195 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 • 760 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

    Doe ID: Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins

    Doe ID: Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins

    Episode 110 Doe ID: Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins
    In April, 1985, the skeltonised remains of a woman were discovered in a shallow grave on Crescent Beach, 50 miles south of Jacksonville,Florida. There was no identifcation, and no missing persons in the area matched the remains. Police quickly ruled the death a homicide but had very little clues to go on, other than some extensive injuries the victim had suffered some time before her death; wounds that had healed up. It was thought that she may have been in a serious car accident. They believed the victim was 30-50 years old. Overall, police had little to go on, and the case went cold. Over the years as DNA technology advanced, police tried various methods to ID their victim. Finally in May, 2024, Crescent Beach Jane Doe was identified as Rockville, MD native Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins. She had gone missing in 1968 after becoming estranged from her family. She was last known to be in the company of her boyfriend  John Thomas Fugitt, who detectives discovered went by the alias Billy Joe Wallace. Fugitt died on death row in 1981 for an unrelated murder. It's unclear if Fugitt could be responsible for Mary Alice's murder, and police are having trouble tracking the couple's movements prior to her body being found. They are still seeking tips from people to help fill in the blanks. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Saint John's County sheriff’s office at crimetips@sjso.org
    Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins finally has her name back, and this is her 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
     

    • 23 min
    Episode 110 Doe ID: Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins

    Episode 110 Doe ID: Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins

    In April, 1985, the skeltonised remains of a woman were discovered in a shallow grave on Crescent Beach, 50 miles south of Jacksonville, Florida. There was no identification, and no missing persons in the area matched the remains. Police quickly ruled the death a homicide but had very little clues to go on, other than some extensive injuries the victim had suffered some time before her death; wounds that had healed up. It was thought that she may have been in a serious car accident. They believed the victim was 30-50 years old. Overall, police had little to go on, and the case went cold. Over the years as DNA technology advanced, police tried various methods to ID their victim. Finally in May, 2024, Crescent Beach Jane Doe was identified as Rockville, MD native Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins. She had gone missing in 1968 after becoming estranged from her family. She was last known to be in the company of her boyfriend  John Thomas Fugitt, who detectives discovered went by the alias Billy Joe Wallace. Fugitt died on death row in 1981 for an unrelated murder. It's unclear if Fugitt could be responsible for Mary Alice's murder, and police are having trouble tracking the couple's movements prior to her body being found. They are still seeking tips from people to help fill in the blanks. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Saint John's County sheriff’s office at crimetips@sjso.org

    Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins finally has her name back, and this is her story.

    Listen Now: Happily Never After: Dan & Nancy

    Listen Now: Happily Never After: Dan & Nancy

    Nancy Brophy fills her novels with romantic betrayals and murder. It’s a far cry from her quiet life in the suburbs, where she and her chef husband, Dan, are living out their golden years. But when Dan is shot dead, Nancy finds herself at the center of a murder case that could be ripped from the pages of her novels.
     
    From Wondery, this is a story about what happens when the line blurs between fiction and reality.
     
    Listen to Happily Never After: Dan & Nancy on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting http://wondery.fm/HNA_DNA now. 

    • 4 min
    DNA ID Rewind: The Case of Troy and LaDonna French

    DNA ID Rewind: The Case of Troy and LaDonna French

    Episode 109 DNA ID Rewind: The Case of Troy and LaDonna French 
    As host Jessica travels to and from the annual Crimecon convention, whether you have listened to every episode of the show, or just found it, Jessica invites listeners to check out this rewind episode from the DNA: ID vault; the case of Troy and LaDonna French, one of her personal favorite episodes. It's a re-release of episode 32.
    Jessica will return with an all new episode of DNA: ID on June 10, 2024.
    In 2012, a young woman called Rockingham County, NC authorities in the middle of the night and reported that an intruder had shot her parents. Troy and LaDonna French were mowed down with bullets in their own home. Their daughter Whitley, was left to tell the unbelievable story. Investigators knew that the killer was someone with access to the house – but who? After three years and 65 failed DNA comparisons, they were stumped. They decided to use sophisticated partial DNA matching to compare the killer’s DNA with that of someone close to the family – someone whose DNA did not match the killer’s in a straightforward comparison. Then, phenotyping gave them even more information - and what they found blew the case wide open.
    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 18 min
    DNA ID Rewind: The Case of Troy and LaDonna French

    DNA ID Rewind: The Case of Troy and LaDonna French

    Episode 109 DNA ID Rewind: The Case of Troy and LaDonna French 

    As host Jessica travels to and from the annual Crimecon convention, whether you have listened to every episode of the show, or just found it, Jessica invites listeners to check out this rewind episode from the DNA: ID vault; the case of Troy and LaDonna French, one of her personal favorite episodes. It's a re-release of episode 32.

    Jessica will return with an all new episode of DNA: ID on June 10, 2024.

    In 2012, a young woman called Rockingham County, NC authorities in the middle of the night and reported that an intruder had shot her parents. Troy and LaDonna French were mowed down with bullets in their own home. Their daughter Whitley, was left to tell the unbelievable story. Investigators knew that the killer was someone with access to the house – but who? After three years and 65 failed DNA comparisons, they were stumped. They decided to use sophisticated partial DNA matching to compare the killer’s DNA with that of someone close to the family – someone whose DNA did not match the killer’s in a straightforward comparison. Then, phenotyping gave them even more information - and what they found blew the case wide open.

    Eric Goldstrand and Lliana Adank Part 2 of 2

    Eric Goldstrand and Lliana Adank Part 2 of 2

    Episode 108 Eric Goldstrand and Lliana Adank Part
    This is the conclusion of the Goldstrand/Adank case. If you have not listened to part 1 yet, stop now and go back 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

    • 46 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
760 Ratings

760 Ratings

Jason C Manley ,

Simply the best.

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 engaging and pleasant. Her cadence is easy to follow, to me. She is so thorough that I often feel like there isn’t any other detail I might need to know about a particular case after having listened to her exhaustive, yet easy to consume, presentations.

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 the best show in the “genre” on your favorite podcast feed.

jpro650 ,

Commercials are jarring and unannounced

Love this podcast. One of the best on my playlist. My only critical feedback is the commercials are unannounced and like ten times louder than the podcast narration. I usually wear ear buds and if I’m not able to quickly adjust the volume it’s like getting stabbed in the ear. Please fix this. Thank you and keep up the good work.

Rineerjenn ,

The best true crime podcast.

By far my favorite podcast. I pay for the patron. I’ve listened to podcast for about 5 years and this is my first review. The host is awesome I love the way she lays the crimes out. The only thing I wish I’d that there were more episodes.

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