DeKalb County is set to host a Missing Persons & DNA Event on May 17, 2025, at the Cochran Building in Legacy Park, Decatur. The event, organized by DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston and Medical Examiner’s Office Director Beoncia Loveless, invites families and friends of missing persons to share information and donate DNA samples to aid identification efforts.
Attendees can file new reports or update existing ones with personnel from the DeKalb County Police Department and District Attorney’s Office. The collected data will be entered into national databases such as NCIC and NamUs. Family members are encouraged to donate DNA for law enforcement use in CODIS and genealogy databases.
Those wishing to file a report should bring photos of the missing person, any tattoos, original police reports if available, and medical documentation or ID documents. For DNA submissions, bringing two family members from different branches of the family tree is advised for effective CODIS searches.
Registration for this free public event is recommended at https://bit.ly/ColdCaseEvents. Complimentary genealogy kits will be available for those interested in exploring their ancestry without an obligation to share their profiles with law enforcement databases.
The event features presentations by genetic genealogist Jeremy Lipford at 11 a.m. on "Identity Unknown: How Genealogy Databases Can Solve Cases," followed by forensic artist Kelly Lawson at 11:30 a.m. on "Portrait of a Missing Person: Forensic Art and How You Can Help."
For the first time, this event coincides with the Walkathon for the Missing and Exploited hosted by Raymond Green International Outreach of Hope. Founded by Donna Green after her son Raymond was kidnapped in 1978, the walkathon raises awareness about missing persons cases.
The DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force comprises staff from various agencies including the FBI and GBI. It works on identifying remains found in DeKalb County using funds from a DOJ grant awarded in October 2022.
Information about unidentified individuals is available online through the Task Force’s website, while case details will also be provided at the event.
Individuals with potential cold case information are urged to contact the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office anonymously if preferred.