KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Regional Forensic Center is tasked with identifying bodies every single day. It's not always that simple.
"Our job is to determine who they are and provide that information to law enforcement so they can make next of kin notifications and make public releases about who those individuals are," said Chris Thomas, the KCRFC chief administrative officer and director. "There's also those rare circumstances where we have no comparison to make and the decedent is just completely unidentified."
Right now, there are 16 unidentified bodies at the forensic center. Each has a story and description posted online, but no name.
"There was a lady that was found on Fourth and Gill this past August," Thomas said. "I've talked to several community members who are really passionate about trying to locate the identity of this woman."
A Texas-based company could provide that answer. Othram Inc. is cracking mysteries across the country using advanced genomic techniques including what it calls "Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing."
Last September, it identified remains found decades ago in Campbell County as Tracy Sue Walker, a missing Indiana teenager.
In March, it identified remains found decades ago in Gatlinburg as Charlotte Roberta Henry.
"If that is successful, we believe that we're going to be able to clear several of our unidentified cases by just finding familial DNA and being able to identify the next of kin of who these individuals were," Thomas said. "Hopefully by this time next year, we may have several of our unidentified cases closed which we're very excited about."
He said the KCRFC applied for a $116,500 grant through Congressman Tim Burchett's appropriations for community project funding. They expect a decision in July.