GEDmatch

and examine what investigators still need to learn.

After spending this episode with the history, we're going to see why knowing your relatives' names can matter in ways nobody could have anticipated, how crucial and how much of a gift it is to give your DNA, okay, to places like GEDmatch, okay? Because the only reason that Melody got her name back, I'll tell you right now, is because an uncle she never knew she had submitted his DNA looking for family because he was one of those babies adopted out from Germany to the United States.

I'll see you in part two.

The lab creates a genetic profile of the unknown DNA contributor and the raw data file containing hundreds of thousands of genetic markers is generated and sent to the genealogist.

This file is then uploaded to the public direct-to-consumer DNA databases GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, where autosomal comparisons are made between the subject and thousands of individuals who have voluntarily contributed their DNA profiles to the databases and opted in to law enforcement matching.

A list of matches who are biologically related to the subject is displayed with some basic identifying information and the amount of DNA shared between the individuals.

Tools within the databases allow for further analysis of the DNA data and the ability to predict the most likely relationship between the match and the unknown DNA contributor.

The lab creates a genetic profile of the unknown DNA contributor and the raw data file containing hundreds of thousands of genetic markers is generated and sent to the genealogist.

This file is then uploaded to the public direct-to-consumer DNA databases GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, where autosomal comparisons are made between the subject and thousands of individuals who have voluntarily contributed their DNA profiles to the databases and opted in to law enforcement matching.

A list of matches who are biologically related to the subject is displayed with some basic identifying information and the amount of DNA shared between the individuals.

Tools within the databases allow for further analysis of the DNA data and the ability to predict the most likely relationship between the match and the unknown DNA contributor.

Shortly after that, an investigative genetic genealogist at Parabon uploaded the raw DNA profile into a public DNA database.

For those of you unfamiliar with this process, and I get really into it 'cause I kinda geek out about it, because law enforcement cases can't be uploaded into consumer DNA databases like Ancestry or 23andMe, IGG practitioners upload these DNA profiles into smaller databases where people willingly upload their DNA, such as GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA.

Anyway, getting back to that genealogist, she began to analyze all the people who shared DNA with Summit Meadow Jane Doe and built out their family trees to see how they connected to one another and also to the unidentified woman.

That process was tedious and time-consuming, but eventually she found a family with a couple in it whose daughter looked a lot like the latest reconstruction image, and her genealogy fit nicely with the DNA matches to Jane Doe.

So these different groups have their own private DNA collections, which they consider to be their IP.

And so it's not like there's one global database of DNA, right? And so GEDmatch is something along the lines of the criminal database for them to use to find criminals.

Gotcha.

And so C.C. Moore, that was like the huge eureka moment is that they came up with somebody who matched who the person who was missing was

And I don't think trying to say that it was planted is an explanation that anybody's really going to believe.

The FBI declined to comment and instead pointed to Judge Stephen Hippler's February 17th order in which he wrote that investigators had not violated Kohlberger's constitutional rights or broken any laws when they uploaded samples to MyHeritage and GEDmatch without the pro.

And now, of course, Kohlberger's only hope is on appeal.

This is settled.

The current, quote, obstacles and timeline that I read stated that developing a usable SMP profile from skeletal remains that had been buried in wet ground for over six decades presents, quote, severe degradation challenges, end quote.

If usable DNA is able to be extracted, and I think we can all agree that they should be able to, I mean, all available digits crossed, of course, uh, forensic genealogists will then upload it to public databases such as GEDMatch to track down familial matches.

Because genetic genealogy casework of this age usually takes, you know, anywhere from months to years, police have not yet released a public match or named a candidate.

But let's take the win, okay? The win being that she's been located and the testing is underway.

It's a standard file format that ends in .GED that lets you move a family tree from one genealogy site or program to another so that your research doesn't get stuck on one platform if you decide to switch.

For instance, I can go to GEDmatch and download a GEDCOM family tree that my dad made, but putting it all together is still arduous.

As Tracy described using GEDCOMS, you will hear her mention a few other genealogy tools, like CanopyLink and FigTreePro.

They each do something different.

Canopy Link is focused on the tree itself.

It merges duplicate people and it maps out how everyone in it connects.

FigTree Pro is built around running an entire case, so it pulls DNA match data directly from sources like GEDmatch and DNA Justice.

It handles segment comparisons, and it lets a whole team work on the same case together.