A federal report stated the lack of data about these types of cases is a "crisis." One expert told 13 Investigates knowing how many unsolved homicides are out there allows police and community members to fully understand the scope of the problem so they can take steps to fix it.

“It has to be looked at as a crisis,” said Thomas McAndrew, with Innovative Forensic Investigations in Virginia. “Because often in the United States, until something is recognized as being a crisis, we don't get the adequate attention or funding for it.”

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston has released more information about an inaugural event to help a new task force figure out the identities of more than 20 John and Jane Does.

The District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office, will host a Missing Persons and DNA Drive at the Covington Library, located at 3500 Covington Highway in Decatur, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 20.

“This event is for families and friends who are searching for their missing loved ones,” stated officials. “Officers from each department within DeKalb County will be present to take new reports or add to existing reports. There will also be opportunities to have these reports entered into national databases. Family members will also be able to donate DNA for uploading to CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) and genealogy databases.”

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The bones of the unidentified dead have much to say.

But to the dismay of Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio, those pieces of a person in a weathered cardboard box on a high shelf of his office's evidence room have stopped talking.

At least for now.

Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio is working to determine the identity of skeletal remains discovered in Canal Park in Allentown in April 1991

Forensic analysis has shown the remains to be an African-American male, aged 25-35 at time of death, who grew up in the South

The unidentified case is the only one remaining in Lehigh County

It is Lehigh County's only remaining case of an unidentified body, and it's more than three decades old.

Emporia, Va. (April 2023) – Innovative Forensic Investigations (IFI), a world leader in the field of investigative genetic genealogy, and The Retired Investigators Guild (The RIG), a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation are pleased to announce the signing of a strategic partnership agreement that will make IFI’s unique services accessible to thousands of American law enforcement agencies, bringing renewed hope for families who have been victimized by violent crime that their cases may finally be solved.

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Thousands of unidentified human remains are at the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office and one non-profit is trying to identify two of them. Through investigative genetic genealogy, Cold Case Initiative funds this type of testing for genealogists to trace back and organize family trees.

More than 600,000 people go missing nationwide each year - according to the National missing and unidentified persons system. Some are found quickly - but hundreds of others are still missing, even after decades. Saturday, the Richland County Coroner’s office hosted a missing persons event with multiple law enforcement agencies, to help families find some answers.

Emporia, Va. (January 2023) – Innovative Forensic Investigations (IFI), an investigative genetic genealogy firm providing services to law enforcement and government agencies nationwide, bring their client agencies through the entire collaborative process from first contact to conclusion. When an investigation hits a dead end, or a cold case is reopened, the investigative agent contacts an IFI representative. The first question usually concerns the lab where the evidence will be analyzed for DNA.

Bucks County, Pa. (January 2023) – Cold Case Initiative (CCI), a nonprofit assisting agencies with funding to offset the cost of techniques used to solve cold cases, violent crimes, missing persons, and unidentified decedents, is pleased to partner with Innovative Forensic Investigations (IFI), an investigative genetic genealogy firm providing services to law enforcement and government agencies nationwide. IFI will provide CCI access to its full suite of investigative genetic genealogy services. CCI will fund any legitimate investigative step needed in a cold case in addition to investigative genetic genealogy.

Emporia, Va. (January 2023) – Innovative Forensic Investigations, an investigative genetic genealogy firm providing services to law enforcement and government agencies nationwide, proudly cut the ribbon on their new, larger facility in downtown Emporia, Virginia, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The building, located in the heart of the town’s judicial center, across from the historic courthouse, features 4,000 sq. ft. of offices where the growing company can continue to provide its unique collaborative investigative genetic and genealogical services. With the company’s strong advocacy for victims and victims’ families and their lengthy experience in working with agencies through the justice system’s professional standards, IFI’s new building offers the company a permanent headquarters to expand.

Today my guest is Retired Homicide Detective Tom McAndrew What we discuss with Tom: How and why he got into law enforcement Pursuing his education while working in law enforcement His involvement in the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit Investigative Genetic Genealogy and how it is used in cold cases The initiative he started in Pennsylvania to locate and identify unidentified decedents How he got involved with the Vidocq Society Some examples of cold cases that he helped to solve His thoughts on the most important advancements in forensic investigations throughout his career

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Do you have a friend or family member who has been reported missing and has not yet been found? Would you be willing to use a sample of your DNA in searching for missing individuals? Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford, along with Richland County Coroner's Office, the Richland County Sheriff's Department and representatives from police departments in Columbia, Irmo and Forest Acres, will host a Missing & Unidentified Persons Event 10 a.m.-3 p.m. February 4 at Segra Park.

The forensic DNA technology used to identify Philadelphia’s “Boy in the Box” could be critical to finding the names of hundreds of Philadelphia’s anonymous dead dating as far back as 1955.

Philly’s Girl in the Box remains an overlooked mystery