Mississippi Bureau of Investigation & Picayune Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1992 Murdered Infant

Andrew and Inga Johansen Carriere have been charged with First Degree Murder in connection with the murder of an infant in 1992.
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Published March 10 by Michael Vogen
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Summary

In April 1992, a white female infant was discovered inside a garbage bag in Picayune, Pearl River County, Mississippi. The Mississippi State Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was perinatal asphyxia due to smothering, and the case was classified as a homicide. The case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP83672.

In August 2021, the Picayune Police Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations Detectives reopened the investigation. The forensic DNA evidence from the case was sent to Othram for advanced DNA testing. Utilizing Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®, Othram scientists were able to create a comprehensive genealogical profile for the infant. This genealogical profile was then used by Othram’s in-house genealogical team to produce investigative leads. Othram returned the leads to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations.

With the help of those leads, along with fingerprints obtained from preserved evidence and ongoing investigative efforts, detectives were ultimately able to identify the infant's parents as 50-year-old Andrew Carriere and 50-year-old Inga Johansen Carriere, who were living in Louisiana at the time of the infant's death.

In January 2022, the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations - New Orleans Field Office received a request for assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations regarding a cold case homicide investigation. The Picayune Police Department led the homicide investigation and collected various pieces of evidence, some of which were linked to associations in Gretna, Louisiana. The evidence was preserved by the Picayune Police Department.

As a result of the investigation, Louisiana State Police detectives obtained an arrest warrant through the 24th Judicial District Court for both Inga Johansen Carriere and Andrew Carriere for First Degree Murder. In February 2023, Inga Johansen Carriere was arrested at her residence in Avondale, Louisiana. In March 2023, Andrew Carriere was arrested in Galliano, Louisiana and ultimately booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.

The funding for this case was provided by Carla Davis, a Mississippi native and philanthropist dedicated to helping the state of Mississippi resolve its backlog of unsolved cases using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. This case serves as a testament to the advancements in forensic DNA testing technology and the commitment of law enforcement agencies to bring justice to victims and their families.

Help fund another case Your contributions pay for lab supplies and research tools

Michael Vogen

Michael Vogen

Director of Case Management

2829 Technology Forest Blvd Suite 100, The Woodlands, Texas 77381
media@othram.com

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.

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Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at ... Read morerecovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches have failed. Follow Othram on Twitter @OthramTech or visit Othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. With dnasolves.com anyone can make a difference and help solve the next cold case.