Consumer DNA Databases: Montana Set to Restrict Police Access

Montana Murder Mysteries

Within the last year alone, Montana has seen major breaks in cold cases. And it's due in large part to a relatively new technology called forensic genetic genealogy testing, commonly known as consumer DNA testing. However, come October 1, 2021, Montana will become one of only two states in the nation set to restrict law enforcement from gathering vital clues from these consumer DNA databases, like 23andMe and Ancestry.com. Hosts Angela Marshall and Blake Simonson look at some of the cases that have been solved using forensic genetic genealogy testing. Plus, they break down this first-of-its-kind legislation to find out how it could complicate matters for law enforcement and family members in trying to solve cold cases.