DNA Databases: Justice Tool or Privacy Minefield?

How genetic genealogy solved cold cases—and sparked a reckoning over who owns your DNA

When Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested in April 2018 at age 72, it marked a turning point in criminal investigation. The Golden State Killer—responsible for over 50 rapes and 12 murders across California—was caught using genetic genealogy, a method that has since transformed cold case investigations worldwide. But the technology's rise raises urgent questions about privacy, accuracy, and justice.