Should ancestry DNA be used to solve crimes?

A genealogy database may have solved the Idaho murders

A prisoner.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images)

A "public genealogy database" was used to track down Bryan Christopher Kohberger, the man now accused of murdering four University of Idaho students. DNA was gathered at the crime scene, CNN reports, then "run through a public database to find potential family member matches." Databases like Ancestry.com and 23andMe are popular among Americans who want to learn more about their family's past — and sometimes are a useful tool for investigators. How do police use databases to solve crimes? And what are the concerns about the practice? Here's everything you need to know:

Which database was used to trace Kohberger?

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.