Final answer:
The Golden State Killer case was notably solved using genetic genealogy by comparing DNA evidence with genealogical databases. This method, along with the evaluation of genetic markers, serves as a pivotal tool for forensic analysis in identifying culprits previously elusive to law enforcement agencies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Genetic Genealogy in Crime Solving
One major case that was solved using genetic genealogy involves the Golden State Killer, a serial criminal who committed numerous crimes in California in the 1970s and 1980s. After decades of eluding capture, the case saw a breakthrough in 2018 when investigators used genetic markers from DNA evidence to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo as the perpetrator. This was achieved by comparing the crime scene DNA to genealogical databases, thus illustrating the efficacy of genomic analysis in solving criminal cases. Similar methods have been applied in other cases, taking advantage of the advancements in DNA technology to find matches that would narrow down suspects and identify relationships between individuals. Forensic analysis has benefited greatly from the collaboration between law enforcement and scientific research to utilize genomics for these purposes.
An iconic, earlier use of DNA in a non-criminal case was the immigration case in the UK solved by Dr. Alec Jeffreys's DNA fingerprinting technique, which confirmed the family relationship between a boy and his mother, thus preventing his deportation. The application of genomics has also proven pivotal in other areas such as agriculture and the study of ancient diseases, as indicated by the genomic sequencing of Y. pestis bacteria from 14th-century skeletons, which linked the ancient strain to modern forms of the bacterium responsible for the plague.