Baltimore prosecutors to increase focus on cold case homicides, DNA testing

Across the country, authorities have been increasingly using genetic technology to solve decades-old cases that had captivated the public and confounded law enforcement. But in Baltimore, where there are thousands of unsolved homicides, it has yet to occur. The Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office is hoping to change that, creating a new cold case division within the homicide unit that will pursue funding for forensic genealogy testing — which involves using DNA submitted to family tree websites and famously helped solve the Golden State Killer case — and work with detectives to better strategize around unsolved cases that may be ripe for a fresh look.