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The Wake County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with forensic genealogists and the SBI, used advanced DNA testing on a preserved hair sample to finally identify the victim of a 1968 homicide as Myrtle Holcomb.

Cold case closure: 1968 murder victim identified using hair sample, DNA technology

Good afternoon and thank you for joining us today. Uh, we're pleased to provide information. Today of a recent collaboration between the Wake County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, First Genesis, First Jeans LLC, and Austria Forensics. Uh, this collaboration resulted in the clearing of a 1968 unsolved homicide. And we believe it's important to share this information to send a message to the public that law enforcement never gives up. That we pursue every lead and we embrace technology and partnerships to solve crimes. The order of events today will proceed with Sergeant Kenneth Kay, who was the lead investigator in this investigation. To provide details of the investigation, connect the dots identifying the victim and the connection to the perpetrator, followed by Director Chip Hawley from the FBI to outline SBI's involvement, followed by Leslie Kaufman from First Genes LLC to explain how the DNA process worked to bring about this outcome. Thank you. I'm Sergeant K with Wake County Sheriff's Office. Uh, this case originated in April 28th of 1968. Deputies originally responded to the area of 1010 Road near Lake Wheeler in reference to a deceased body that was located in a field. Uh, deputies immediately called for assistance from the FBI as the body was identified as a white female who was burnt beyond recognition. Um, neighbors in the area were interviewed and provided information saying that they had seen a female matching that description walking in the area, but no one could identify who she was. The victim was located with few belongings, no identification, and was disfigured so a positive ID could not be completed. A pathologist in the area was able to provide information saying they believe she was a 35 year old female and a facial reconstruction was completed, but still no identification was able to be completed at the time. Uh, with some evidence left on scene, there wasn't enough for an arrest and the victim to be identified, but a person of interest was originally identified as a gentleman who lived in close proximity to this area and was named Robert Reagan. In 2004, investigators received new information involving Robert Reagan as a suspect. Interviews were conducted with a witness providing details to investigator. On clues and evidence that were left in the area that were not made public at the time. This witness was also able to provide information saying that they had seen Reagan in possession of an identification card for a female by the name of Holcomb. They could not remember the full name but knew the name Holcomb when they provided that information. At that point in time, the district attorney's office in 2004 was contacted and advised that they would pursue charges on Robert Reagan as a suspect in this case. He, however, had passed in 1992, so no charges were ever filed. The sheriff's office did not close the case at that time because we wanted to identify the victim. For generations, uh, the sheriff's office worked on this, hoping to bring closure to a family that had yet to be identified. Efforts were placed on examining evidence, concentrating with DNA. Multiple tests were completed with the assistance of the FBI on the victim's clothing, shoes and glasses. However, a DNA profile was never able to be established. There was one key item that was taken from the deceased by the coroner, which was cut hair. This evidence was kept in the sheriff's office custody in our evidence for 57 years. Just recently, the hair was provided and sent off for a suitable DNA comparison, and that was sent to Estrella Forensics. They were able to successfully develop a profile for the victim. The profile from this victim was sent to Leslie Kaufman with First Jean's LLC and she was able to identify a possible relative after hours and hours of working on a family dynamic for this victim. The sheriff's office recently met with relatives of this victim, and additional DNA testing was completed and confirmed that the victim was in fact a female by the name of Myrtle Holcomb. She was born in 1919 and family had said she was traveling to the area of North Carolina from Florida before her murder. Uh, receiving this information to family was a shock because they had just lost touch with her. They weren't sure where she was at the time or what had gone on with her, but they, they knew at some time she had passed that she was born in 1919, um. The family has requested privacy at this time because they're just devastated by this information and trying to process everything that's going on. Uh, her children and grandchildren were were unaware of anything that had happened with her. Uh, this information also. Helps collaborate the information received in 2004 as the identification card that was seen by the witness did in fact say the name Holcomb and again our deceased victim is Myrtle Holcomb um. I'd personally like to thank the SBI and Agent Nate Holcomb, who's excuse me, not Nate Holcomb, Nate Thompson, who'd recently retired, uh, he's been a tremendous help with the sheriff's office along the way for trying to identify this and the assistance of Australiaa Forensics and Leslie Kaufman with first genes without their help, none of this would have been possible. um, this time I'll turn it over to. Director Holly. Thank you Sheriff Director Hollywood, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, um. Right now I would, I would like to thank the sheriff's office in collaboration, uh, with our, uh, cold case uh team of agents. Uh, they right now, even now we have 37 open cases of cold cases across the state of North Carolina. And this just reinvigorates what we're trying to do and bring closure to uh victims out there. Uh, there are so many that there's a lot of cases for Murphy to Mania and we're trying to make sure that we provide the necessary assistance like in this particular case we were able to provide over $10,000 worth of funding, uh, that, uh, and along with the sheriff's office funding to, to run these tests. These tests are very expensive, but what you get out of it is, is you can't put a price on it. So we would like to thank the collaboration with more agencies across the state. Having those funds for agency even like Wake County Sheriff's office is imperative that we are there for them in their time of need, and we really appreciate the collaboration and hope that we can keep moving forward and bringing victims, uh, some justification and knowing that their families have have some, uh, type of relief in their pain and bringing suspects to justice. Thank you. Uh, my name is Leslie Kaufman. I'm with First Gen's Forensic Genealogy. The first thing I'd like to do is commend the Wake County Sheriff's Office for maintaining such great evidence and keeping this case alive for so long, and the FBI for the cold case team, um, they were imperative to us getting this work done. Providing funds is the first part of it, of course, and the very most important, um, but the second part is knowing what to do with the DNA. Um, As for Forensics has provided, uh, a very was able to provide a very good DNA profile and kit which I was able to upload to two different databases that law enforcement is allowed to use. They are Jet Match and Family Tree DNA. From those two I was able to develop a, a family tree for Ms. Holcomb. Um, I actually had two trees built to a total of little over 4000 people. It took me about 4 months to get a lead provide a lead to uh Kenny and well to Kenneth, and I apologize for using his name uh in the short term but um anyway we were able to get a final, uh, identification September and um. I open the floor to any questions. Good So Yes Yes or no? Like was she married? Did she, you mentioned she had children, uh, she was married with children, but as uh Kenneth Kay said, um, the family is asking for total privaecy, so we're not going to give out any information where she's from, uh, the name of the children or grandchildren to try to provide that privacy for them, um. Two children And I'm not sure how many grandchildren she had, but to. So Uh She has 2 children, we'll leave it at that because we do want to give them the anonymity that they've asked for. Do a question for each of you at any point, how unusual and satisfying is all of this? Well, it's the oldest cold case in North Carolina solved with forensic genealogy as far as I know, and uh so that's the first. It's very rare that um we're being able to do cases with hair. That's a recent development with as your forensics. This is the 2nd case that I've been able to solve with forensic genetic genealogy using hair. And it's a wonderful feeling being able to give somebody an answer after all these years it's incredible. I understand that it's devastating for the victim, but it's also satisfying to know what happens. Sorry, is there any indication about what Ms. Holcomb would have been doing here in the area and whether or not she had any connection that has been identified with the potential suspect in the case? Uh, I'll let Kenneth answer that. No, sir, we, there's information from the family that they knew she was traveling to this area, but they didn't know why, um. They Yeah, they just, they didn't know why. They knew she was coming here, but they, they, they didn't really have any answers to why she was coming. And as for any connection to Robert Reagan, have you guys been able to identify any? No sir. Can I ask you as well, how unusual and satisfying is this? Um, yes, sir, uh. You know, at the sheriff's department here, I believe we have. 32 cold cases, unsolved homicides that are open, um, that we're working. Uh, investigators have several of them that they're, they're working at a time, um. We try to put all the effort in that we can. There's, it's a lot of going back and looking over evidence and, and reexamining cases and finding new ways and new things to move forward with. Um, DNA is a big part of that, and I think that's the, the big key is, is looking at these things. I think it's very satisfying to be able to actually talk to families and tell them that, you know, we've been able to come up and identify someone or to help try to solve and, and bring closure to cases and families. Debbie, did you guys ever think. You get to this point. My mother was 8 years old when this case started. Um, I, you know, I wasn't even thought of. I, I, uh, commend just the, the numerous investigators before me that worked on this case and kept things relevant and updating case files because we still actually have the original case file from when this started and it's, it's amazing to go back to actually go back and see those original notes, handwritten notes from 1968 and the notes that have been developed in further in the 70s and the 80s and, and so on. Yeah Does this give you hope for the other unsolved cases, and what would your message be to potential victims' families and also with the DNA testing, you know, going about funding that? I mean how do you reconcile the money to continue doing this type of testing? Yes, it definitely gives us hope, you know, our staff is committed and dedicated, the passion there to solve every unsolved crime. We believe again we bring a degree of closure to families of the victims. We also hold the responsible person accountable. So that's a motivating factor, and we believe that as we continue to work hard and dedicate ourselves to this and with and embrace technology that we're gonna be able to clear more cases. And how do you continue funding that? I mean, it seems pretty costly in this case. Definitely we have to think outside the box, but that's where collaboration is so important. I said, we embrace the partnerships. It's about the public, private, non-profit, faith-based partnerships that allow us to continue to serve. How many cold cases do you have right now? I would like to double check that. Uh, 32 unsolved homicides. OK. And The victims' remains, I mean, where are they right now and if something like this happened today, how would it be investigated differently than six decades ago? Again, uh, we embrace the different tech technology exists today, you know, now we're able to readily get things done in the labs instead of years when it took for this new technology to come into existence, but through the FBI and federal agencies, we're able to. We have our own local uh Wake County Bureau of Forensic Science who's able to help us immediately jump on a case, start doing identification process, start linking, connecting dots. So we're confident that we can move at a faster pace and do things more timely, the cost of the advancement in technology. Directly you like to share. Let's go OK. We thank you so much for being here today. Thank you.

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