Summary
In September 2011, the body of an unidentified woman were discovered in the Detroit River in Trenton, a city in Wayne County, Michigan. Investigators determined that the remains were that of a Black woman who was likely 20 to 37 years old. The woman weighed 168 pounds. She could not be identified and she eventually became known as Wayne County Jane Doe.
Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP9922. A forensic sketch depicting how the woman may have looked during her life was developed and released to the public. Despite law enforcement investigators' extensive efforts to identify the woman, no matches were found, and her identity was a mystery.
In 2022, the Trenton Police Department, working with Lori Bruski at NamUs, submitted forensic evidence to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. In an effort to use advanced DNA testing to identify the woman, 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 woman. Upon completion of the process, the profile was delivered to the FBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team so that genealogy research could be performed.
A follow-up investigation was launched leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. This investigation led to the identification of Wayne County Jane Doe as 36-year-old Tannisha Marie Edison, who lived in the Plymouth and Greenfield area of Detroit. Edison’s death is being investigated as a homicide and investigators.
Funding for the advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy used in this case was provided by NamUs, a national clearinghouse that assists the criminal justice community with the investigation and resolution of missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases across the United States and its territories. NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and is managed through a contract with Research Triangle Institute International. We are grateful for the support of RTI, NamUs, and the NIJ.
The identification of Tannisha Marie Edison represents the 11th case in the State of Michigan where officials have publicly announced the identification of an individual using technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves to learn about other Michigan cases.
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.