Latest / Murder Files Unsealed / The True Story Behind Netflix’s 'The Breakthrough'

Transcript

The True Story Behind Netflix’s 'The Breakthrough' · Murder Files Unsealed

0:00
Speaker 1: Welcome back everyone for another deep dive. This time we're
0:04
going to be looking at forensic genealogy.
0:06
Speaker 2: Ooh exciting.
0:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, and we'll be using the Netflix show The Breakthrough
0:11
and some related source material kind of as our guide.
0:14
So you know, think CSI meets ancestry dot com basically,
0:18
I like it. We're talking about DNA testing combined with
0:22
traditional genealogy to solve crimes. Yeah, and you know, the
0:26
case we're going to be unpacking is not just some
0:28
fictional story from TV. It's a real life cold case. Wow,
0:33
one of the biggest in Swedish history. It was cracked
0:35
wide open thanks to this cutting edge technique, you know.
0:39
Speaker 2: And that's what I think makes this case so interesting
0:41
is that it really shows the power of this emerging field. Yeah.
0:45
Forensic genealogy is not just about technology. It's about you know,
0:49
the connection between science, data analysis and just good old
0:53
fashioned detective work.
0:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely. So just set the scene. We're going to
0:56
go back to two thousand and four in link Kepving, Sweden. Okay,
0:59
an eight year old old boy, Mohammad A Moury is
1:02
walking to school when he's attacked and killed and a
1:04
fifty six year old woman Annelina s Fenson witnesses the
1:08
attack and she tries to intervene oh no, but tragically
1:12
she also becomes a victim. So you can imagine the
1:14
terror that must have gripped that community.
1:16
Speaker 2: Absolutely, And you know, this case, with its brutality and
1:20
just seeming randomness, it really left investigators baffled. Right, they
1:24
found DNA evidence at the crime scene, but there was
1:26
no match in any existing criminal database.
1:29
Speaker 1: Wow.
1:30
Speaker 2: So for sixteen years the case went cold, leaving the
1:34
families of the victims with you know, so many unanswered questions.
1:38
Speaker 1: Talk about a frustrating situation. Right, Yeah, you have the evidence,
1:41
but you can't connect it to a suspect exactly. But
1:43
then in twenty nineteen, new law in Sweden changed everything.
1:48
Law enforcement was finally allowed to use commercial genealogy websites
1:52
for investigative purposes. Interesting, and that's where forensic genealogy really
1:56
enters the picture.
1:57
Speaker 2: And it was a game changer. You know, this legal shift,
2:02
Swedish investigators were able to team up with genealogist Peter Schuland,
2:06
and together they started combing through these ancestry databases looking
2:10
for any DNA matches that could point them toward the killer.
2:13
Speaker 1: Wow.
2:14
Speaker 2: But you know it wasn't just a simple search. This
2:17
involved painstakingly constructing a massive family tree.
2:21
Speaker 1: Okay, So how do you even start to build a
2:23
family tree from a DNA sample? Right? It sounds like
2:26
searching for a needle in a haystack.
2:28
Speaker 2: It is incredibly complex, and that's why Sholin's expertise was
2:31
so vital.
2:32
Speaker 1: Yeah.
2:32
Speaker 2: They started with the crime scene DNA and used it
2:36
to find potential relatives in these databases. Okay. They were
2:39
looking specifically for matches on the autosomal DNA, which is
2:43
inherited from both parents, right, and then through a process
2:46
called genetic triangulation, they could estimate the degree of relatedness.
2:51
Speaker 1: So if they found someone who shared let's say twenty
2:54
five percent of their DNA with the unknown suspect, yeah,
2:58
that would indicate like a grandparent or grandchild relationship exactly.
3:03
Speaker 2: And by piecing together these DNA relationships and comparing them
3:06
to historical records, you know, birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates,
3:12
Shuland was able to build a family tree that stretched
3:15
back over two centuries. It was like putting together a
3:18
giant puzzle, one DNA match at a time.
3:21
Speaker 1: That's incredible. So all that work paid off, right, They
3:23
found their suspects, they.
3:25
Speaker 2: Did, This intricate genealogical web led them straight to Daniel Niquist,
3:29
who ultimately confessed to the murders. Wow, and he was
3:32
sentenced to indefinite psychiatric care.
3:35
Speaker 1: So this case really became a landmark victory for forensic genealogy.
3:40
It proved how powerful it could be to solve even
3:43
the most baffling cold cases.
3:45
Speaker 2: Totally.
3:46
Speaker 1: Now, the Netflix show The Breakthrough dramatizes this story, brings
3:50
it to life on screen, but like any adaptation, it
3:53
takes some creative liberties.
3:54
Speaker 2: Right Like, for example, some names and backstories in the
3:57
show were altered, probably for privacy reasons or to streamline
4:01
the narrative a bit. And then there's a subplot about
4:04
investigators breaking data privacy laws to access information, which didn't
4:08
actually happen in the real life case. Right.
4:10
Speaker 1: So it's important to remember that the show is entertainment first,
4:15
but it does get the core elements of the investigation
4:18
right Yeah, and it definitely raises some interesting questions about
4:21
how much creative license is acceptable when you're portraying a
4:25
true story, especially one with such sensitive subject matter. But
4:29
we'll dive into all those nuances a little bit later. Okay,
4:31
for now, let's get back to the real life's investigation.
4:34
Speaker 2: Sounds good.
4:35
Speaker 1: You know, this breakthrough in the link up in case
4:38
wasn't just about identifying the killer. It was about bringing
4:41
closure to the families who had been searching for answers
4:44
for almost two decades. And that, to me, is one
4:48
of the most powerful aspects of forensic genealogy.
4:50
Speaker 2: It's a testament to its potential for sure to bring
4:53
justice and healing to families who have suffered the pain
4:56
of unsolved crimes. But you know, the link up in
4:59
case is the tip of the iceberg. Yeah, forensic genealogy
5:02
is now being used to solve a wide range of crimes,
5:05
from homicides and sexual assaults to identifying unknown remains, even
5:10
cracking historical mysteries.
5:12
Speaker 1: Right, It's not limited to just murders, and we'll be
5:15
exploring these other applications in more detail later in our
5:17
deep dives.
5:18
Speaker 2: Looking forward to it, But first, let's.
5:20
Speaker 1: Take a closer look at the process itself. You know,
5:23
how do they go from a DNA sample to a
5:26
family tree spanning centuries? What were the specific techniques and
5:31
challenges involved.
5:32
Speaker 2: Well, let's start by talking about the different types of
5:34
DNA analysis used in forensic genealogy. So we left off
5:37
talking about DNA analysis, and there are actually a few
5:39
different types used in forensic genealogy. The most common one
5:43
is autosomal DNA, which we inherit from both parents, and
5:48
this type of DNA is really good for finding relatives
5:50
within about five generations.
5:52
Speaker 1: So you're essentially casting a wide net looking for anyone
5:55
who shares enough DNA to suggest a family connection exactly.
5:59
Speaker 2: And once you find those matches, you use a process
6:01
called genetic triangulation to sort of narrow down the possibilities.
6:05
Let's say you and I both match the unknown suspects DNA.
6:08
By comparing our DNA segments and how much we each
6:10
share with the suspect, we can figure out if we're
6:13
related through a common ancestor on our you know, maternal
6:17
or paternal sides. Oh, interesting, that helps zero in on
6:20
a specific branch of the family tree.
6:23
Speaker 1: So it's like using those overlapping circles on a map
6:25
to pinpoint a location.
6:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, that's pretty cool.
6:28
Speaker 1: But wouldn't this process get like way more difficult the
6:31
further back in time you go.
6:32
Speaker 2: Oh. Absolutely. The further you go, the more the DNA
6:36
gets diluted through the generations, and those connections get much
6:39
harder to find, right, And that's where traditional genealogy comes in.
6:42
You need to back up those DNA matches with historical records,
6:45
you know, birth, marriage and death certificate, census data, military records,
6:50
even old newspaper clippings. It's like detective work on steroids.
6:55
Speaker 1: I can imagine the amount of patience and meticulousness it
6:58
must take to sift through all that information. Oh yeah,
7:01
but isn't that part of what makes forensic genealogy so interesting.
7:05
It's like you're solving this historical puzzle using DNA as your.
7:09
Speaker 2: Guide, and it's so rewarding to piece together those ancestral stories,
7:13
especially when you know it's leading to justice for victims
7:17
in their families.
7:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure.
7:19
Speaker 2: And that brings us to another key aspect of forensic genealogy.
7:23
It's potential for solving these cold cases that have just
7:26
been sitting there for years, even decades. Right, think about
7:30
all the families out there still waiting for answers, still
7:33
hoping for closure.
7:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's heartbreaking to think about those unresolved cases. But
7:37
with this technology, there's a new sense of hope. We're
7:41
essentially giving law enforcement a brand new tool to revisit
7:45
old evidence and re examine leads that maybe they overlooked
7:49
or just couldn't pursue before.
7:51
Speaker 2: Exactly. Cases that seemed hopeless can suddenly become active again.
7:55
And while forensic genealogy doesn't always lead to an immediate arrest,
7:59
can offer and provide crucial breakthroughs, you know, narrowing down
8:02
the suspect pool or uncovering new evidence that can help
8:06
investigators move forward.
8:07
Speaker 1: So it's like breathing new life into cold cases, giving
8:09
them a fighting chance of being solved.
8:11
Speaker 2: That's a great way to put it.
8:12
Speaker 1: But let's shift gears a little bit and talk about
8:15
another application of forensic genealogy that's really fascinating. Identifying unknown remains. Okay,
8:21
this feels like a whole other ballgame, doesn't it.
8:23
Speaker 2: It definitely has its own unique challenges. You might be
8:26
dealing with skeletal remains, degraded DNA samples, even just a
8:30
few bone fragments. Wow, And a lot of times there's
8:32
very little information to go on, right. But even in
8:35
these cases, forensic genealogy can be incredibly powerful.
8:39
Speaker 1: So how does that even work. You can't just plug
8:41
a bone fragment into a genealogy website.
8:44
Speaker 2: Oh not yet anyway. What you can do is extract
8:46
DNA from the remains and analyze it to create a
8:49
DNA profile.
8:50
Speaker 1: Okay.
8:50
Speaker 2: Then, just like in criminal investigations, you compare that profile
8:53
to databases like ged match or family Tree DNA, looking
8:57
for any relatives who might have submitted their DNA for
9:00
genealogical purposes.
9:02
Speaker 1: So you're essentially building a family tree from the ground up. Yeah,
9:05
starting with that unknown individual and working your way back
9:08
through generations, hoping to connect with someone in the present
9:10
day who can identify them precisely.
9:13
Speaker 2: And these identifications can have a huge impact, not just
9:16
for law enforcement, but for families who have lost loved
9:18
ones without knowing what happened to them. Imagine being able
9:22
to finally give closure to a family whose relative went
9:25
missing in war decades ago, or identify a victim of
9:29
a natural disaster or a crime that happened years in
9:32
the past.
9:33
Speaker 1: It's like you're giving a voice to the voiceless, allowing
9:37
those who were lost to finally be recognized and remembered.
9:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, I like that.
9:41
Speaker 1: But it's not just about solving crimes and identifying remains.
9:44
Forensic genealogy is also being used to unravel historical mysteries,
9:49
and that, to me is where things get really exciting.
9:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like opening a time capsule using DNA to
9:54
shed light on events from the past. Historians and genealogists
9:57
are working together now to solve historical puzzle that have
10:00
baffled researchers for generations.
10:02
Speaker 1: Wow.
10:02
Speaker 2: For example, forensic genealogy was used recently to identify the
10:05
remains of victims of the nineteen twenty one Tulsa Race massacre,
10:08
a horrific event that was basically erased from historical records.
10:12
Speaker 1: That's a chilling example of how this technology can not
10:15
only solve crimes but rewrite history bring to light events
10:20
that have been suppressed or forgotten. For sure, But as
10:23
with any powerful tool, there are some potential downsides to consider.
10:27
Of course, Next we'll dig into the ethical considerations surrounding
10:31
forensic genealogy. What are the potential risks? What safeguards do
10:36
we need to put in place? Yeah, and who gets
10:38
to decide how this technology is used?
10:40
Speaker 2: These are crucial questions, and they're not easy to answer.
10:44
Let's start by looking at the privacy concerns that come
10:46
up when you use genetic information this way.
10:49
Speaker 1: We've seen how powerful forensic genealogy can be, you know,
10:53
solving those cold cases, identifying remains, even shedding light on
10:57
historical mysteries. But it does come with some serious ethical questions,
11:01
doesn't it.
11:02
Speaker 2: Definitely. I mean, we're talking about using people's DNA, often
11:05
without their consent, to potentially incriminate them or their relatives.
11:09
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a big deal.
11:10
Speaker 2: Is It's a Pandora's box we need to open very
11:12
carefully for sure.
11:13
Speaker 1: And privacy has got to be one of the biggest concerns.
11:16
When you send your DNA to a genealogy website, are
11:20
you basically saying it's okay to use it for a
11:22
criminal investigation?
11:24
Speaker 2: Yeah?
11:25
Speaker 1: What don't your family members right, they never agreed to that,
11:28
but their genetic information is now part of the equation exactly.
11:32
That brings up some really tough legal and ethical questions.
11:37
It is a bit unsettling, isn't it. It is you
11:39
think you're just tracing your family tree and suddenly you're
11:41
caught up in a murder investigation. Yeah, so where do
11:44
we draw the line. Should there be stricter regulations on
11:47
how law enforcement can access these databases?
11:50
Speaker 2: Well, that's the debate that's happening right now. Some people
11:53
argue that using ancestry DNA for criminal investigations, even with
11:56
good intentions, is a slippery slope. It could lead to
12:00
a future where these DNA databases are used for things
12:03
we never intended, like employment screening, insurance assessments, even social profiling.
12:08
Speaker 1: That's a scary thought, is It's like they say, the
12:10
road to hell is paved with good intentions. We start
12:13
with a good goal solving violent crimes, but where does
12:17
it end and who gets to decide that? Should we
12:20
be having a bigger conversation about this as a society.
12:23
Should people have the right to say, hey, don't use
12:27
my DNA for law enforcement purposes?
12:29
Speaker 2: These are really tough questions that policymakers, ethicists, and everyday
12:33
people are grappling with. There are no easy answers. On
12:36
one hand, you have the chance to bring justice to
12:39
victors and their families, but on the other you have
12:41
the potential for misuse and the erosion of privacy. Exact
12:45
finding that balance is so important.
12:47
Speaker 1: It really feels like we're at a crossroads here. We
12:49
have this incredible technology that can do so much good,
12:52
but we need to be really careful about how we
12:54
use it. What are some steps we can take to
12:57
reduce those risks while still using the good parts of
13:00
forensic genealogy.
13:02
Speaker 2: Well, transparency is really key here. People need to know
13:05
how their genetic information can be used, and they should
13:08
be able to choose to consent or not. We also
13:11
need clear legal guidelines and oversight to make sure that
13:15
law enforcement agencies aren't abusing their power. And maybe most importantly,
13:20
we need to have open and honest conversations about the
13:23
ethical side of this technology. And those conversations shouldn't just
13:26
involve experts, they should involve the public too.
13:29
Speaker 1: That's a great point. This isn't just a science issue.
13:31
It's a society issue, and we need to come together
13:33
to decide what kind of future we want with this technology.
13:36
But let's ship gears for a minute and have some
13:37
fun speculating. We've seen how fast DNA technology is moving.
13:41
Where do you see forensic genealogy going in the next five, ten,
13:45
twenty years.
13:46
Speaker 2: Well, we're already seeing advancements in DNA analysis that can
13:49
predict physical traits from a DNA sample, things like hair color,
13:53
eye color, even facial features. Wow, imagine what that could
13:56
mean for identifying suspects or even reconstructing the faces of
14:00
historical figures.
14:01
Speaker 1: That's mind blowing. We're basically talking about painting a picture
14:03
of a person from just a tiny drop of blood
14:06
or a strand of hair. But doesn't that open up
14:09
a whole new set of ethical questions too? What if
14:12
we get to the point where we can predict things
14:14
like personality traits or even someone's risk for certain diseases.
14:19
Speaker 2: That's the science fiction scenario that's starting to feel more
14:22
and more real. It makes us think about some fundamental
14:25
questions about free will. You know, are we really in
14:28
control of our destiny? And what about the possibility of
14:30
discrimination based on someone's genes. If we can predict someone's
14:35
likelihood of committing a crime based on their DNA what
14:38
does that do to our legal system, our ideas about
14:40
guilt and innocence. These are big philosophical questions that we're
14:43
going to have to face as a society.
14:45
Speaker 1: Wow, it's a lot to take in, isn't it. We
14:48
started by talking about solving cold cases, and now we're
14:50
discussing the very nature of what it means to be human.
14:54
But that's the beauty of these deep dyes. They take
14:56
us beyond the headlines and force us to confront the
14:59
complicated reality of a world that's constantly changing.
15:03
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and for our listeners today, I think that's the
15:05
most important takeaway. Forensic genealogy is this powerful tool that
15:09
can bring justice and closure and help us understand the past,
15:12
but it also raises profound ethical and societal questions that
15:16
we need to pay attention to as we move forward.
15:19
We have to engage in thoughtful debate. We have to
15:22
weigh the risks and the benefits, and we have to
15:25
make sure this technology is used responsibly and ethically. The
15:28
choices we make today are going to have consequences for
15:31
a long time to come.
15:32
Speaker 1: You said it perfectly, so to our listeners, we leave
15:35
you with this. Now that you've gone on this deep
15:38
dive into forensic genealogy, how do you feel about it?
15:41
What are you hoping for, what are your concerns and
15:44
what role do you think you can play in shaping
15:46
how this powerful technology is used in the future. This
15:49
isn't just a story about science. It's a story about
15:51
all of us, about our responsibility to use knowledge wisely
15:54
and to protect the rights and freedoms of every single person.
15:57
Thanks for coming along on this journey with us until time,
16:00
keep those minds open and keep exploring