Summary
In April 2020, the remains of an unidentified individual were found on the shoreline of Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts. Revere is located 5 miles northeast of Boston. Investigators responded to the scene where they determined that the remains were that of a male. The man was between the ages of 50 and 70 years old, stood approximately 5’11” tall, and weighed 182 pounds. At the time of the man’s discovery, he was wearing a black sweatshirt, a red and blue shirt, denim pants, and a pair of blue socks and white socks. No other identifying clues were available.
In November 2022, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP97619. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the man, no matches were found, and the case went cold due to a lack of investigative leads.
In 2023, the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify the man. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used this profile to conduct genealogy research, ultimately providing new investigative leads to law enforcement.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. Reference DNA samples were collected from a potential relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, Steven Watson Lerner, born July 1, 1967.
The identification of Steven Watson Lerner represents the fifth case in the State of Massachusetts where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently in Warwick, Massachusetts, Constance Holminski Bassignani, whose remains were identified after 35 years.
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.