178 episodes

We all hear stories almost daily now about cold cases being solved by investigative genetic genealogy. This new crime-solving tool answers the “who” question about these often decades-old crimes... but what about the why? This podcast will look at crimes solved by genetic genealogy, and examine the connection - if any - between the victim and the killer, and why the crime occurred. Each case is unique, and has its own story behind the headline. Join us for DNA: ID. New episodes will come out every other week on Mondays.

DNA: ID AbJack Entertainment

    • True Crime
    • 4.7 • 735 Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

We all hear stories almost daily now about cold cases being solved by investigative genetic genealogy. This new crime-solving tool answers the “who” question about these often decades-old crimes... but what about the why? This podcast will look at crimes solved by genetic genealogy, and examine the connection - if any - between the victim and the killer, and why the crime occurred. Each case is unique, and has its own story behind the headline. Join us for DNA: ID. New episodes will come out every other week on Mondays.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Sherri And Megan Scherer And Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 Of 2

    Sherri And Megan Scherer And Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 Of 2

    Episode 104 Sherri And Megan Scherer And Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 Of 2
    This is the Part 2 of the Scherer/Zitricki cases. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and listen to that part first.
    To listen to every episode of DNA: ID ad-free and get other benefits, simply  visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started with an AbJack Insider subscription. Of course, you can also support DNA: ID with a Patreon subscription.
    For all things DNA: ID, visit the show's homepage

    Visit this link to buy DNA ID Merch

    • 1 hr 2 min
    Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2

    Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2

    Episode 104 Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2
     
    In 1998, an unthinkable crime rocked farm community Portageville, Missouri.  Sherri Scherer and her 12 year old daughter Megan were shot and killed, and Megan was sexually assaulted, in their own home in a 41 minute window of time.  A massive investigation into one of the state’s most heinous crimes ensued.  And soon, with the discovery of more and more crimes, the investigation would burgeon into a multi-state investigative effort to catch a killer.  Finally, forensic genealogy using DNA collected from an adolescent rape survivor provided answers to the questions that had haunted investigators and families in Missouri, Tennessee, and South Carolina.  But many fear that these crimes were just the tip of the iceberg for the monster that was Robert Brashers.
    To listen to every episode of DNA: ID ad-free and get other benefits, simply  visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started with an AbJack Insider subscription. Of course, you can also support DNA: ID with a Patreon subscription.
    For all things DNA: ID, visit the show's homepage

    Visit this link to buy DNA ID Merch

    • 1 hr 16 min
    Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2

    Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2

    Episode 104 Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 1 of 2


    In 1998, an unthinkable crime rocked farm community Portageville, Missouri. Sherri Scherer and her 12 year old daughter Megan were shot and killed, and Megan was sexually assaulted, in their own home in a 41 minute window of time. A massive investigation into one of the state’s most heinous crimes ensued. And soon, with the discovery of more and more crimes, the investigation would burgeon into a multi-state investigative effort to catch a killer. Finally, forensic genealogy using DNA collected from an adolescent rape survivor provided answers to the questions that had haunted investigators and families in Missouri, Tennessee, and South Carolina. But many fear that these crimes were just the tip of the iceberg for the monster that was Robert Brashers.

    Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 of 2

    Sherri and Megan Scherer and Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 of 2

    Episode 104 Sherri And Megan Scherer And Genevieve Zitricki Part 2 Of 2

    This is the Part 2 of the Scherer/Zitricki cases. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and listen to that part first.

    Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson

    Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson

    Episode 103 Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson 
    In 1986, the body of a man was pulled from Crater Lake in Montgomery TX 40 miles North of Houston. It soon became clear to investigators that he was the victim of a homicide having been shot multiple times, and his body weighed down with cinder blocks. Due to the injuries the man had suffered along with the water exposure and decomposition, police were unable to ID the man. He did have a couple tattoos, but it was not enough to help police give him his name back.  Somehow, police came to believe that the dead man went by the street name "New York Billy' but they didn't have much else, and he was laid to rest; buried with little hope of him ever being identified, or his killer caught. Years later as DNA Science evolved, police exhumed the man's body and used genealogy to finally ID him after decades. It turned out that New York Billy was actually Clarence Wilson who would have been 34 years old when he was found. He was living in Texas after a falling out with family back in Modesto, CA. He was last known by his family to be alive in 1985. 
    Now the police know who New York Billy is, but they don't know who killed him or why. That part of the mystery remains, but police are working hard to provide answers. 'New York Billy' finally has his name back; it's Clarence Wilson, and this is his story
    To listen to every episode of DNA: ID ad-free and get other benefits, simply  visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started with an AbJack Insider subscription. Of course, you can also support DNA: ID with a Patreon subscription.
    For all things DNA: ID, visit the show's homepage

    Visit this link to buy DNA ID Merch

    • 20 min
    Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson

    Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson

    Episode 103 Doe: ID 'New York Billy' Clarence Wilson 

    In 1986, the body of a man was pulled from Crater Lake in Montgomery TX 40 miles North of Houston. It soon became clear to investigators that he was the victim of a homicide having been shot multiple times, and his body weighed down with cinder blocks. Due to the injuries the man had suffered along with the water exposure and decomposition, police were unable to ID the man. He did have a couple tattoos, but it was not enough to help police give him his name back.  Somehow, police came to believe that the dead man went by the street name "New York Billy' but they didn't have much else, and he was laid to rest; buried with little hope of him ever being identified, or his killer caught. Years later as DNA Science evolved, police exhumed the man's body and used genealogy to finally ID him after decades. It turned out that New York Billy was actually Clarence Wilson who would have been 34 years old when he was found. He was living in Texas after a falling out with family back in Modesto, CA. He was last known by his family to be alive in 1985. 

    Now the police know who New York Billy is, but they don't know who killed him or why. That part of the mystery remains, but police are working hard to provide answers. 'New York Billy' finally has his name back; it's Clarence Wilson, and this is his story

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
735 Ratings

735 Ratings

Jason C Manley ,

Perhaps the best true crime podcast.

True crime as a ‘genre’ has interested me since my middle school years in the late 80s when Robert Stack’s image flickered from the TV screen. These days I sometimes have a hard time engaging with podcasts. Let’s face it, there are a number of true crime-related podcasts and many are done in a less than professional manner. Also, many lack the seriousness and the gravity of what they are discussing. I can typically sense those types of things within minutes of starting to listen to a new podcast.

When I first discovered DNA: ID a couple of years ago, I routinely found myself thinking “I wish they could all be this well researched and presented”. Unfortunately, they aren’t. Some hosts have a good comportment, but their material is lacking. Others are wonderfully researched and thoughtful, yet they lack any “presence”. Thankfully, there is a podcast where all good things coalesce. That podcast is this one – DNA: ID.

Ms. Bettencourt routinely makes me wish there was some way she could do *every single podcast* I listen to. Her voice is soft and pleasant. Her cadence is quite easy to follow. She is so thorough that I often feel like there isn’t any other detail I might need to know after having listened to her exhaustive, yet easy to consume, presentations. I’ve heard that she has, on occasion, contributed to scripts for other well known podcasts; I can see why she would be that in demand.

The wonderful aural presentation would not mean anything, given the subject, without her humanity. And that is what shines through above all else. I sense that she “lives” with these cases as she is researching them, and I’m sure they all have a lasting impact on her heart. Whether she knows that or not, that does come through in the podcasts. For her, I could almost say this seems like it’s a “calling”. She’s that good.

While it may not be at the top of the true crime ‘charts’ (silly such a thing exists); DNA: ID is probably the best show in the “genre” on your favorite podcast feed.

Simply A Sister ,

Excellent

It’s great to hear answers for long term cases. I am sure this helps the families and I am so glad that DNA and genealogical research is being used to solve cold cases. Thank you for bringing these stories to light!

Duckhunter0623 ,

My #1 podcast!

Absolutely love the shows.

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