DNA testing identifies woman found in 2006 and linked to Detroit serial killer

In Detroit, Michigan, authorities have identified the remains of a woman found in an abandoned house in June 1996, after she had remained a Jane Doe for nearly two decades. Darylnn Washington, born on June 15, 1959, was determined to have died shortly before her remains were discovered, and her case grew cold over the years despite various attempts to identify her. The Detroit Police Department reached out to Othram Inc., a forensic genetic genealogy company, in 2022 to utilize advanced DNA technology in hopes of uncovering her identity. Initially, it was established that Washington was a Black female between the ages of 20 and 30 years old and approximately five feet tall. Unfortunately, no additional identifying characteristics were recorded, leaving her family without closure for years. With the assistance of modern forensic methods, Washington's DNA profile was built and genealogy research provided law enforcement with fresh investigative leads, leading to her eventual identification as Darylnn Washington. Authorities have indicated that Washington’s death was ruled a homicide and suggest that she may have fallen victim to Shelly Brooks, a Detroit-area serial killer who has confessed to several murders. The connection to Brooks was made after investigators noted that the other victims had been discovered in remote locations across the city, often in abandoned structures that mirrored the location where Washington's remains were found. Following the identification, Washington's family was notified, and they had long believed their loved one was murdered by a serial killer. This breakthrough in the case has provided closure for the family, who was unaware of her tragic fate until now. This case highlights the collective efforts of forensic science and law enforcement agencies to use advancements in technology to solve cold cases, which has become more prominent in recent years across the United States.