Raymond Green - Redgrave Research Forensic Services LLC

On November 5, 1978, Donna Green’s five-day-old son was abducted from their home in Georgia. Since then, she has been seeking any means available by which she might be able to locate Raymond Jr. Many people have suggested that Donna should be sure to take DNA tests.

Donna’s story has been featured on The Fall Line podcast, and since they cover other stories of cold cases that involve forensic experts, the question of using forensic genealogy has come up.

Forensic genealogists are able to use DNA to locate the identity of unknown deceased people. Genetic genealogists are able to use DNA to locate the birth parents of an adoptee. However, in the case of a missing person, the work that can be done with DNA is very different.

Some friends of The Fall Line, Lee and Anthony Redgrave of Redgrave Research Forensic Services, will do initial genealogy work for Raymond’s mother, Donna, and then monitor her kits across all services and give her updates on matches in an ongoing way. They can work out her DNA profile so that if her son or any of his possible children ever upload their DNA, they will be able to tell her right away. With the way that DNA companies compare testers in their database, it isn’t immediately clear how two people relate to each other without analysis, or segmentology. If a grandchild comes up, they will appear in the match list as a possible grandchild, grandparent, niece, aunt, or half sibling. With Donna”s DNA analyzed already, they will be able to define relationships of new matches quickly.

They will also be giving her a nice-looking family tree and research package with their findings on her family’s ancestry. Additionally, they plan to help with a social media campaign to encourage people matching her son’s description to test their DNA.

In the event that Raymond or his possible children upload their DNA to any site, the Redgraves will be able to assist with confirmatory testing for law enforcement if necessary. Conventional confirmatory testing via CODIS may be required depending on the circumstances.

Donna works hard to help other families of missing people, and we want to help her have every chance at finding her son that she can possibly access.

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