Methods of associating an unknown biological specimen with a family

A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing a computer-implemented method of identifying an unknown biological specimen as hypothetically related to a family pedigree comprising at least a missing person and relationships to at least two family members having genetic information for use in a system, the system comprising a processor, a memory connected to the processor, an input for receiving a DNA profile and an output device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• (a) pre-computing, via the computer processor, a portion of a pedigree likelihood ratio that a specified genetic relationship exists between a set of unknown biological specimens of a missing person and said at least two family members of the family pedigree, said family pedigree being stored in said memory and said genetic information obtained from known biological specimens of said at least two family members;
• (b) comparing, via the computer processor, at least three test DNA profiles obtained from the set of unknown biological specimens of the missing person to the family pedigree, a DNA profile comprising at least one DNA marker;
• (c) using said pre-computed pedigree likelihood ratio portion and a modified Elston Stewart algorithm, via the computer processor, to calculate a pedigree likelihood ratio that a specified genetic relationship exists between at least one unknown biological specimen of the set of unknown biological specimens and said at least two family members of the family pedigree;
• (d) producing a resultant set of unknown biological specimens rank-ordered according to the pedigree likelihood ratio for the family pedigree via the output device;
• and
• (e) identifying an unknown biological specimen from the rank-ordered set with a high pedigree likelihood ratio as likely corresponding to said missing person belonging in the family pedigree.

A computer having a processor, a memory and an output device for performing a computer-implemented method of identifying an unknown biological specimen as hypothetically related to a family pedigree comprising a missing person and at least a first, a second and a third family member, the method comprising:

• (a) pre-computing, via the computer processor, a portion of a pedigree likelihood ratio that a specified genetic relationship exists between a set of unknown biological specimens of a missing person and said at least two family members of the family pedigree, said family pedigree being stored in said memory and said genetic information obtained from known biological specimens of said at least two family members;
• (b) comparing, via the computer processor, at least three test DNA profiles obtained from the set of unknown biological specimens of the missing person to the family pedigree, a DNA profile comprising at least one DNA marker;
• (c) using said pre-computed pedigree likelihood ratio portion and using a modified Elston Stewart algorithm, via the computer processor, to calculate a pedigree likelihood ratio that a specified genetic relationship exists between at least one unknown biological specimen of the set of unknown biological specimens and said at least two family members of the family pedigree;
• (d) producing a resultant set of unknown biological specimens rank-ordered according to the pedigree likelihood ratio for the family pedigree via the output device;
• and
• (e) identifying an unknown biological specimen from the rank-ordered set with a high pedigree likelihood ratio as likely corresponding to said missing person belonging in the family pedigree.