In 2000, Mellissa Helligso started watching a new show, ‘CSI Crime Scene Investigation,’ where the investigators used DNA to solve crimes. It immediately piqued her interest.
At the time, she was working at a molecular lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, but she soon switched to the Human DNA Identification Lab. Helligso is currently the lab’s manager, technical lead and forensic DNA analyst.
The lab is now one of seven accredited to perform Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy analysis to assist in cold case investigations, according to Helligso.
Being accredited means the lab team has to follow hundreds of procedures and standards, which is especially important for presenting reliable evidence to juries. It took about two years to be accredited, but Helligso has been working on it for a lot longer.
A few years ago, Helligso went to a meeting to learn about new technologies and DNA — specifically, a new use of next generation sequencing. The sequencing itself wasn’t new to the campus, but using its database to identify people was.
“The most famous first case that was solved with this technology is the Golden State killer,” Helligso said. “Basically, they took the evidence and ran it like you would a person who just does testing for genealogy. And they were able to create the family trees to go back and identify that gentleman.”
The investigators on that case used a DNA database collected from profiles of people using genealogy websites. When people create accounts on those websites, they have the option to allow law enforcement to use that information, Helligso said.
The law enforcement database is then sold to forensic DNA labs, Helligso said. The labs do no not have access to medical information — they just receive enough to be able to build family trees to help identify people related to homicides.
“It is able to detect out to third to fourth cousins,” Helligso said. “When one person uploads into the database, it’s really uploading their family.”
Once the lab team goes through the database and finds DNA matches, they build out the family tree to identify a specific person involved in the case. At that point, they test that person’s DNA to make sure it matches the original profile on the case, Helligso said.
The team is currently helping the Omaha Police department with around 15 cases. Some of those Helligso worked on years ago when they first happened.
It’s a tedious process that takes about two weeks, but Helligso said it’s worth it.
“I’m just excited to have another tool to utilize to maybe bring closure to families and justice to victims,” Helligso said.