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NYPD Uses New DNA Technology to Try to Identify 2 Murder Victims

By Ben Fractenberg | September 7, 2017 7:38am
 Police released
Police released "phenotype" composite sketches of two murder victims in unsolved homcides from 2005 and 2015.
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NYPD

BROOKLYN — The NYPD is looking for help identifying two victims from unsolved murders after creating composites using a new DNA “phenotyping” technology, officials said Wednesday.

In the first case, a dismembered torso was found in a waste transfer facility at 222 Maspeth Ave. in Williamsburg on July 26, 2005. Police believe the body was placed in a dumpster in front of 128 Gates Ave. near Grand Avenue before workers removed it to the facility.

Several days later a human skull was found inside a garden at 359 Stuyvesant Ave. near Decatur Street. The medical examiner later determined that the parts belonged to the same man, who was believed to be between 5-foot-5 and 6-feet tall, 17 to 23 years old and between 130 and 200 pounds.

In January 2015, human remains were found in two separate spots inside Calvert Vaux Park in Gravesend.

The medical examiner later determined the victim was a woman between 20 and 45 years old.

Police are now working with a laboratory that specializes in phenotype composites using DNA to predict appearance and/or ancestry.

Investigators cautioned that the images were not likely to be exact replicas and the victims' real appearance could have been altered by unknown factors like smoking or diet.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com