College Class Cracks Decades-Old Cold Case

A class of college students in new Jersey has been credited with cracking the mystery identity at the heart of a cold case from 2002.

The students of the Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center used genetic material to identify a "John Doe" whose remains were found 21 years ago in a hotel room in Nogales, Arizona, where he had registered for a room under a false identity shortly before his death, KVOA first reported.

The Pima County medical examiner's office referred to him as "Nogales John Doe."

Investigators at the time used fingerprints for a possible identity. But it wasn’t until the renewed student investigation that his identity was confirmed as Donald Sigurd Hadland, Jr.

“The students were able to compile additional supporting information using investigative genetic genealogy to demonstrate how Nogales' John Doe’s genetic matches were consistent with Donald Hadland Jr.," said Ramapo IGG Certificate Program Director Cairenn Binder.

The students used information gathered through the database GEDmatch Pro to first track genetic associations of John Doe in their hunt for his identity, noted a release from the college.

The case is the first announced successful identification of the Genetic Geneology Center, which is the first of its kind in the nation.

Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb praised the "teamwork and diligence" of the students, and emphasized the value of their work.

“The hands-on learning, research and investigative casework taking place at the center helps our law enforcement partners locally and across the nation, as well as those in our communities who long for closure on the loss of loved ones," Jebb said in a statement.