San Antonio Police Secure $1 Million Federal Grant to Solve Cold Cases via Genetic Genealogy

San Antonio Police receive $1.03M in federal funds to use forensic genetic genealogy for solving cold cases, identifying suspects through public DNA databases.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 9:15 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from San Antonio Report

A Federal Windfall for Cold Case Investigations

The San Antonio Police Department is pivoting toward high tech solutions for its most stubborn investigations, bolstered by a $1.03 million federal allocation. Police Chief William McManus announced the initiative on Wednesday, emphasizing that the funding provides a critical lifeline for cases that have remained stagnant despite exhaustive traditional efforts. According to McManus, the primary objective is to deliver long awaited justice to families who have spent years, and sometimes decades, in a state of agonizing uncertainty.

Beyond the Limitations of Traditional DNA Matching

While the department currently utilizes the Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, that database is limited to profiles from previously convicted offenders and arrestees. Forensic genetic genealogy offers a different path by searching for partial matches within public platforms like GEDmatch, where users voluntarily share their genetic profiles. As noted by Captain Russ Van Geffen, who leads the homicide unit, this methodology allows analysts to identify distant relatives of a suspect and reconstruct expansive family trees to narrow down a pool of potential leads.

The Role of Traditional Detective Work in Modern Science

Despite the advanced nature of genetic mapping, the process does not provide an instantaneous identification of a perpetrator. Captain Van Geffen clarified that once a potential relative is found, detectives must revert to foundational investigative techniques, including the scrutiny of public records, location data, and physical timelines. This manual corroboration is essential to confirm a suspect's identity before moving forward with standard DNA testing to finalize a match, ensuring that the technology acts as a compass rather than a final verdict.