01/09/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/09/2025 12:27
Posted On: January 9, 2025
The Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office has been awarded a grant of $29,997 from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). This funding will support advanced genetic genealogy techniques to help identify victims involved in unresolved criminal cases whose identities remain unknown. Through this grant, the office can utilize innovative technologies in genetic research, aiming to provide identities and resolution to these cold cases.
Allocated under the Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Grant Program, these funds will be utilized for DNA analysis in four specific cases. These involve unidentified victims of crimes and are the only cases currently under the Medical Examiner's custody that meet the grant's criteria. This effort is aligned with a statewide initiative to leverage modern DNA analysis techniques to solve cold cases and establish the identities of unknown victims tied to criminal activities.
"Each unidentified victim has a family somewhere who needs closure," said Volusia County Medical Examiner Dr. James Fulcher. "This grant enables us to apply the most advanced forensic techniques available today to bring peace to the families and justice to the community."
The FDLE grant program aims to bolster the investigative capabilities of local and state agencies. It supports the integration of forensic genetic genealogy with traditional laboratory testing and law enforcement methods, enhancing the ability to solve complex cases.