A woman who was murdered almost 20 years ago in Detroit by serial killer Shelly Brooks has finally been identified using advanced DNA technology. The victim, previously known only as Jane Doe, was found in an abandoned home, and for years, no one knew her identity. Authorities tried to create a composite image of what she might have looked like, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
The case went cold until 2022, when Detroit police provided evidence to Othram’s lab in The Woodlands, Texas. Using advanced DNA techniques, scientists were able to extract DNA from the evidence and create a profile of the victim. They then used genealogy research to trace her family connections, which led to the discovery of her true identity. The victim was identified as Darylnn Washington, born on June 15, 1959.
When police informed her family, they confirmed that they had never heard from Darylnn after she was believed to have been killed by an unknown murderer. Shelly Brooks, who was arrested in 2007, was later convicted for seven murders, although he is suspected of killing as many as 14 women. Brooks, who was 37 years old when arrested, murdered women in Detroit between the ages of 30 and 53, most of whom were drug users and sex workers. His victims were often beaten and raped before being dumped in vacant buildings or lots around the city…