Consumer genetic data provided by users hoping to locate their own relatives allowed investigators to identify the remains of a teenager found in Long Beach in 1978.
In June 1978, the Long Beach Police Department began an investigation into an apparent homicide victim found in the beachside enclave of Belmont Shore. More than four decades later, consumer genetic data provided by users hoping to locate their own relatives allowed investigators to identify “John Doe 1978” as Kenneth Nevada Williams, 15.
Kenneth ran away from his home in La Puente in 1978, investigators said. He was never reported missing after his disappearance, said Long Beach police spokesperson Richard Mejia. After the boy’s body was identified this September, his family was contacted by homicide detectives, and they confirmed his identity.
“He’s 15 years old, and during that time he was a chronic runaway. It was very common for him to miss school, to run away from home, to go missing for long periods of time then come back,” said Mejia, adding that at the time the family had expected Williams to return home. Ultimately, he said, “they hired a private investigator to look into it and clearly came back with negative results.”
The Long Beach Police Department said: “Without the assistance of investigative genealogy, Kenneth Williams may have never been identified, however, his story is far from over. The person responsible for his murder are still outstanding and must be identified to be held accountable for their crimes so that Kenneth Williams and his family will get the justice they have long deserved.”
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