World Trade Center attacks: Investigators identify a second victim using emerging technology
Firefighters make their way through the rubble of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 2001. Credit: TNS/Doug Kanter/AFP
Investigators revealed Wednesday that they made a second identification of a World Trade Center victim through the use of emerging genetic genealogy techniques.
The identification involved a woman who was an occupant of one of the Twin Towers when they were struck by hijacked airliners and collapsed, killing a total of 2,753 people on Sept. 11, 2001, investigators said.
The victim's family asked for confidentiality and did not want her identity disclosed, said Mark Desire, assistant director for forensic biology at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
In August, OCME announced it had made an identification of a World Trade Center victim for the first time through investigative genetic genealogy. That victim was also a woman whose family did not want her identity disclosed.
Desire said that additional DNA testing has produced 47 potential genetic samples that could be used for genetic genealogy. So far, 11 of the samples have been subjected to genealogical testing, resulting in the two new identifications, he said.
In essence, investigative genetic genealogy involves the comparison of unknown DNA samples to genetic profiles in various public ancestry databases used to trace family trees. The work is done by a special NYPD genetic genealogy squad, which has its own investigators search through public records and other materials to construct family trees.
Lt. Maria Powers, commander of the NYPD specialized unit, said the work done by her office is exacting and tedious. It involves sometimes going back to the late 1800s and tracing a person's fourth and fifth cousins to come forward in time to develop a possible identification.
Powers, a Nassau County resident who has been involved in the NYPD's forensic investigation division for 15 years, said once a potential identification is made, her squad notifies OCME.
At OCME, Jennifer Odien serves as a key point of contact with families as an assistant director of forensic anthropology.
"First-time identifications are typically made by local police officers," Odien explained. "They [families] would be told to call our office."
"A lot of times, they are surprised that their loved one has been identified, then they would like to know how this happened," Odien added.
OCME turned to using investigative genetic genealogy in an effort to make identifications because of increasing difficulty in getting viable DNA samples from remains that went through cataclysmic forces and fire in the Twin Towers' collapse. A total of 1,655 victims have now been identified. Another 1,098 remain unidentified, OCME records show.
IGG is coming into increasing use in forensic science and in criminal investigations to identify unknown remains and criminal suspects. In the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation, IGG helped identify two of Rex A. Heuermann's victims, Valerie Mack and Karen Vergata.
"This is great," Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said of the latest World Trade Center identification. "We should embrace this technology."
Desire noted that continuing advances are being made in genetic testing that could lead to additional World Trade Center identifications, even through degraded DNA.
"Genealogy is just one of them," Desire said. He explained that newer bone-scraping techniques are being devised and that OCME has a databank of over 100,000 DNA profiles, which are being continuously evaluated for new connections.
"Right now we are scrubbing the data and putting in all sorts of potential relationships," Desire said.
Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.
