Forensic genealogy to be used in Miami County unsolved homicides

The Miami County Sheriff's Office will be reviewing all evidence from unsolved homicides using forensic genealogy, technology that identified a homicide victim who, for 37 years, was known as the "Buckskin Girl".

>> Jane Doe no more: Miami County Sheriff IDs cold case victim 37 years later

All foreign hair samples, even those without a root bulb, can now be entered into Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

Before now, hair samples had to have a root bulb in order to give a DNA pattern that was searchable through the database.

This advancement is not without the talents of Dr. Ed Green, a paleo-geneticist from the University of California.

"Buckskin Girl" was one of the first in the country identified with this technology, named in April 2018 as Marcia King of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Her remains were found along Greenlee Road west of Troy on April 28 of 1981.

Miami County sheriff's detectives have been able to pin down King's whereabouts, relationships and other vital information in the weeks leading up to her discovery after identifying her.

DNA data can now also be used to search offender databases used strictly for law enforcement purposes.