For Release: May 22, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT: Media Relations, DPD

(313) 596-1290
pubinfo@detroitmi.gov

Detroit Police Operation UNITED aims to identify unknown victims

Detroit, MI – Today, the Detroit Police Department and its partners in law enforcement launched
Operation UNITED (Unknown Names Identified Through Exhumation and DNA), aimed at utilizing
new technologies to identify unknown victims. With the advancement of technology and DNA,
this Operation will focus on victims of Homicide dating back to 1959 that currently do not have
DNA on file.

Over the next few months, Detroit Police and its partners will exhume unidentified homicide
remains for the collection of DNA in efforts to identify the victims.

The collection of the DNA will be sent to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
(NAMUS) and processed at their Human Identification Lab. Once in the lab, it will be uploaded
into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), as well as the FBI’s National DNA Index System
(NDIS) to be searched against all appropriate indexes for potential associations.

Detroit Police is asking families of missing loved ones to come forward and submit DNA to help
identify the victims.

Special acknowledgement to Detroit Police Department partners who are assisting in this
Operation: Wayne County Prosecutors Officer, Detroit Building Authority/Department of Public
Works, the FBI, Michigan State Police, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System,
University of North Texas Center for Human Identification and Crime Stoppers of Michigan

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PR 19-101