Forensic technology and AI solve decades-old cold cases in US

Advances in forensic science and artificial intelligence have led to breakthroughs in two long-unsolved murder investigations in the United States.

In Chicago, authorities identified former homicide detective Thomas McInerney as the killer in the 1960 murder of eight-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz. Investigators utilized modern DNA profiling, fingerprint analysis, and genetic genealogy to examine physical evidence that had been preserved for over sixty years, including the victim's clothing and a bullet. McInerney, who died in 2006, was linked to the crime through these updated forensic methods.

In Illinois, detectives solved the 1993 murder of Randy Gail Sperino by using investigative genetic genealogy and AI software. Working with the forensic company Othram, investigators mapped family trees through genetic databases to identify 70-year-old Albert “Buddy” Zigler. Additionally, investigators employed Centerline AI to process 2,000 pages of historical records, which helped reconstruct timelines and organize witness statements to assist in the investigation and interrogation process.