How genetic genealogy helped police identify human remains found near Sault Ste. Marie

In July 2017, the Ontario Provincial Police found the human remains of an unidentified man near the Montreal River Harbour, situated between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie. Recent advancements in investigative genetic genealogy have now led to the identification of the man.

The suspected remains were initially found by a hiker on July 30, 2017 just off of Little Canoe Bay Road. During the subsequent search, police also recovered clothing, a firearm, coins, and a cardboard box. Authorities were able to confirm the remains were those of a man and they believe the man may have arrived at the location by bus, on foot, or by hitchhiking.

In April 2022, detectives submitted the man's DNA to the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit organization specializing in using investigative genetic genealogy to identify unidentified individuals. By last September, the project had made a presumptive identification of the man. The police have since contacted the family to confirm his identity. Police confirmed the remains to be those of a 71-year-old from Oshawa. The family has requested that the man's name not be released. 

Nicole Novroski, a professor and forensic geneticist at the University of Toronto, says the geneology tool helps police uncover many historical cases when traditional methods fail to get an answer.

"We're looking at just single locations in the DNA and we're comparing different things. So with traditional methods, we're comparing the evidence back to a pool of suspects for persons of interest. And with genetic genealogy, we're taking any possible information that we can garner from that DNA sample," Novroski explained.

Using genetic genealogy, police can create a DNA profile to upload to public DNA databases and compare it to other profiles, helping to trace individuals within a family tree. 

"Investigators and genealogical experts are going to build out that family tree and evaluate all possible persons of interest who may or may not fit with the scenario," said Novroski, explaining how police will have to consider the time and location of the crime scene to potential suspects in the family tree.

"We're apprehending a suspect who potentially didn't commit any other crime… And therefore without this technique, we would have never apprehend them."

According to Detective Inspector Kevin Connor of the OPP's Criminal Investigation Branch, the tool is employed in both unidentified remains and homicide cases.

"The OPP, in 22 and 2023… have moved 19 cases of both unidentified remains and homicides forward for IGG analysis and we've been able to solve 11 of those cases."

Connor says they are furthering their forensic analysis and genealogy research to bring closure and answers to more families.