MAHWAH, N.J. — An arrest has been made in a 50-year-old murder case thanks to the diligent work of some New Jersey college students.
The cold case in question was the murder of Mary Schlais , a University of Minnesota student who was found dead in rural western Wisconsin in 1974.
Investigators reached out to the Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center at Ramapo College in Mahwah for help.
Researchers in New Jersey trace evidence to cold case suspect
At the IGG Center, student researchers and staff spend hours scouring records, including genealogy tests from commercial DNA testing websites, looking for genetic relatives of someone they’re trying to identify.
“You’re really searching for that needle in a haystack,” said David Gurney, director of the IGG Center.
The IGG Center traced evidence from a stocking cap found at the scene to the suspect.
“Lo and behold, a year and a half later, we got the name,” Gurney said.