Nearly two decades after a brutal nighttime assault, a Florida woman finally got answers.

Those answers were possible thanks to advances in genetic genealogy and DNA technology.

What we know:

Roughly 20 years after a violent home invasion, a 65-year-old woman finally received answers. 

On October 22, 2007, Lake County deputies responded to a call where a woman was reportedly sexually assaulted for two hours. Despite collecting significant DNA evidence at the time, the case remained unsolved for years.

Advancements in genetic genealogy and DNA technology helped break the case. 

Parabon Nanolabs created a DNA composite predicting physical traits, which eventually led to identifying Larry Franklin Tucker Jr. Tucker had a warrant for violating probation on a domestic violence charge and was linked to the crime through nationwide DNA database searches.

Authorities say Larry Franklin Tucker Jr. has been linked to a a nearly 20-year-old sexual assault case in Lake County, through nationwide DNA database searches.

Tucker was extradited from Ohio to Florida and now faces charges of sexual battery, burglary, and kidnapping. While the statute of limitations had expired, Florida law permits prosecution based on DNA evidence.

What we don't know:

The full scope of Tucker’s criminal history or whether he may be connected to other crimes remains unclear. Authorities are still investigating if this assault was an isolated incident or part of a pattern.

Details about the victim’s identity remain private, and specific information about the legal process moving forward has not been disclosed.

The backstory:

For nearly two decades, the victim and law enforcement were left without answers. The 2007 attack involved a brutal, prolonged assault during a home invasion. Early DNA collection failed to identify the attacker due to limitations in technology and database resources at that time.

What they're saying:

The partnership between the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Parabon Nanolabs marked a turning point. 

"We’re definitely putting some attention into that and trying to figure out if there’s anything else there," said Corporal Zachary Williams, Major Crimes Supervisor, Lake County Sheriff’s Office. "She took a really big deep breath, and she told us that that was the first time that she's been able to take a deep breath in so many years."

Using cutting-edge genetic genealogy, the case was reopened with fresh leads, exemplifying how new forensic methods are solving cold cases.

"Knowing that you have brought answers to somebody that was victimized so brutally is really a rewarding feeling," explained Misty Gillis, Genetic Genealogist, Parabon Nanolabs:

In Blount County, Tennessee, investigators are leveraging a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) initiative to identify partial skeletal remains discovered on April 4, 1981, in the East Miller’s Cove area. The remains, believed to belong to a man aged 18 to 35, were missing the head, one or more limbs, and at least one hand, and had likely been at the site for one to three years.

Assigned to a cold case investigator at the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, the case originally involved assistance from Dr. Bill Bass and the University of Tennessee Department of Anthropology. In March, the sheriff’s office contacted the TBI, which submitted a sample to Othram, Inc., a Texas-based lab specializing in forensic genetic genealogy (FGG).

Under the TBI’s 2023 Unidentified Human Remains Initiative, funded by the Tennessee General Assembly, FGG testing has already identified eight sets of remains statewide. Othram extracts DNA, builds profiles, and searches databases like FamilyTreeDNA and GEDmatch Pro for relatives who have opted into law enforcement use.

The process depends on the availability of matching family DNA and subsequent reference testing. Othram is also aiding other East Tennessee cases, including “Baby Wyatt” found in Melton Lake in 2020, Oak Ridge’s “Lady in the Lake,” and a woman’s remains discovered in Knoxville this year.

The family of Pope Leo XIV, who has roots in Saint Landry Parish, will be celebrated at the Election and Archive Center in Opelousas on Oct. 25.

Larry Callier, Jr., St. Landry Parish Archivist said the event will highlight the Lemelle family’s deep historical ties to the area, with lineage tracing back to 1792. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the family’s history and contributions to the parish.

“We can actually trace the Pope’s lineage all the way back to this area, going all the way back to 1792,” Callier said.

Charles Jagneaux, St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court, noted, “His folks were the Lemelles and the Baquies and they owned where the Steamboat Warehouse is in Washington.”

Multiple members of the Lemelle family are expected to attend the celebration, including Zydeco artist Morgan Lemelle, who will perform his music.

The Election and Archives Center, which opened earlier this year, provides a valuable resource for tracing family histories in St. Landry Parish. Jagneaux emphasized the importance of the center, and stated, “St. Landry has a treasure trove of records and easily researchable.”

The Lemelle family celebration offers a unique opportunity for individuals to connect with their heritage and explore the rich historical records available at the Election and Archive Center.

Twenty-five-year-old Fahri Mustafa is accused of murdering his mother, his 13-year-old sister, and his 39-year-old aunt in a brutal attack that took place early Tuesday in Bulgaria's Ruen area. According to investigators, the young man used both a firearm and a knife, first shooting his victims before attacking them with a cold weapon. The victims are believed to have been awake at the time, and the bodies showed multiple stab and slash wounds. Fahri’s seven-year-old brother was also injured with a knife but managed to survive and alert the authorities.

At a briefing, Burgas District Prosecutor Georgi Chinev and Burgas Regional Police Director Vladimir Marinov revealed that the killings were reported to the Ruen Regional Police Department at 4:14 a.m. A police team arrived quickly at the scene, finding the house engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished by a crew from the Aytos Fire Department, who discovered three charred bodies inside.

The suspect fled the scene and hid in a nearby forest before being captured around 9:30 a.m. He was detained for 72 hours, and prosecutors will seek permanent custody as the investigation continues. Authorities also confirmed that Fahri has been charged and that a forensic psychiatric evaluation will be conducted due to a family history of mental illness. His father suffers from schizophrenia, though there is no evidence that Fahri himself has been treated or monitored by psychiatric services.

Prosecutor Chinev stated that the investigation had determined the attacker fired seven single shots over a span of two to three minutes. Surveillance recordings reviewed by the investigators suggest the killings were carried out with extreme calm and cruelty. “The facts show a very deliberate and targeted crime. The way he obtained the rifle and broke into the house through a window gives us every reason to believe the murders were premeditated and carefully planned,” Chinev said.

According to police, Fahri entered the home by breaking a glass window, despite not having access to the property. The search for the two weapons used in the crime remains ongoing, even though initial reports indicated that a hunting rifle had been recovered.

Senior Commissioner Marinov added that Fahri’s communication with investigators is difficult but that he appears mentally present. “He speaks slowly, stutters, but behaves adequately. However, he does not admit to the crime,” Marinov said.

Authorities also confirmed that both Fahri and his father had been under restraining orders for domestic violence issued by the Aytos District Court in August. Police records show a previous report of verbal threats made by Fahri and an incident in which he damaged his sister’s bicycle in an outburst of aggression.

The triple homicide has shocked the region, with investigators describing the case as one of extreme brutality and cold-blooded intent. For now, police and prosecutors continue to collect evidence and locate the weapons used in what they say was a calculated and deliberate act of violence.

The San Bruno Police Department announced a breakthrough in a decades-old homicide investigation, identifying the infant found deceased in Buckeye Park more than 40 years ago.

In November 1981, San Bruno police officers were called to Buckeye Park after the remains of an unidentified infant were discovered. Despite an extensive investigation at the time, detectives were unable to determine who the child was or who was responsible for the death. The case remained unsolved for over four decades.

That changed when investigators turned to forensic genetic genealogy, a technology that has helped law enforcement agencies across the country reopen cold cases. Working with the Texas Department of Public Safety, law enforcement forensic partners, and specialized laboratories, San Bruno detectives were able to identify the infant’s family.

“While the police department knows the identity of both parents, their names are not being released at this time,” the San Bruno Police Department said. “This identification represents a major step forward in the case and has renewed efforts to bring this case to justice.”

The department emphasized that the investigation remains active and that public assistance could be crucial in solving the case. Detectives are seeking anyone who may have information about the events that took place in Buckeye Park in November 1981 or who might have knowledge related to the infant or their family.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the San Bruno Police Department at (650) 616-7100 or email sbpdtipline@sanbruno.ca.gov. Tips can also be provided anonymously.

Nearly two decades after a brutal nighttime assault, a Florida woman finally got answers.

Those answers were possible thanks to advances in genetic genealogy and DNA technology.

What we know:

Roughly 20 years after a violent home invasion, a 65-year-old woman finally received answers. 

On October 22, 2007, Lake County deputies responded to a call where a woman was reportedly sexually assaulted for two hours. Despite collecting significant DNA evidence at the time, the case remained unsolved for years.

Advancements in genetic genealogy and DNA technology helped break the case. 

Parabon Nanolabs created a DNA composite predicting physical traits, which eventually led to identifying Larry Franklin Tucker Jr. Tucker had a warrant for violating probation on a domestic violence charge and was linked to the crime through nationwide DNA database searches.

Authorities say Larry Franklin Tucker Jr. has been linked to a a nearly 20-year-old sexual assault case in Lake County, through nationwide DNA database searches.

Tucker was extradited from Ohio to Florida and now faces charges of sexual battery, burglary, and kidnapping. While the statute of limitations had expired, Florida law permits prosecution based on DNA evidence.

What we don't know:

The full scope of Tucker’s criminal history or whether he may be connected to other crimes remains unclear. Authorities are still investigating if this assault was an isolated incident or part of a pattern.

Details about the victim’s identity remain private, and specific information about the legal process moving forward has not been disclosed.

The backstory:

For nearly two decades, the victim and law enforcement were left without answers. The 2007 attack involved a brutal, prolonged assault during a home invasion. Early DNA collection failed to identify the attacker due to limitations in technology and database resources at that time.

What they're saying:

The partnership between the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Parabon Nanolabs marked a turning point. 

"We’re definitely putting some attention into that and trying to figure out if there’s anything else there," said Corporal Zachary Williams, Major Crimes Supervisor, Lake County Sheriff’s Office. "She took a really big deep breath, and she told us that that was the first time that she's been able to take a deep breath in so many years."

Using cutting-edge genetic genealogy, the case was reopened with fresh leads, exemplifying how new forensic methods are solving cold cases.

"Knowing that you have brought answers to somebody that was victimized so brutally is really a rewarding feeling," explained Misty Gillis, Genetic Genealogist, Parabon Nanolabs:. 

Police in San Bruno have identified the parents of a deceased infant whose body was discovered in a city park more than four decades ago, marking a major breakthrough in a cold case through the use of forensic genetic genealogy.

The infant’s remains were found in Buckeye Park in November 1981, but investigators at the time were unable to determine the child’s identity or who was responsible for the death. The case remained unsolved for more than 40 years despite repeated reviews.

In a statement Tuesday, the San Bruno Police Department said that by using modern DNA analysis and forensic genealogy, its officers, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety and other forensic partners, have identified the infant’s family.

Forensic genetic genealogy is a modern investigative technique that combines DNA analysis with genealogical research to identify unknown victims or suspects. Investigators compare DNA from crime scenes or unidentified remains with profiles shared on public genealogy databases, tracing possible relatives to build family trees and narrow down identities.

While detectives have confirmed the identities of both parents, police said their names will not be released for now as the investigation continues.

“This identification represents a major step forward in the case and has renewed efforts to bring this case to justice,” the department said.

Detectives are appealing to the public for information about the events in Buckeye Park in November 1981 or anyone who may have knowledge about the infant or the family.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Bruno Police Department at (650) 616-7100 or email sbpdtipline@sanbruno.ca.gov. Tips can be left anonymously.

Joseph-James “J.J.” Ahern spends his days sorting through remarkable materials: files, folders, and documents in the University Archives and Records Center. As senior archivist, he manages Penn’s historic collections, including processing and appraising notable records and papers.

Away from work, Ahern has applied his expertise as a volunteer, most recently as a guest curator for an exhibition on the history of the U.S. Navy at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in connection with Homecoming 250, the Navy and Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary. “To Provide a Naval Armament: U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775 – 1958,” which runs through Jan. 9, offers insight into the lives of those who served in and supported the Navy and Marine Corps through materials in the Society’s collections.

“The Navy is more than just ships and planes,” he says. “It’s the people who build the ships, who maintain the ships, who work on the ships. It’s the average seamen all the way up to admirals.”

Among the items Ahern selected for display are an order for sails from James Forten, a wealthy Black businessman and sailmaker in Philadelphia, found by co-curator Selena Austin; an orders book kept by early American naval figure Stephen Decatur; and a physician’s journal from World War I. It also features the prize money ledger from the USS Alliance dating from the frigate’s service during the American Revolution, under the command of Captain John Barry, which outlines pay for the crew for capturing ships, as well as an 1870s sick call list for ill or injured sailors.

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Rear Admiral Ken Blackmon, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, with Joseph-James “J.J.” Ahern at the opening for an American Swedish Historical Museum exhibit in June 2025.  (Image: Courtesy of J.J. Ahern)

“It’s been a fun job,” says Ahern, who went through the Historical Society’s collection seeking documents focused on the stories of regular sailors and workers. “The human side of the story of Philadelphia and the Navy goes all the way back to the beginning,” he says, referencing the date Oct. 13, 1775, when the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and authorized a fleet that became America’s first Navy.

Ahern attributes his interest in history to “finding the odd connections, the threads that run through history, how when you find one thing it connects to another.” His passion—military and naval history—grew from childhood summers spent with his grandfather in Virginia in the 1980s visiting Civil War battlefields and historic sites, and was further sparked by the 1986 film “Top Gun.” That film, Ahern says, “led to an interest in the Battle of Midway.

“You start learning one thing and it branches out. It goes forward, it goes backwards, and it all gets connected from there,” adds Ahern, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Rutgers University-Camden. He also authored a book on the Philadelphia Navy Yard’s history after discovering records during a post-graduate internship at the National Archives and has written for journals including American Neptune and the International Journal of Naval History. Before coming to Penn in 2006, he worked for the former Atwater Kent Museum and for the American Philosophical Society.

Ahead of the opening of the exhibition at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Ahern spoke about Homecoming 250 to a group of staff gathered on campus to discuss America 250 at Penn. That effort is a broad interdisciplinary initiative which brings together colleagues from across the University to recognize the nation’s semiquincentennial through events and programs marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

In December 2021, the remains of an unidentified individual were found inside of an abandoned residence on Wolfe Street in Brunswick, Georgia. Brunswick is a small town with a population of approximately 15,000 residents located just south of Savannah near the Turtle River. The Brunswick Police Department responded to the scene and collected evidence in hopes of identifying the unknown individual.

It was determined that the remains were that of a Black male who was between the ages of 45 and 60 years. The man was estimated to be 5'9" to 5'11" tall. Near the man's remains, investigators found a baseball cap, red sweater, cargo shorts, and a sock. No identifying information was discovered at the scene. The Brunswick Police Department requested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) assist with the investigation and identification.

Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP122003 in May 2024. Despite investigators' efforts, the man could not be identified, and he was classified as Glynn County John Doe.

In 2023, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the provided evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. Reference DNA samples were collected from a relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unidentified man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Christopher Lamont Williams. Christopher Williams was reported missing in June 2021. The case is not under investigation as the autopsy and investigation revealed no signs of trauma or foul play.

A portion of Othram's casework costs associated with the advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy completed in this case were contributed by donors through a DNASolves® crowdfund. We are grateful to everyone that helped crowdfund this case and other DNASolves cases. The remaining cost of Othram's casework was paid by law enforcement.

Individuals who have taken a consumer DNA test can aid ongoing forensic investigations by joining the DNASolves database. Expanding the pool of available DNA data increases the likelihood of successful identifications, helping to reunite families with their missing loved ones and resolve cases that have remained unsolved for years.

The identification of Christopher Williams represents the 25th case in the State of Georgia where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves to learn about other Georgia cases where your support can help bring long-awaited answers to families.

The Hopkins County Genealogical Society presents, “If Headstones Could Talk” 2025 City Cemetery Walk. A walk among the headstones of pioneer Hopkins County citizens residing at Sulphur Springs City Cemetery. Hopkins County Genealogical Society members will bring these pioneer Hopkins County citizens back to life through stories, costumes, and props. The guided tour will be held at Sulphur Springs City Cemetery November 2nd, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00pm. Cost is a $10 donation. Reserve your spot by calling 903-885-8523, or by stopping by 611 North Davis Street, Sulphur Springs, Texas.Hopkins County Genealogical Society 2025 Cemetery Walk November 2nd 2025