TYLER, Texas — **EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from another East Texas case the DNA Doe Project is currently helping law enforcement on.
Investigative genetic genealogists from the DNA Doe Project and the Tyler Police Department have confirmed the identification of remains found in South Tyler in 2004.
According to the TPD, on Dec. 23, 2004, juveniles found a decomposed human skeleton in a barn in a wooded area near the intersection of Hwy. 69 S. and Farm-to-Market Road 2813. At that time, a forensic medical examiner determined the remains were that of a white man thought to be between 27 - 42-years-old. It was also estimated the man died months earlier that same year.
Det. James Holt of the TPD's Major Crimes Unit brought the case to the DNA Doe Project (DDP) in 2019 after exhausting all available leads. Volunteer investigative genetic genealogists from the DNA Doe Project were able to identify the body as Kim Ryan Casey in Aug. 2021 and Det. Holt was then able to contact family members to confirm the match.
“The research tree sent us as far away as Scotland to find common ancestors between DNA matches," volunteer genealogist Missy Koski said. "We were challenged by matches that were more distantly related than expected, which was due to endogamy in the Kentucky and Missouri regions of the family tree.”
“This case had some interesting challenges, including a DNA sample that was very small in quantity and heavily contaminated with bacteria,” Kevin Lord, lab liaison for the DDP shared. “I'm glad that despite these hurdles, we were able to identify Kim and bring some answers to his family.”
The DDP wishes to acknowledge the contributions of those groups and individuals who helped solve this case:
- Det. James Holt
- HudsonAlpha Discovery Labs
- Kevin Lord of Saber Investigations
- GEDmatch
- Donors
- Extraordinary team of DDP investigative genetic genealogists