During National Forensic Science Week, Canyon County Deputy Prosecutor Ted Lagerwall presented on a landmark case: the first forensic genetic genealogy (FIGG) case successfully tried in the state of Idaho.
In his talk, “Solving a Cold Case Homicide in Canyon County, Idaho using Whole Genome Sequencing,” Lagerwall highlighted how advances in DNA technology helped move the case from investigation to prosecution.
Beyond its legal significance, the case also marks a technical milestone—the use of a one-to-one comparison based on whole genome data rather than traditional STR profiling.
The genomic work supporting this case was conducted by Astrea Forensics co-founder Dr. Ed Green at his laboratory at UC Santa Cruz prior to the founding of Astrea, and included whole genome sequencing, SNP profile generation and IBDGem analysis.
This case reflects a broader shift in forensic science: genome-scale data is not only helping generate leads, but is increasingly supporting evidence presented in court.
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