23 & Me Files for Bankruptcy

23andMe helped crack 100's of cold cases. Bear Brook is a really great podcast and I believe the very first one it helped crack and the the Golden State killer. Also, it's a great podcast.
Season One — Bear Brook

Man In The Window: The Golden State Killer

 

Fell for the scam in 2019, sent an “autosomal” sample to Ancestry.

Discovered that I am likely related to a sister.

Also discovered that my ethnicity is basically British Isles. I could have guessed by looking in the mirror.

Still, it was exciting.

Bonus: my ethnicity was focused on Kent, UK where, coincidentally, my grandmother and family lived.

The reason I’m not terribly concerned about “having my DNA out there” is because it’s bleeding obvious they already had all the information they needed to plot my results.

DNA extraction is a sketchy concept and even with all the information they could glean from my online footprint, my paper documentation goes back farther than they did.

 

I also went the Ancestry route. The only surprise was the absence of any Native American ancestry. The stories on my paternal side told of my great/great grandmother being Seminole. But, apparently, that story was not accurate.

My heritage is primarily Scottish and Scandinavian with some English and Western European.

I guess there are risks of having your DNA “on file” but am just not concerned. If I get busted for a crime because of it …. I likely deserve the punishment. And ….. I pity the poor fella if anyone is ever cloned from my DNA!!!!

 

I don’t think that’s True. 23 and Me doesn’t share DNA info with law enforcement unless they have a warrant. I believe the Golden State killer case was solved using a free public database.

 

My family always insisted that my great-grandmother was half-Creek, but Ancestry said nada.

I actually spoke with various Creek contacts and they all insisted that it was highly unlikely for anyone in her time to identify as “Indian” as it might have incurred discrimination.

Now, based on what I know about websites like Ancestry … family might have been right.

 

Quick search and AI backs me up:

The "Bear Brook" case, a true crime story that led to the identification of multiple victims through DNA analysis and genealogical research, saw the use of services like 23andMe and AncestryDNA to help solve the mystery.

 

23 and Me's statement:

We will not release any individual-level personal information to law enforcement without your explicit consent unless required by law. We closely scrutinize all law enforcement requests, and we will only comply with court orders, subpoenas, search warrants or other requests that we determine are legally valid.

There may have been some cases solved with voluntary sharing of 23 and Me results by the individuals, or with warrants, but 23 and Me generally does not cooperate with police.

The Golden State Killer case was solved using a free public database called GEDMatch, where people voluntary upload their DNA results and make them public.

 

DNA testing less accurate than randomly guessing. Scroll to FORENSICS …

The DNA HOAX

 

So what you are saying is that we should call you Geronimo or something because you repeated your family stories?

 

Geronimo an unreliable source as he is dead. Still, though dead, probably more accurate than DNA testing sites. For evidence, exhume his body to determine which way his right index finger is pointing.

 

Wisdom Panel is considered to be one of the most reliable doggie DNA sites. Said my fluffy 30 lbs. dog was mostly chihuahua.

Based on size and traits I had guessed Schipperke-Eskimo mix.

 

Sitting Bull.

 

I signed up for my heritage - I had most of our family tree but it had some holes- my heritage has been able to fill some of those holes plus expand on what I had- ( what I have goes back to 1750) what I was able to fill in from my heritage has taken me back to 1540

 

So you're related to Elizabeth Warren?

 

Never did it nor will I.

Don’t want any unknown long lost relatives coming knocking.
Have had more than a few friends have half siblings appear. Wasn’t uncommon for accidents to happen when people were “on a break”.
I don’t need the drama.

 

On my dad's side of the family there are quite a few famous and infamous ancestors so the family trees on that side are pretty much published on Ancestry.com and Genealogy.com. Mom's side are all Alachua County rednecks so no need to check their DNA, probably been marrying cousins for years anyway.

 

Maybe they meant she was an FSU grad.

 

I cancelled my Ancestry subscription a couple of years ago, but I still get a steady stream of “hints”, many of which do not jibe with my paper documentation and also “matches” with Hispanic types that would suggest that one of my grandmothers must have slept with the mailman.