Summary
In February 2023, 17-year-old Teedeenae “Jackson” Yearby was reported missing to police in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Yearby had been staying with friends when he suddenly stopped contacting his family and friends. Yearby also did not respond to his family's attempts to contact him, and he did not show up to work. It was reported that Yearby last spoke with a girlfriend via a text message conversation, during which he broke up with her and said he was going to Texas to take care of some family business. He had previously told other friends that he was going to Dallas, Texas or Marietta, Oklahoma.
Details of Yearby’s missing person report were filed with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in March 2023 as MP101449. It was noted that Yearby did not have a vehicle and there were no relevant stolen vehicles from the area at the time of his disappearance. It was believed that if Yearby left the area he may have had a friend drive him.
Throughout the course of the investigation into Yearby’s disappearance, it was believed that Yearby may have been murdered. Forensic evidence, suspected to belong to Yearby, was collected from a potential crime scene. In an effort to determine if the evidence originated from Yearby, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could assist in their investigative efforts.
In April 2024, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, working with the Stillwater Police Department, submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas so that a DNA profile could be developed from the forensic evidence. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown individual.
This profile was compared to the profile of a potential relative using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing, confirming that the evidence from the crime scene belonged to Teedeenae “Jackson” Yearby. Since this time, Yearby’s remains have been located and Quinlan Phipps has been arrested for his murder. Yearby was enrolled with The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and affiliated with both The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
This case represents the first publicly announced case in the State of Oklahoma where Othram technology was utilized by law enforcement to advance an investigation.
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.