A woman is warning others about DNA tests because her niece's results uncovered a shocking family secret which led her to end all contact with her mother.

As internet-based DNA tests become easier to purchase many people are discovering fascinating information about their family roots.

A woman warns others about DNA tests because her family experienced disaster when what started as harmless fun turned disastrous.

The anonymous woman, who took to Reddit to share her harrowing ordeal, wrote: While people generally find genealogy interesting and DNA testing helpful for genetic health purposes its important to remember that these tests can reveal family secrets nobody benefits from knowing.

The 23andMe DNA test was taken by her niece in this particular scenario. The test results revealed to her with great shock that the man who had been her dad throughout her life was not her biological father.

Her auntie continued in the thread: The mother experienced shock when she discovered her child's existence despite having ended her affair to protect her family's stability.

She completely misunderstood and thought she was pregnant with her partner's child. She loved him deeply yet she chose not to dissolve their marriage because of this.

After 45 years of keeping it secret the truth emerged and the woman decided to reach out to her biological father right after taking the test when tragedy struck again.

Initially shocked, the mother promised her daughter full disclosure and supported her desire to contact her biological father. The man who was a wonderful father to her died 20 years ago. The bio-dad had become an alcoholic and died not long after she made contact with him.

The woman decided to completely sever ties with her mother after the incident led to a major conflict between them which lasted five years without any communication.

"The mother is heartbroken, but understands her daughter's anger and has said: 'I have it coming... it's my punishment.' Her sole offspring passed away while she reached 73 years old.

In her warning, she urged others to think again before ordering the kit, as it could 'create' some family dramas, adding: Indiscriminately sharing DNA test results after obtaining them can lead to negative consequences. - badly.” 

Some secrets should remain hidden and never be revealed. My sister has permanently changed because she lost her most loved people due to her own actions as she acknowledges.

These tests have shattered families in multiple instances beyond this single story. When health or genetic issues drive the need to understand health history the situation differs.

It's important for her to know that as a human she makes mistakes. At this point, it makes little difference."

NOTE: Here’s another article that is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. However, I suspect some of this newsletter’s readers might be interested in setting up an Article Archiving Service (and I hope they do so).

Mozilla killed Pocket, but your bookmarks don't have to die. Here's how to self-host ArchiveBox - with a little help from ChatGPT - and take ownership of your reading archive.

Now that Pocket is shutting down, what are those of us who rely on article archiving to do? You could try switching to another cloud archiving service like Raindrop.io, but as nice a service as it is, it's run by just one dude in Kazakhstan.

If a billion-dollar company like Mozilla can't be bothered to keep its Pocket archiving service running, it's something of a risk to rely on a lone developer, no matter how talented or well-intentioned. 

Instead, how about self-hosting your own article archiving service on your own computer gear? That way, you own it all and nobody can shut it down.

As it turns out, there's an open-source project (of course there is!) called ArchiveBox that does just that. In this article, I'll show you how to set it up. In a subsequent article, I'll show you how to get whatever data you managed to recover from Pocket into ArchiveBox.

You can read the full article at https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-set-up-your-own-article-archiving-service-and-why-i-did-rip-pocket/.

NOTE: This article is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. However, genealogy and related topics often attract an older crowd so I suspect many readers of this newsletter will be interested in the following article.

From https://www.psypost.org:

In the 21st century, digital technology has changed many aspects of our lives. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is the latest newcomer, with chatbots and other AI tools changing how we learn and creating considerable philosophical and legal challenges regarding what it means to “outsource thinking”.

But the emergence of technology that changes the way we live is not a new issue. The change from analogue to digital technology began around the 1960s and this “digital revolution” is what brought us the internet. An entire generation of people who lived and worked through this evolution are now entering their early 80s.

So what can we learn from them about the impact of technology on the ageing brain? A comprehensive new study from researchers at the University of Texas and Baylor University in the United States provides important answers.

Published in Nature Human Behaviour, it found no supporting evidence for the “digital dementia” hypothesis. In fact, it found the use of computers, smartphones and the internet among people over 50 might actually be associated with lower rates of cognitive decline.

What is ‘digital dementia’?

Much has been written about the potential negative impact from technology on the human brain.

According to the “digital dementia” hypothesis introduced by German neuroscientist and psychiatrist Manfred Spitzer in 2012, increased use of digital devices has resulted in an over-reliance on technology. In turn, this has weakened our overall cognitive ability.

Three areas of concern regarding the use of technology have previously been noted:

1. An increase in passive screen time. This refers to technology use which does not require significant thought or participation, such as watching TV or scrolling social media.
2. Offloading cognitive abilities to technology, such as no longer memorising phone numbers because they are kept in our contact list.
3. Increased susceptibility to distraction.

Why is this new study important?

We know technology can impact how our brain develops. But the effect of technology on how our brain ages is less understood.

This new study by neuropsychologists Jared Benge and Michael Scullin is important because it examines the impact of technology on older people who have experienced significant changes in the way they use technology across their life.

The new study performed what is known as a meta-analysis where the results of many previous studies are combined. The authors searched for studies examining technology use in people aged over 50 and examined the association with cognitive decline or dementia. They found 57 studies which included data from more than 411,000 adults. The included studies measured cognitive decline based on lower performance on cognitive tests or a diagnosis of dementia.

A reduced risk of cognitive decline

Overall, the study found greater use of technology was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Statistical tests were used to determine the “odds” of having cognitive decline based on exposure to technology. An odds ratio under 1 indicates a reduced risk from exposure and the combined odds ratio in this study was 0.42. This means higher use of technology was associated with a 58% risk reduction for cognitive decline.

This benefit was found even when the effect of other things known to contribute to cognitive decline, such as socioeconomic status and other health factors, were accounted for.

Interestingly, the magnitude of the effect of technology use on brain function found in this study was similar or stronger than other known protective factors, such as physical activity (approximately a 35% risk reduction), or maintaining a healthy blood pressure (approximately a 13% risk reduction).

However, it is important to understand that there are far more studies conducted over many years examining the benefits of managing blood pressure and increasing physical activty, and the mechanisms through which they help protect our brains are far more understood.

It is also a lot easier to measure blood pressure than it is use of technology. A strength of this study is that it considered these difficulties by focusing on certain aspects of technology use but excluded others such as brain training games.

These findings are encouraging. But we still can’t say technology use causes better cognitive function. More research is needed to see if these findings are replicated in different groups of people (especially those from low and middle income countries) who were underrepresented in this study, and to understand why this relationship might occur.

A question of ‘how’ we use technology

In reality, it’s simply not feasible to live in the world today without using some form of technology. Everything from paying bills to booking our next holiday is now almost completely done online. Maybe we should instead be thinking about how we use technology.

Cognitively stimulating activities such as reading, learning a new language and playing music – particularly in early adulthood – can help protect our brains as we age.

Greater engagement with technology across our lifespan may be a form of stimulating our memory and thinking, as we adapt to new software updates or learn how to use a new smartphone. It has been suggested this “technological reserve” may be good for our brains.

Technology may also help us to stay socially connected, and help us stay independent for longer.

A rapidly changing digital world

While findings from this study show it’s unlikely all digital technology is bad for us, the way we interact and rely on it is rapidly changing

The impact of AI on the ageing brain will only become evident in future decades. However, our ability to adapt to historical technological innovations, and the potential for this to support cognitive function, suggests the future may not be all bad.

For example, advances in brain-computer interfaces offer new hope for those experiencing the impact of neurological disease or disability.

However, the potential downsides of technology are real, particularly for younger people, including poor mental health. Future research will help determine how we can capture the benefits of technology while limiting the potential for harm.

Archivists and Indigenous researchers are actively seeking ways to lessen the effects of a sudden federal funding reduction from last month which affected organizations working to maintain the history of Indian boarding schools.

During the Trump administration's extensive reduction of federal expenditures, Native-serving organizations learned through identical communications that their National Endowment for the Humanities funding totaling $1.6 million was being terminated.

The grants served as foundational financial support for historical and cultural preservation initiatives. The Minnesota-based National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition faced the loss of $283,000 in unspent grant money. 

The coalition’s Deputy CEO Samuel Torres stated they had received slightly more than half of their $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The nonprofit leaders report that after putting weeks into analysis and developing creative solutions their project to build a digital archive of deteriorating Indian boarding school records faces delays but remains achievable.

Torres explained that after losing their funding, the cataloguing backlog expanded greatly which will extend the time before digitized materials become available on our website.

The Boarding School Healing Coalition receives financial support from private donors and philanthropic organizations. The nonprofit receives 57% of its income from government funding as stated in its 2024 annual report. The coalition is exploring alternative revenue sources to bridge their financial gap.

Indigenous nonprofits generally face unique funding challenges. The latest research from Native Americans in Philanthropy shows Native Americans receive less than 1% of philanthropic funding. Native-led groups such as the boarding school coalition secure approximately 50% less funding compared to other organizations.

The project to digitize records from universities, churches and 526 former boarding schools needs immediate action given their operation across the country from 1800 until now. The physical records that date back hundreds of years require digital preservation to prevent further degradation.

The online archive receives constant updates whenever new records get available. But it is yet to be completed. 

The research team continues their hidden work to populate the database while consulting with tribal nations over sensitive information release.

When finished the archives will encompass students’ artwork and handwriting along with operational documents and staff correspondence.

According to Torres we have sufficient time to achieve our goals as younger generations yet our elders might not have enough time left. The budget reductions have caused harm to boarding school survivors who need access to their personal documents as well as those belonging to their family members.

The National Endowment for the Humanities is not the project's sole funder since the National Park Foundation and Minnesota Humanities Center also provide support.

He announced their intention to maintain current momentum using existing resources while creatively addressing any deficits. The work continues regardless of the availability of federal resources.

The government claims that cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities which supports arts and community projects will lead to better efficiency.

The April 25 statement indicated that eliminated grants did not align with agency priorities which included diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and environmental justice projects and also lacked the capacity to earn public trust regarding taxpayer money utilization.

Board member James LaBelle from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition at 77 years old stated his organization will utilize its alternative funding sources to compensate for the shortfall. The digitization of archives work must undergo reevaluation of its scope.

LaBelle explained that we must seek additional funding from different sources.
The 77-year-old enrolled citizen of the Native village of Port Graham who survived a boarding school attended the Wrangell Institute and Mt. Edgecumbe High School between 1955 and 1965. LaBelle studied at Mt. Edgecumbe High School located in southeast Alaska from 1955 to 1965.

He pointed out the rapid shift in the federal government's position since January. Former President Joe Biden expressed his apologies to boarding school survivors seven months ago for the delayed recognition of their experiences.

According to LaBelle the previous administration made good progress toward inclusivity and support for our ongoing work efforts.

Ramona Klein who survived a boarding school learned about the withdrawn digital project funding while scrolling through her phone in April. First, she said she felt devastated. The feeling transformed into determination to carry on the attacked work under the Trump administration.

Klein who is both a 77-year-old Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa citizen and coalition board member stated "Our mission must include story sharing and healing." The healing process will come to a standstill if we don't secure funding to keep advancing this work.

Thousands of Indigenous children suffered permanent trauma from federally run boarding schools which separated them from family and tribe to force them into Western society and Christianity. Students attending these institutions lost their native language and cultural heritage. Students endured beatings and sexual abuse by staff while suffering starvation and other documented abuses at the schools. According to the Department of the Interior close to 1,000 students died while attending these schools and their remains were placed either in marked or unmarked graves.

The federal government provided assistance with the documentation of this historical record until recent developments. During Trump's second term the administration reversed its previous stance. 

President Trump requested Shelly Lowe of the Navajo Nation to step down as chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities in March. 

No Native American had previously held that position until she became the first person to do so.

No response was received from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of Management and Budget, the White House, or the president’s office regarding queries about recent funding cuts or their consequences.

The Department of the Interior which funded other boarding school research projects provided a response through their spokesperson. A Department of the Interior spokesperson released a statement for The Imprint saying the department continues to uphold its federal responsibilities toward tribal communities while pursuing new business opportunities focused on optimization and innovation.

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition operates as the only nonprofit organization dedicated to national advocacy for Indigenous people who experienced the effects of the United States boarding school policies. The coalition maintains its oral history project with the Department of the Interior which records survivor stories from Indian schools despite recent federal budget reductions.

Boarding school survivors begin to receive public recognition as the Trump administration reduces federal support.

On May 20, New York Gov. New York Governor Kathy Hochul delivered an apology for the abuses that took place at the Thomas Indian School in New York. Kathy Hochul delivered an official apology from the State of New York to the Seneca Nation of Indians along with survivors and descendants of all affected Nations who experienced the Thomas Indian School.

The acknowledgment brought relief to certain individuals. Some people remained unimpressed because they argued that there were insufficient substantial reparations and pointed to the ongoing dispute between the Seneca Nation and the state regarding casino profits.

New York State owned and ran the Thomas Indian School which Presbyterian missionaries set up in 1855 on Cattaraugus Territory. Between 1875 and 1957 state authorities forcibly removed at least 2,500 Indigenous children from their homes for education at the school. School officials inflicted abuse, violence, hatred and death on students who had been stripped of their language and culture according to the governor’s office.

The Boarding School Coalition maintains the preserved documents of a former student which includes their identification card. Albert Thomas belonged to the Onondaga Nation and attended the school from which he never returned to his tribal community. The school records indicate his admission on Nov. 4, 1902 followed by his death on Jan. 6, 1904. The archives indicate that his remains were transported to Syracuse, NY.

Hochul used similar examples during her earlier this month speech to survivors and their descendants.

New York needs to recognize its part in the Thomas Indian School atrocities to progress and prevent repeating historical wrongs which caused trauma to the Senecas and Indigenous communities in New York according to Hochul. While we cannot transform past horrors into something different, my dedication to truth, justice, reconciliation, accountability, and healing remains because these principles are crucial for moving forward as one.

The following was written by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

Now On Exhibit The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum announced the opening of a new special exhibit, "WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America." This showcase features artist Mary Whyte's 50 large-scale watercolor portraits of American veterans, representing every state and all walks of life. Among those featured are a Kansas welder, a Missouri dairy farmer, a Texas construction worker, and a Pennsylvania science teacher. The exhibit is on display in the Museum Special Gallery through December 2025, and you can purchase tickets to visit the exhibit here. Collage of five of Mary Whyte’s veteran portraits featured in “We The People: Portraits of Veterans in America”  More Nixon Presidential Records Now Online Over 42,000 pages of textual materials have been digitized and are now available in the National Archives Catalog and on the Richard Nixon Presidential Library's website, including the President's Handwriting portion of the President's Office Files and the entirety of the Henry A. Kissinger Telephone Conversation Transcripts.  This digitization increases access to these archival materials, which were closely associated with the daily work of President Richard Nixon and Dr. Henry Kissinger. Dr. Kissinger served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1969-1975) and Secretary of State (1973-1977) under Presidents Nixon and Ford. Additional information and access to the materials are available here. President Richard Nixon and National Security Advisor Dr. Henry Kissinger, February 8, 1972. NAID 66394260 VIP Visitors to Washington, DC Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) visited the National Archives in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, May 21. He and his guests viewed records related to Henry Clay—who Rep. Bacon noted is one of his favorite historical figures because of Clay's influence on President Abraham Lincoln—and to the history of Nebraska, like this 1854 map of the Kansas and Nebraska territories. Congressman Don Bacon (far left) and guests look at a 1854 map. Representative Michael Rulli (R-OH) also visited the National Archives in Washington, DC, last week. Rep. Rulli saw a collection of Revolutionary War-era continental currency from holdings in the Center for Legislative Archives. Rep. Rulli (middle) and guest take a look at Revolutionary War-era currency.

The following is a press release from MyHeritage and ScanCafe:

MyHeritage, the leading global platform for family history, and ScanCafe, the leading photo and video digitization service in the U.S., announced today a new partnership to give consumers an easy and safe way to digitize their family memories. This new collaboration combines the power of two giants in the fields of media scanning and family history. ScanCafe enables consumers to easily digitize their physical media items. MyHeritage then safeguards their digital legacy and provides a starting point for exploring their entire family history.

ScanCafe, founded in 2006, is a trusted service for bulk photo scanning and digitization of negatives, slides, videos, and other media.

MyHeritage, founded in 2003, is an online platform for discovering and preserving family history. It offers convenient cloud storage service for digital photos and videos, and features an innovative suite of AI-powered technologies to enhance, colorize, repair, and animate photos.

MyHeritage is now the recommended cloud storage option for all customers who order ScanCafe’s services, and ScanCafe is now the recommended bulk media scanning solution for MyHeritage’s U.S. users. For every ScanCafe order where cloud storage on MyHeritage is selected, or where MyHeritage is the referring service, the digitized media files from ScanCafe are automatically transferred for safekeeping on MyHeritage, and the user’s ScanCafe and MyHeritage accounts are seamlessly connected through a secure integration.

On MyHeritage, users can access their digitized photos and videos via the MyHeritage website and mobile apps, and enjoy powerful features to enhance, colorize, repair and animate their photos. Features like multi-photo tagging and AI-based photo date estimation make it simple to organize family photos and easily share them with family and friends. Preserving the family’s cherished photos and videos is only the beginning. MyHeritage offers a range of additional products and features to help users discover and preserve their family story, including tools to build a family tree, a huge database of 34 billion historical records from around the world, and at-home DNA testing.

“Many of us have childhood photo albums and shoe boxes full of treasured photos tucked away at home, and each one holds a piece of our family story,” said Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “While MyHeritage’s mobile apps include built-in photo scanning, many people don’t have the time to scan their photos one by one. With ScanCafe’s state-of-the-art bulk scanning service now integrated with MyHeritage, it’s never been easier to have your family’s entire media collection of memories professionally digitized by ScanCafe and securely stored on the MyHeritage platform for posterity — alongside all your family history materials. This collaboration reflects our unwavering commitment to expand the MyHeritage platform through initiatives that help families safeguard their memories and explore their family history in new and meaningful ways.”

“Behind every family photo and video is a personal story waiting to be rediscovered, and deserving to be told,” said Anderson Schoenrock, CEO of ScanCafe. “We’re thrilled to partner with MyHeritage, a global leader in family history, to make it easy for families to preserve their memories and discover the people, places, and stories that bring them to life.”

ScanCafe customers who select the MyHeritage cloud storage plan at checkout will receive cloud storage for their photos and unlimited access to MyHeritage’s suite of photo features through monthly and annual subscription options, with the first month provided for free.

MyHeritage users in the U.S. will enjoy a 50% discount at ScanCafe for a limited time. MyHeritage subscribers with a Complete, Omni, or Photo plan who accept MyHeritage’s referral to digitize their memories with ScanCafe will have their digitized media files automatically uploaded to their account on MyHeritage.

Learn more about the MyHeritage-ScanCafe partnership at scancafe.com/myheritage.

About MyHeritage

MyHeritage is the leading global platform for family history. It enriches the lives of people worldwide by enabling them to uncover more about themselves and where they belong. With a suite of intuitive products, billions of historical records, AI-powered photo tools, and an affordable at-home DNA test, MyHeritage creates a meaningful discovery experience that is deeply rewarding. The MyHeritage platform is enjoyed by more than 62 million people around the world who treasure and celebrate their heritage. MyHeritage offers full privacy controls and is available in 42 languages. www.myheritage.com

About ScanCafe

Founded in 2006, ScanCafe is a trusted digitization service helping families preserve and rediscover their most treasured memories. From old photographs, negatives, and slides to videotapes, film reels, and more, ScanCafe transforms aging analog media into high-quality digital files. With over 250 million memories digitized and counting, families nationwide rely on ScanCafe for its commitment to quality, affordability, and care. Because every memory deserves to be brought back to life—and passed on for generations to come.

It has been 28 years since authorities discovered 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey strangled and bludgeoned in her Boulder home basement with her killer still unidentified.

The Boulder Police Department has received a flood of new leads since Netflix released its popular documentary "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey" in November.

An investigator from the joint task force dealing with the case revealed that they received more than 100 leads. Investigators must now identify which tips have credibility and which ones do not. We analyze every tip received to determine its usefulness in solving the case. It’s a priority here.” 

The Ramsey family found comfort in this development since JonBenét's horrific murder which occurred on Dec. 26, 1996. Her parents John and Patsy Ramsey encouraged police to resume the investigation into her murder even though they were initially suspects.

John Andrew Ramsey explained that their continued participation in media interviews stems from the hope of persuading someone with information about JonBenét's murder to speak up.

Since JonBenét disappeared from her large Boulder, Colo., home authorities have remained baffled by her murder case.

The little girl's broken body was discovered in the basement of the home by John Ramsey several hours later. A garrote was found around her neck while her skull sustained a smash from a blow to the back of her head.

Police initially focused on JonBenét’s family: John, Patsey and JonBenét’s youngest brother Burke. The DNA evidence that came back 15 days after the murder indicated they were not the suspects. The district attorney at the time formally cleared them of suspicion in 2008.

John Ramsey has revealed his intent to hold a meeting with the Boulder Police Department chief in Colorado next month with a representative of an independent genetic genealogy research lab. At eighty years old Ramsey is advocating for permission to let an external laboratory analyze the evidence collected from the scene of the crime.

We sent a meeting request to Boulder Police Department Chief Stephen Redfearn for January. Ramsey reported to Fox News Digital that he received a positive response from Chief Redfearn who agreed to meet. We still need to pick a date for our meeting but we will work it out. That’s an important meeting. A representative from one of these advanced labs will join us to discuss their capabilities and limitations. Hopefully, he will accept their help.” 

The leadership of Boulder Police Department changed hands within the last two years. Redfearn who started on the job not long ago announced his strong desire to solve the case.

According to the investigator speaking to The Post the Boulder Police Department bears a significant public black mark. Everyone stands to benefit from resolving this issue. That’s why we’re so committed now.” 

The Ramseys' family urges anyone who has information to reach out to Boulder police.

John Andrew Ramsey affirmed that every small detail has the potential to aid the investigation. By choosing to speak up you can help provide the answers we desperately need.

The identity of a Jane Doe found in 2018, partially buried in a mulch bed with a rose placed delicately on her chest, has been learned.  She was 71-year-old Patricia Colina Goodwin.  

Goodwin's body was discovered in a shallow grave near a playground outside of an Avondale apartment complex on Glenwood Avenue on May 31, 2018 — Memorial Day weekend, nearly seven years ago.  She'd been wrapped in cloth, a rose placed carefully on her chest.  

Since then, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office has been working to discover her identity.

Months after she was found, a sketch was released depicting what Goodwin may have looked like; one year later, in 2019, a clay sculpture of her suspected likeness was also unveiled.  Her fingerprints were taken, her DNA was uploaded and run through CODIS with no results. Then, in 2023, the coroner's office held a press conference to release digital 3D images created by BCI.  The woman was wearing gray, silky pajama bottoms and a gray tank top. A name, possibly “Schrader,” was written in permanent marker on the tag inside the pajama bottoms. A white metal hair stylist-type hair clip was in her hair. She was wearing silver hoop earrings and three hair ties on her wrist.  

During Tuesday's press conference, Sammarco pointed out that earrings Goodwin is wearing in a BMV photo taken for her driver's license match the earrings found on the woman in Avondale.  

Over four separate press conferences in the last seven years, Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco has said her office did not suspect Goodwin was a victim of foul play.  Goodwin's autopsy had revealed she'd had drugs in her system and her cause of death is believed to be an overdose.  That's the same cause of death determined for Goodwin's son, whose body arrived at the Hamilton County Coroner's Office one year after Goodwin was discovered.  

Elena Iatarola, special agent in charge for FBI Cincinnati, said the department's Investigative Genetic Genealogy team were able to use Goodwin's DNA to tie her more closely to family trees already in the FBI's database.  That led to Goodwin's family.  Through that connection, officials discovered Goodwin's son had died from an overdose in 2019. DNA testing performed on the Jane Doe discovered in 2018 and Goodwin's son's body showed that it was 99.99% likely the Jane Doe was his mother, Patricia Goodwin.  Sammarco said some of the other details of the case have been cleared up in speaking with Goodwin's family, and others who knew her son.  

"It's likely that they were together and that he tried to bury his mother the best that he could and left a rose on her chest," said Sammarco. "That's what we think might have happened, but it's sort of a guess at this point."  At least one person who knew Goodwin's son said that he'd mentioned being with his mother, but that she'd died a year prior.  Sammarco said unfortunately,

Goodwin's brother died a year ago, without ever learning what happened to his sister. He'd never stopped looking for her, Sammarco said.  Still, she said now the rest of Goodwin's family knows.  "This kind of closure, it's one of the things we do in this office is try and bring that peace and closure to these families," Sammarco said.

 Jennifer Lester, a criminal intelligence analyst with BCI who's worked on Goodwin's case since 2018 had a message for families who may be missing a loved one.  Even if your loved one has been reported missing to a local law enforcement agency, you can still call 855.BCI.OHIO to report them missing with BCI.  Through Ohio Project LINK, Lester said officials are working to use genealogy and DNA matching to help with the search for missing people.

California police discovered a woman's dismembered torso with multiple stab wounds on July 11, 1981.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office reported that authorities discovered the victim in an empty field which currently holds the VTA Berryessa Transit Center and BART Station parking structure in San Jose, California.

"She was unidentified. We didn't know who she was. Rob Baker, the Deputy District Attorney for Santa Clara County declared that the woman suffered dismemberment before her murder remained unsolved.

The DA's office reported on Tuesday that through forensic genealogy scientists have identified Vivian Moss as the victim.

At her death Vivian Moss had reached the age of 54.

The District Attorney's office created an AI-generated image of Moss using a fuzzy family photo as reference material.

Baker stated they needed to match the unknown face to an identity.

A computer-created visual representation depicts Vivian Moss who lost her life in San Jose, Calif., during 1981.

San Jose, Calif. became the site where Vivian Moss died in 1981 and this artificial-intelligence generated image represents her.

He explained that forensic genealogists from Parabon NanoLabs collaborated with their team while EWU Media provided financial support for the project.

In 2024 investigators received information about a potential granddaughter's identity.

Baker explained how their cold case unit contacted the granddaughter who shared that her grandmother failed to pick her up in 1981 and she hasn't seen her since.

The family and investigators are hopeful that someone will provide information to help identify Moss' killer now that investigators have solved half the mystery.

Who knew Vivian Moss before she disappeared and what situation may have caused her death? Were there any individuals in her life who posed potential threats to her? Baker asked. 

According to Baker Vivian Moss participated actively in the Mt. Zion Spiritual Church of Oakland. Zion Spiritual Church in Oakland. Before her disappearance Vivian Moss might have worked at an Oakland elementary school.

Religious medallions were found with her including a round one that read "Saint Christopher protect us". The second medallion featured an oval shape with an image of the Virgin Mary encircled by "Mary conceived without sin. Pray for us who have recourse to thee." We seek your prayers because we take refuge in you.

Baker requested assistance to uncover Vivian's story since her identity has been determined. We have a name. We aim to discover what events led to her situation.

The Santa Clara County DA's Cold Case Unit requests that anyone with information contact them via (408) 792-2466 or through their email coldcasetips@dao.sccgov.org.

The following is a press release issued by the Augusta (Georgia) Genealogical Society:

2025 ​AGS Genealogical Symposium

Build New Genealogy Skills

Featuring programs by 
Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist

 

Virtual Presentation

and ​Erick Montgomery

Executive Director- Historic Augusta and Past President AGS

In Person and Virtual Presentation

Saturday, August 16, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST (sign in at 9:45)  

Join the program virtually from home  
or participate in person at Brandon Wilde
Georgia Room— 4275 Owens Rd, Evans, GA 30809

Hosted by Brandon Wilde, the Augusta Premier Retirement Community

Registration Fee 
Virtual Program at Home:  $34.00
Attend the Virtual Program at Brandon Wilde, with Lunch: $49.00
Registration Deadline: August 11, 2025

Programs

Session 1: 
​Erick Montgomery  
​Finding Our Fathers (and Mothers): Using Artificial Intelligence in Genealogical Research

Artificial Intelligence is constantly in the news, but how can it assist genealogists in furthering family history research and in breaking down brick walls? Gain a very basic understanding of what AI is and how it can aid in your genealogical research. Specific step-by-step instructions will be demonstrated for using the new “FamilySearch Labs” tool to search their massive collection of digitized records that are freely available online. The handout will include an illustrated guide to ensure easy access when you try it on your own after the symposium.

Session 2: 

Judy G. Russell
​GENEALOGY & LEGAL RECORDS
NARA Mythbusters: 

​Your Family IS in the Archives

“All the military records were burned in the fire.” “There isn't any birth, marriage, or death information in federal records.” “There aren't any details about ordinary families at the National Archives.” These kinds of myth-statements stop genealogists from breaking down all kinds of brick walls using the wealth of information in NARA records. Join the Mythbusters with the treasures the National Archives holds for your family.

Session 3:

Judy G. Russell

GENEALOGY METHODOLOGY

When Worlds Collide: Resolving Conflicts in Genealogical

Records

Genealogical Proof Standard says to resolve conflicts in data... but like so many things that sound good, it’s easier said than done. What exactly are we supposed to do when we encounter conflicting evidence? What are the basic types of evidence conflicts and the methods – and tips and tricks – we can use to resolve them?

Session 4:

Judy G. Russell

GENEALOGY METHODOLOGY

Linking the Generations with Court and Land Records 

It’s the single biggest issue genealogists face: how do we connect one generation to the next with evidence we can rely on? Vital records are excellent documentation, but they often don’t exist for the time and place we’re researching. That’s when we have to find workarounds to make sure we’re not simply putting people into family lines because they share the same names. Using court and land records, we can often find the evidence we need to link the generations accurately.

Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGL(sm), FUGA

Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist®, is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches, and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical topics, providing expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side, she holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark. Before she retired, she worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor, and, for more than 20 years, as an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School.

She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, and numerous state and regional genealogical societies. Named a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association in 2025, she received the 2015 UGA Silver Tray Award and the 2017 Award of Excellence from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, where she now serves as a member of the NGSQ editorial board.
An internationally-known lecturer and course coordinator and faculty member at numerous genealogical institutes, she holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical Lecturer℠ from the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. Her award-winning blog appears at The Legal Genealogist® website (https://www.legalgenealogist.com).

Erick Montgomery, Executive Director– Historic Augusta, Past President– AGS  

Erick Montgomery is the Executive Director of Historic Augusta, Inc., a position he has held since 1989. Historic Augusta is an organization dedicated to the preservation
of historic sites and structures in Augusta and the Central Savannah River Area, providing technical assistance and consultation on historic rehabilitation and restoration. Genealogically, he has been an avid family historian since childhood and has published genealogical and historical articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), The American Genealogist (TAG), Augusta-Richmond County History, the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly (APGQ), and the Franklin County (Tennessee) Historical Review. He formerly served as President of the Augusta Genealogical Society and was once President of the Savannah Area Genealogical Association. To advance his research skills, he has attended the Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR) several times over the years, as well as other genealogical conferences, seminars, and workshops. 

AGS Genealogical Symposium - Augusta Genealogical Society