Summary
On May 14, 1986, officers with the Wenatchee Police Department were dispatched to the area behind the Stanley Civic Center in Wenatchee, Washington. Upon arrival, 35-year-old Carol A. Traicoff was found deceased. The initial investigation revealed that Traicoff had been the victim of a homicide. Despite extensive investigative efforts and the development of initial leads, the case eventually went cold, though it remained open and under periodic review. Investigative efforts spanned the United States and took investigators to Canada in search of a suspect.
An STR profile was previously developed from biological evidence collected during the investigation. The profile was entered into CODIS; however, there was no match to a known individual.
Investigators submitted evidence to Othram in July of 2024. At Othram, scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive SNP profile from the evidence. This profile was used in a forensic genetic genealogy search led by Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team, which generated new investigative leads.
These leads helped investigators focus their investigation, leading to a possible suspect. Investigators followed leads that pointed to a deceased Canadian man named Henry B. Leland. Investigators then interviewed Leland's sister who agreed to assist in the investigation. A DNA sample obtained from Leland's sister confirmed that Henry B. Leland is the person responsible for Traicoff's homicide. Because Leland is deceased, the case has now been closed.
Critical funding to enable forensic genetic genealogy testing in this case was made possible by Governor Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown, and the Washington State Legislature. We are grateful for their support in providing this funding.
This development represents a significant breakthrough in a case that remained unresolved for nearly 39 years, demonstrating the impact of advanced forensic DNA technology in helping investigators resolve long-standing cases.
This is the 48th publicly announced case in the State of WA where officials leveraged Othram's identity inference pipeline. Explore other cases on Othram's website.
Dan Miller
Director of Customer Service
Dan guides law enforcement agencies across the United States and internationally through every step of the forensic process—from crime scene to courtroom. He ensures investigators have the support and resources they need to navigate advanced DNA testing and maximize the impact of forensic evidence in their cases.