Genetic genealogy solves 40-year-old Queens case of missing WW1 veteran
NEW YORK CITY - Tuesday is National DNA Day, a day that recognizes the revolutionary scientific advancements in genetic science.
DNA technology has reshaped what we know about medicine, our own ancestral history and criminal justice. For law enforcement, it's a vital tool for unlocking mysteries of crimes dating back years or even decades.
Last year in Queens, a history-making conviction was achieved, solving the case of a missing World War I veteran using genetic genealogy.
The bones were buried for more than 40 years. Investigators were able to identify the victim as 81-year-old World War I veteran George Seitz.
Genetic genealogy creates family history profiles by using DNA test results in combination with traditional genealogical methods.
"It's the first successful application of using this type of technology in the city of New York," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
It all started with a tip
"We got a phone call a few years ago that said, 'you know, 45 years ago, I remember my mother's boyfriend burying a body in the backyard of my home.' We sent in the dogs to the home, went into the backyard, they indeed did find the bones, it was a corpse that was decapitated, and limbs taken off," Katz said.
The bones had been buried for over 40 years, but with advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy, investigators were able to identify the victim as 81-year-old World War I veteran George Seitz.
George Seitz seen in an age-progression photo.
The initial DNA profile could not identify the deceased man in local, state or national databases. So, they tried something different -- advanced testing, a private lab, and the FBI, using genetic genealogy, hoping to find a relative of the victim who may have entered their own DNA in a public database.
They got a match.
"We approached the relatives and said, 'hey, did someone you love or someone in your family go missing 45 years ago?'" Katz said.
What happened to George Seitz?
The relatives confirmed the victim was George Seitz, who was last seen leaving his house for a haircut in 1976. Seitz was a regular customer at the defendant Martin Motta's barbershop. Apparently, Seitz had between $7,000-$8,000 at the time he vanished.
"He was always a little bit uncomfortable in putting everything into a bank. He carried around all this cash, and he was killed for that cash. We traced it back to the local barbershop, and it turned out that the owner of the barbershop is the one who killed him," said Katz. "It was a very strong case. He actually ended up admitting it and plea bargaining. He's now doing 20 years."
The Queens District Attorney's Office is hopeful the technology could be used again, specifically by the cold case squad within her office.
"We will certainly continue to utilize the information, and as technology increases, continue to use the advancements in technology to make sure that people are getting the justice they deserve," Katz said.