Summary
In December 2023, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered inside a car in a wooded area off MS Highway 589 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Hattiesburg is about 90 miles southeast of Jackson and about 70 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico coast. When the Lamar County Police Department arrived at the scene, they found the driver's side door of a white Nissan Altima ajar, with the remains of an unidentified individual positioned in the driver's seat. Circumstantial evidence available at the scene led investigators to believe that the remains were those of a male whose identity could not be confirmed. The remains were then taken to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner for further analysis.
In 2024, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the man. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. The work was funded by the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory and a generous donation by genetic genealogist and Mississippi native Carla Davis.
In the course of the investigation, Lamar County Investigator Steve Pazos and Lamar County Medical Examiner Investigator Blake Matherne coordinated efforts with a possible family member, who contributed a reference DNA sample to help rule out the chance that the victim could be related to them. The family member's DNA profile was then compared to the unidentified man's DNA profile using KinSNP® Rapid Familial Relationship Testing, which allows investigators to infer kinship in both closely and distantly related individuals. Using this new information, investigators confirmed the identity of the man, who is now known to be Daniel Grantham.
The identification of Daniel Grantham represents the 28th case in the State of Mississippi where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently in Saint Martin, Mississippi, Tonette Waltman Jackson was identified nearly two decades after she disappeared during major flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Michael Vogen
Director of Case Management
Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.