Identify Indiana Initiative

Identify Indiana at the Crime & Justice Summit! A successful day of interacting with families of the missing and other organizations with common goals and missions for justice.

The number of Sponsors and Attendees just keeps growing.....I think this is going to be a huge success so come on up to Merrillville this April and see everyone..........

MARK YOUR CALENDARS !!!!!!!!!!!

What: Crime and Justice Summit
Where: Dean and Barbara White Event Center
Merrillville, IN
When: April 11, 2026 0900-1400

Coming in April to NWI !!!!!!

Today's DNA Day at New Haven..

Great crowd and great time !!!!

Yesterday, August 13, was a fun filled day of promoting DNA submission and teaching people about the Identify Indiana Initiative at the Indiana State Fair ...... Our group of dedicated volunteers rode out the heat to educate people about how they can help give the names to those UHR's sitting on shelves waiting to be reunited with their families.

A huge shout out to the Indiana State Police for helping us get around the fairgrounds with their UTV. These guys and gals were out there helping and protecting everyone in the heat and deserve all the praise they can get for a job well done !!

Mostly I want to thank all the volunteers for showing up and talking with people and all the people who showed an interest and visited out "booth".......

Hope to see everyone at the Indiana State Fair in 2026 !!!!!!!

THANK YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!

Identify Indiana, Inc.
DNA DAY AT THE STATE FAIR

Identify Indiana, Inc, an Indiana non-profit, will be at the Indiana State Fair on August 13, 2025 to explain the need for people to give a DNA sample to help identify unidentified human remains and how this can help return missing UHR’s to their homes and families.

Presently, it is estimated, there are nearly six hundred “unidentified human remains” , people, here in Indiana setting on shelves in evidence lockers, in universities or buried in unmarked graves. With the advances in DNA technologies there is a very good chance of gaining positive identifications of these “UHR’s” and getting them back not only their names but sending them home to their families to bring some form of closure.

Identify Indiana, Inc is a group of dedicated Coroners, Law Enforcement Officers, Lab Technicians and Genetic Genealogists among many other volunteers who have the passion to solve these UHR cases and send them home. It is the mission of Identify Indiana, Inc, to work with and for all Law Enforcement Agencies, Coroner’s Offices and Families of Missing Persons within the State of Indiana to make a positive identification of Unidentified Human Remains and assist with the return of those remains to their families using all available technologies.

Identify Indiana, Inc works directly with the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center and the Indiana State Police Laboratory and collaborates with County Coroners, City, County and State Police agencies, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Indiana State Clearinghouse, NamUs, Investigative Genetic Genealogists and families of Missing Persons.

So while you are at the Indiana State Fair please consider giving a Family Reference Sample for DNA comparison to these Unidentified’s in hopes that your DNA will lead to a potential match. Stop by our booth next to the Indiana State Police information booth located on Main St. near the entrance to the Midway for more information.

For more information you can email [email protected]
Or “like” us on Facebook at

www.facebook.com

Identify Indiana had a great time at the annual coroners conference talking to our state coroners about what we do. Our goal is the identification of the long term unidentified and challenging identification cases. If you are Law Enforcement or a Coroner, please reach out for assistance in getting your cases into NamUs or for information on various scientific tools for identification. If you are a family member of a missing person, please reach out with help getting your missing loved one into NamUs and providing a family reference DNA sample. Message us here or email us at: [email protected]

Another "Cold Case" solved using the new technology and a little elbow grease .....

link.edgepilot.com

This is one of the honors that a Coroner gets to do:

Fox Hollow Memorial - HKYN - ORIGINAL VERSION This is "Fox Hollow Memorial - HKYN - ORIGINAL VERSION" by Mike Chandler on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Interested in learning more about Forensic Genetic Geneaolgy? Join us in person or online for this fantastic talk open to the public! Reservations are required. The event is free but a $5 donation is requested.

Fall 2024 Installment of the Forensic Science Lecture Series
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 5:30pm (Eastern)
“Introduction to Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy with the Indiana State Police” presented by Bradley Marchant, Indiana State Police Forensic Genetic Genealogist

SUGGESTED DONATION: $5

“Introduction to Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy with the Indiana State Police”

In this lecture, Mr. Marchant will discuss the evolution of genealogy from a past time to the powerful tool it is today in law enforcement.. He will outline the early history of genetic genealogy and some of the earliest cases and will share an example of a case in Indiana in which forensic genetic genealogy led to a conviction. Mr. Marchant will also discuss the methodology and future of this scientific advancement.

The Forensic Science Lecture Series is a long-time partnership between the Indiana Medical History Museum and the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Lab.

An Introduction to Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy The Fall Installment of the Forensic Science Lecture Series is presented by Indiana State Police Genealogist Bradley Marchant.