A woman who was murdered almost 20 years ago in Detroit by serial killer Shelly Brooks has finally been identified using advanced DNA technology. The victim, previously known only as Jane Doe, was found in an abandoned home, and for years, no one knew her identity. Authorities tried to create a composite image of what she might have looked like, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
The case went cold until 2022, when Detroit police provided evidence to Othram’s lab in The Woodlands, Texas. Using advanced DNA techniques, scientists were able to extract DNA from the evidence and create a profile of the victim. They then used genealogy research to trace her family connections, which led to the discovery of her true identity. The victim was identified as Darylnn Washington, born on June 15, 1959.
When police informed her family, they confirmed that they had never heard from Darylnn after she was believed to have been killed by an unknown murderer. Shelly Brooks, who was arrested in 2007, was later convicted for seven murders, although he is suspected of killing as many as 14 women. Brooks, who was 37 years old when arrested, murdered women in Detroit between the ages of 30 and 53, most of whom were drug users and sex workers. His victims were often beaten and raped before being dumped in vacant buildings or lots around the city.
The breakthrough in identifying Darylnn was made possible by genetic genealogy, which combines traditional family research with DNA testing. This technique allowed authorities to identify distant relatives of the victim, eventually leading to her identification. Scientists used a method called forensic-grade genome sequencing to analyze the DNA, which helped them build a family history profile.
Jennifer Wiebe, a professional genealogist, explained that familial DNA can find close relatives, such as parents or siblings, by comparing DNA profiles with government databases. This method contrasts with forensic investigative genetic genealogy, which searches public DNA databases and can identify more distant relatives.
Shelly Brooks, who had been serving a life sentence since 2007, is thought to have killed at least seven women in Detroit. Authorities believe that without his capture, he would have continued his killing spree. Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings stated that the crime scenes in the additional unsolved cases shared many similarities with those in the seven confirmed murders.
