestral profile,” said APD Commander Kyle Hartsock. 

It’s science based on chance.

“As you’re doing these investigations, new people can upload their DNA. So one day you log in, and all of a sudden you have a first cousin who tested, and yesterday you only have a third cousin,” said Hartsock. 

Hartsock says the department and the FBI are using genealogy to solve cold cases.

“It gets us on a path, it gives us a lead,” Hartsock said. 

After uploading a victim or suspect’s DNA to a genetic testing site, they wait for a hit. From there, Hartsock says they do old-fashioned detective work.

“You have to get very close to actually confirm who it is. And then, while talking with the families, they said, ‘Oh yeah, we haven’t seen our daughter or granddaughter since this time,’” said Hartsock.

APD and the FBI were able to do this, this year, identifying Carmela Vivian Duran, and Terry Matthews as the remains discovered in 1994 and 2013.

You can read more in an article by Monica Logroño published in the kob.com web site at: https://shorturl.at/Am6kV

Global family history company MyHeritage strengthens its foothold in Canada with the acquisition of Quebec genealogy company MesAieux.com QUEBEC CITY, Canada & LEHI, Utah, September 9, 2024 — MyHeritage, the leading global family history platform, announced today the acquisition of MesAieux.com, a popular family history service specializing in French Canadian genealogy. This is the 13th acquisition by MyHeritage. In August 2021, MyHeritage acquired Filae, the leading genealogy service in France. With the addition of MesAieux.com, these acquisitions bolster the company’s leadership position in the global genealogy market and secure its prominence in the Francophone world. Founded in 2004, MesAieux.com has grown to become Quebec’s most popular family history service, with over one million users. The website offers an online family tree builder with automated features to add ancestors, based on a proprietary algorithm for French phonetics developed by the company. MesAieux.com is also home to approximately 15 million historical records from Canada, primarily from Quebec, and several exclusive collections. Founded in 2003, MyHeritage has developed one of the world’s leading family history platforms. Powered by unique technologies and AI features, MyHeritage is trusted by millions of customers worldwide and is available in 42 languages. MyHeritage users have collectively created tens of millions of family trees, and the platform is home to a vast collection of 20.8 billion historical records from all over the world. “We are delighted to welcome MesAieux.com to the MyHeritage family,” said Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “Canadian genealogists will have much to gain from the combination of the two companies. We’ve been impressed with MesAieux.com’s accomplishments, and this acquisition reinforces our commitment to expanding the resources for French-speaking genealogists. Together we remain committed to the mission of helping everyone discover and preserve their family history for the benefit of future generations.”  “MyHeritage’s technologies are outstanding, and the company continues to make its mark as a global leader in family history,” said Jean Trudel, Founder and CEO of MesAieux.com. “Their innovative spirit, know-how, and global footprint will strengthen our brand and deliver even greater value to genealogists in Canada and abroad.” As a MyHeritage company, MesAieux.com will soon benefit from MyHeritage’s resources and technological expertise, which will facilitate the publication of new historical record collections and provide greater value to MesAieux.com users, who will be introduced to the wide array of MyHeritage services. All historical record content from MesAieux.com will soon be published on MyHeritage, and its users will benefit from the capabilities of MyHeritage’s innovative tree-to-tree and tree-to-record matching technologies. Privacy Guarantee MyHeritage has a strong privacy framework that includes a strict commitment to the privacy of users’ data, making it unique among the major genealogy companies. Its privacy policy states unequivocally that MyHeritage will never sell or license personal data and genetic data to any third party.  About MyHeritage MyHeritage is the leading global platform for family history. With billions of historical records and family tree profiles, and with sophisticated matching technologies, MyHeritage gives users the joy of discovering their past and empowering their future. MyHeritage is the most popular family history service and DNA test in Europe, and is trusted by tens of millions of users worldwide. The MyHeritage DNA test is an at-home DNA test that reveals ethnic origins and finds new relatives based on shared DNA. The DNA results are seamlessly integrated with the family trees on the platform. MyHeritage offers a large variety of products and features for genealogists of every level. These include automatic matching technologies and world-class photo tools that are based on AI. www.myheritage.com About MesAieux.com MesAieux.com (also known as YourFolks.com in English) is a Quebec-based family business founded 20 years ago to make genealogy simple and reliable. Its initial mission was to build a reliable database with exclusive services to help people with ancestors from Quebec find them rapidly. MesAieux.com is a leader in Canadian genealogy, serving more than 1,000,000 members, both experienced researchers and beginners. MesAieux.com provides its members with simplified tools and professional quality products. Those who have little time to spend on their genealogy love it because they can build their family tree in a few clicks. Its database covers Quebec as well as other places where French-Canadians have migrated and includes Canadian birth, marriage and death records, as well as obituaries and censuses. MesAieux.com is renowned for the quality of its data and its customer service, which is courteous, prompt, and professional. www.mesaieux.com

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

Adobe's popular PDF file format is often used in genealogy work. Many of the CD-ROM disks of interest to genealogists have been published in PDF format, as has much of the information found on genealogy web sites. 

The Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) has become the de facto standard for electronic documentation distribution. Once a file is created in PDF format, anyone can read your document across a broad range of hardware and software, and it will look exactly as you intended — with layout, fonts, color, links, and images intact. In short, it will look like a document published with a desktop publishing program. It will look the same on any operating system, including Windows, Macintosh, Chromebook, Linux, UNIX, and even handheld computers. Best of all, the required software to view your PDF document is completely free. As a result, everyone can read your document. 

PDF files used to be considered to be "secure." That is, nobody could ever take your PDF document, import it into a word processor, and then use your data. However, that has now changed. In fact, you can now easily convert PDF files to Word .DOC files, .TXT files. or to other formats.

This conversion capability is new. As an illustration, here is an excerpt from an article I published 22 years ago in this newsletter that shows the state of the PDF format at that time. In the February 25, 2002, edition of this newsletter, I wrote:

“By setting security options in Acrobat, the author can give his or her PDF documents a certain level of copy protection. One of the options available within Adobe Acrobat program that creates PDF files will prevent users from copying text or images, effectively disabling the normal ‘copy-and-paste’ functions. Other options prevent users from printing the document or changing the features that the author has set. You can even set a password to prevent viewing by would-be users who do not have the password. To be sure, anyone who can view a document can always re-type the information by hand. However, PDF files make it very difficult to electronically extract bits and pieces of information from within a document.

“I should point out that this protection is not 100% guaranteed. In fact, sophisticated hackers have succeeded in ‘cracking’ Adobe PDF files and extracting the original information. However, a lot of software skills are needed to ‘crack’ a PDF file. Even owners of the Adobe software that creates PDF files cannot easily ‘crack’ a PDF file created by someone else. Only a handful of people have ever managed to open a PDF file, and one of those even spent a few days in jail for his activity. While not 100% safe, you can assume that, if you select the proper options, there is about a 99.99999% chance that a PDF document you create will never be ‘cracked’ by anyone else. Few people are willing to risk incarceration for extracting data from your genealogy PDF file!”

My, how the world has changed in the past 22 years! Today, there are a number of programs that will quickly and easily extract (or “crack”) data from a PDF file. Adobe has since given up all ideas of protecting their file format. Nobody is in danger of being incarcerated in 2024 for "cracking" a PDF file. (Of course, copyright laws still apply to any converted file.)

The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/13403556 (A Plus Edition password is required to access that article.)

If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077. 

A 54-year-old Augusta man will serve over 25 years in prison for a sexual assault that happened back in 2007.

Ted Foy’s first appearance (KSN Photo)

The case was finally solved in May 2023 when Wichita police made an arrest using DNA evidence collected during the initial investigation and genealogy websites where users had uploaded their DNA data to identify Ted Foy. It is the first time the Wichita Police Department has used this process to identify a suspect.

In March, Foy pled guilty to aggravated criminal sodomy, rape, aggravated sexual battery and attempted rape for the attack in southeast Wichita. As part of his plea agreement, Foy had to disclose how he chose his victim and knew where she lived.

District Judge Christopher Magana sentenced Foy to 310 months in prison.

In a remarkable discovery, researchers have uncovered a vast trove of indigenous Amazigh legal contracts, known as “arraten,” in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

The documents, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, span a period of approximately 400 years and provide an unprecedented window into the social, economic, and legal landscape of Amazigh communities.

The discovery was made by antique dealer Hamza Elbahraoui and former professor Igor Kliakhandler during their exploration of the remote mountain range.

The researchers stumbled upon the arraten manuscripts in various states of preservation, scattered in abandoned chambers of ancient granary fortresses called “agadirs.”

Agadirs, which dot the Atlas Mountains, served as communal storage spaces for Amazigh families. Each agadir contains numerous chambers, with some housing up to 300 cellars.

The researchers estimate that the Atlas Mountains are home to between 25,000 and 100,000 such chambers, of which they explored a mere 1-2%.

The arraten documents were found recorded on both wood and paper. Wooden tablets, crafted from locally sourced argan trees, make up the majority of the discovered manuscripts.

The researchers conservatively estimate that at least 100,000 wooden arraten exist, with the number potentially reaching 500,000. Additionally, between 40,000 and 150,000 paper arraten were likely produced.

Analysis of the arraten texts revealed that they serve as legal contracts or deeds, covering a wide range of matters such as property transactions, marriage arrangements, loans, inheritance, and intertribal agreements.

The discovery is remarkable, as the documents provide valuable insights into the functioning of Amazigh society and the role of customary law.

Despite the cultural and historical significance of the arraten, the manuscripts have remained largely unknown and understudied.

You can read more in an article in the moroccoworldnews web site at: https://shorturl.at/cIHvl.

Russian forces have damaged several ancient burial mounds on the front line in southern Ukraine, potentially violating the Hague and Geneva Conventions, according to research from the Ukraine Conflict Observatory published on Sept. 4.

Ukraine is home to many of these ancient graves, known as kurgans or mohyly. The mounds can be up to 20 meters tall and date back to as far as 3,000 BC, containing archeological treasures relating to prehistoric life in Ukraine, including the Scythian era. 

The Conflict Observatory analyzed open geospatial data to find that the two sites in Vasylivka district in Zaporizhzhia Oblast have been damaged under occupation by the Russian Armed Forces.

"The damage includes the construction of military infrastructure at the archaeological sites and the creation of a large, lewd geoglyph in the shape of a phallus in an adjacent field," the report said. 

"The use of the sites for military purposes places heritage at risk of incurring additional damage from the conflict."

Damage incurred separately from the construction of military installations "may indicate looting or destruction of the mound's associated artifacts and ancient remains."

Since cultural heritage is entitled to protection under international law, the damage to the sites and potential looting may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and the Hague and Geneva Conventions, the report said.

You can read more in an article by Elsa Court  in the kyivindependent web site at: https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-ancient-burial-mounds/. 

Google is testing a new display and user interface for forum content within its search results. “We’re testing a new display for forum content when it appears in search results, allowing people to quickly view top comments and related discussions to help them find useful information and dig deeper,” a Google spokesperson told us.

What is this new display. The new display will highlight the “top comments” on a specific discussion forum thread and then also highlight related discussions on that topic.

Google told us that searchers often want to learn from others’ experiences with a topic, and because of that, Google is trying new ways to highlight those experiences in Google Search. This is in addition to the “Discussions and Forums” feature and the Forums filter, previously named perspectives.

Google has shown “top answers” for years, a decade actually, but this new UI shows more to the searcher. Google told us also that in some cases, Google has agreements from a forum to show these additional details. I assume this is about the Reddit partnership. But Google added that it surfaces content from hundreds of forums and other communities across the web.

You can read more in an article by Barry Schwartz published in the searchengineland web site at: https://shorturl.at/Blbek.

A man has been arrested in the 1993 rape and murder of his 19-year-old neighbor in Indiana after he was linked to the case through genetic genealogy, authorities said.

On March 24, 1993, Carmen Van Huss' father went to her Indianapolis apartment to check on her after she didn't show up for work. He found his daughter dead on the floor, according to the probable cause affidavit.

She was naked and had multiple puncture wounds to her head, face and body, the document said.

PHOTO: An undated photo of Carmen Van Huss who was killed in Indianapolis in 1993 was released by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department)

"There were obvious signs of a struggle, including a knocked over table, clothing thrown on the floor, a large pooling of blood near the victim’s head, and blood spatter around the victim’s body," the probable cause affidavit said.

A resident in the apartment directly below Van Huss told police that, in the early hours of March 23, he heard screams, crying, slamming, banging and "noises and voices of a male arguing that lasted approximately 30 minutes," the probable cause affidavit said.

In the years that followed, police said they interviewed dozens of people and followed up on hundreds of leads. But the case went cold.

In 2013, the unknown suspect's DNA was uploaded to CODIS -- the nationwide law enforcement DNA database -- but there wasn't a match, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Then, in 2018, police said they submitted a DNA sample from the crime scene to Parabon NanoLabs to try to solve the case with forensic genetic genealogy -- a new investigative tool that takes unknown DNA and identifies it by comparing it to family members who voluntarily submitted their DNA samples to a database.

In 2023, police said "various investigative methods and lead information from the genetic genealogy analysis" led to a suspect's name: Dana Shepherd.

Police determined Shepherd was Van Huss' neighbor in 1993. Their apartment buildings were connected internally by a shared common area, according to the probable cause affidavit.

In February, police were granted a warrant to obtain DNA from Shepherd, who was now living in Missouri and working at the University of Missouri, the probable cause affidavit said.

When police showed Shepherd the warrant, he "was visibly shaking," the document said.

In June, testing determined that Shepherd’s DNA matched the DNA on Van Huss' body and at the crime scene, police said.

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Shepherd, 52, was arrested in Missouri last week on charges of murder, felony murder and rape, police said. He has not yet been extradited to Indiana, police said.

The following is a press release issued by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

To celebrate Constitution Day (September 17), the National Archives is hosting a naturalization ceremony at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17. The ceremony, held in the historic National Archives Rotunda, will see 25 people sworn in as new U.S. citizens in front of the Constitution and our nation’s other founding documents. Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan and special guest Gary Vaynerchuk, known as “GaryVee,” will provide remarks.

The press is invited to cover the ceremony. Accredited media representatives should use the Constitution Avenue special events entrance, at 7th Street, NW, and set up by 9:45 a.m., as the ceremony begins promptly at 10 a.m. RSVP by September 13, to public.affairs@nara.gov.

This year’s Constitution Day marks the 237th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Learn more online about the U.S. Constitution through our public programs, family activities, and online resources.

The September 17 ceremony will be hosted by Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan.

“It is an honor to naturalize new citizens at the home of the United States’ founding documents,” said Dr. Shogan. “The National Archives serves as a resource for people to learn about our country, and therefore themselves. The naturalization papers from this ceremony will eventually become a part of our holdings. Welcoming these citizens into our nation adds their rich stories to our shared history.”

The Honorable Judge Randolph D. Moss, District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, will preside as the petitioners take the oath of citizenship. 

Gary Vaynerchuk and his family immigrated to the United States from Belarus in 1978. Known as “GaryVee,” he is a serial entrepreneur and serves as the Chairman of VaynerX,  the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the Creator & CEO of VeeFriends. He is considered one of the leading global minds on what’s next in culture, relevance, and the internet.

This program is presented in partnership with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The use of flash and additional lights is prohibited in the Rotunda.

On Sunday, the Johnson County Coroner’s Office (JCCO) said human remains that were found in Indiana in 1993 were identified as South Carolina native Michael Benjamin Davis.

JCCO says Davis’s remains, which were found near I-65 (what is now Otte Golf Course) in Greenwood, Indiana, were identified following months of DNA and genealogy work.

“This case had remained cold with no leads until our Coroner’s Office revisited it using updated DNA and genealogy procedures. Significant progress was made with the help of the Greenwood Police Department, The University of Indianapolis, and the Othram Forensic DNA Testing Laboratory.” JCCO said.

The office says after months of emails, phone calls, and assistance from other law enforcement agencies across the U.S. and Canada, they were able to locate potential family members who received DNA kits.

“The field was narrowed, and positive DNA results and genealogy tracking located immediate family members who reported losing track of their family member in the late 1980s,” said JCCO.

According to JCCO, although the case has long been suspected of having been a homicide, the cause and manner of death have been ruled undetermined unless more information is discovered.

The family will be going to Indiana to claim the remains of Davis, who was born in Richland County, South Carolina, according to JCCO. 

JCCO says Davis would have been in his mid-20s at the time of his death.