In Honolulu, the remains of around 58 individuals are currently housed at the Medical Examiner’s Office, lacking identification and relatives to claim them. These individuals experienced various circumstances in life, some being crime victims or lonely souls, while others might be lost travelers or runaway youths. Regardless of their stories, they share a disheartening bond of remaining nameless.
To facilitate the identification of these unidentified remains, forensic pathologists are eagerly turning to advanced DNA testing technology. A $50,000 grant from Othram, a company specializing in cold case resolutions based in Texas, has enabled additional testing for five specific cases, all involving children and teenagers. The cases include a teenage partial skeleton found in Keehi Lagoon in 2002, remains of a boy aged 7 to 10 discovered in Waianae in 2000, and the severed fingers of a girl under four found in Honolulu in 2012. The last case involves the skeletal remains of an adolescent found among animal bones in a vase purchased in Honolulu in 2015.
Charlotte Carter, a medicolegal investigator, emphasized that each case represents a person deserving of recognition and closure for their families. The juvenile cases were prioritized for testing based on expert assessments that highlighted their potential for identification through DNA advancements. Notably, one case is connected to a homicide from 2014, prompting prudence in sharing detailed information due to the ongoing investigation.
The fate of the severed fingers remains uncertain; it is unknown whether they belong to a deceased child or someone who suffered hand trauma. The possibility that the other remains may correspond to missing children cannot be disregarded until DNA tests provide clarity. Carter has expressed her commitment to addressing the numerous remaining unidentified cases in the morgue of Honolulu, particularly if DNA testing becomes increasingly accessible and cost-effective.
In June, the Honolulu City Council sanctioned the grant from Othram, which specializes in forensic genetic genealogy testing, integrating DNA analysis with genealogical research. Presently, none of the samples taken have yielded identifications, and public records only provide scant information about the individual circumstances surrounding these cases.
For instance, forensic pathologists could not ascertain any specifics such as age, gender, or circumstances of death for the adolescent remains found in the vase. Others, like the boy discovered in Waianae, are somewhat better documented; his remains were found without a torso and missing limbs. A forensic artist’s reconstruction of his face is visible on his NamUs profile under the name “John Waianae Doe 2000.”
Carter mentioned that DNA testing can take a year or more to return results. So far, there has been one successful identification through Othram, relating to the skeletal remains found by a construction crew in Manoa in 2010, ultimately discovered to belong to William Hans Holling Jr., a man missing since January 1985. Although Holling’s identity was confirmed, the investigation surrounding his death is still open, with no arrests yet made.
Forensic genetic genealogy testing employs a process of building family trees from DNA samples and using public records to locate potential relatives. This methodology gained traction in criminal cases throughout the 2010s as genealogy companies became popular. While some platforms restrict access to law enforcement, others like GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA offer varying levels of access, which investigators can leverage to identify unidentified persons.
Stephen Kramer, a former FBI attorney, played a vital role in identifying the Golden State Killer using similar methodologies. His work also helped link the suspect to a homicide case in Hawaii, highlighting the possibilities that arise from genetic genealogy testing.
Despite its promise, lack of funding remains a significant hurdle in resolving these cold cases, as each analysis typically costs about $10,000. NamUs allocates resources for Honolulu to conduct around five tests annually, amid the backlog of 58 unidentified cases which could date back to 1966.
Many of these remains were uncovered at construction sites or discovered by hikers, likely belonging to individuals experiencing homelessness in remote areas. The protocols for remains found on tribal lands or those suspected to be Native Hawaiian require consultations with the State Historic Preservation Division for potential repatriation.
Cases involving unidentified persons vary in duration, with some being recent enough that initial public identification appears promising. However, one such case involves a woman killed in 2016 while trying to cross a street—her identity remains unresolved despite efforts to match her DNA and fingerprints against known databases.
The latest finding occurred when military personnel discovered two femurs inside a tent in Haleiwa. Generally, there is an annual success rate of one or two identifications through DNA testing, with further efforts made to ensure that families can reclaim their loved ones for proper burial or cremation.
Carter remains hopeful for the future of unidentified individuals and urges for improved accessibility to testing technology to assist families seeking closure. “Every individual deserves acknowledgment and families deserve answers,” she remarked, anticipating advancements in DNA testing to bring more resolution to these long-held mysteries.