Killer eludes police for 31 years – how did one woman find him in two hours?

This story initially aired Nov. 20, 2021. it was up to date on Jan. 21, 2023.

When Chelsea Rustad uploaded her DNA on a public database, she by no means anticipated two police investigators would seem on her doorstep.

“They let me know that they are investigating a family member of mine for murder,” she tells “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty. “… a double homicide from 1987 … This was a person who was in my family tree.”

For greater than 30 years, investigators in Washington state had been attempting to resolve the murders of 18-year-old Tanya Van Cuylenborg and her 20-year-old boyfriend, Jay Cook.

The killer’s identification remained a thriller for investigators till DNA proof discovered on Tanya’s pants was uploaded to the identical web site that contained Rustad’s DNA, enabling genetic genealogist CeCe Moore to determine the possible suspect in simply two hours.

Moore, recognized for her work on the PBS sequence “Finding Your Roots,” was known as in to assist discover the one that matched the unidentified DNA.

“It’s the web of matches,” Moore says. “It’s putting those pieces together little by little.”

“Genetic genealogy has exposed a lot of secrets that people had hoped would remain secret,” Moriarty says to Moore.

“Yes,” Moore says. “Oftentimes, it’s someone’s deepest, darkest secret.”

How did Moore slender down the suspect? And how did he elude investigators so lengthy?

YOUNG COUPLE MURDERED

Det. Jim Scharf: I’ve an issue that I’m relentless and I do not hand over (laughs).

There could also be no extra dogged investigator than Snohomish County chilly case detective Jim Scharf. Especially when it got here to the murders of Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook.

Det. Jim Scharf: It was in all probability essentially the most horrendous unsolved case that we had. … Tanya Van Cuylenborg was an 18-year-old woman. She’d simply graduated from highschool. She was in a brand new relationship with Jay Cook.   

On November 18, 1987, the younger couple left British Columbia in Jay’s dad or mum’s van heading for Seattle, Washington. 

Det. Jim Scharf (with map): Jay was going to go to GENSCO Heating in Seattle to choose up some furnace elements for his dad. 

They deliberate to sleep within the van, close to the shop, and drive again to Canada the following day.

Det. Jim Scharf: So, once they did not present up that night, the households turned involved.

John Van Cuylenborg: We simply had no concept the place they is perhaps or what may need transpired.

Tanya’s large brother John was in school when he obtained a name from his frightened father.

Erin Moriarty: John, would your sister ever simply go off and never name your dad and mom?

John Van Cuylenborg: No. I do not assume that it ever occurred … , if the plans had modified and she or he was going to spend one other evening … she would have known as my dad and mom.

After Tanya and Jay had been reported lacking, regulation enforcement started searching for them. Desperate for solutions, John and his father joined the search in Seattle.

John Van Cuylenborg: Something was gravely improper. I imply, the apparent issues by way of them being in hospital or one thing or simply merely with a flat tire someplace, all these extra harmless explanations had been just about vanishing.

On November 24, six days after the couple disappeared, John’s worst fears had been confirmed.  Tanya’s physique was discovered on the backside of ditch in rural Skagit County, some 80 miles north of Seattle.

Det. Jim Scharf: She wasn’t carrying any pants or panties. … and her bra was pushed up over her breasts. So, it clearly appeared like a rape-murder. 

Tanya had been shot within the head at shut vary.

Det. Jim Scharf: She rolled down the hill … It was a fast execution.

Later that night, John needed to determine his sister’s physique.

John Van Cuylenborg: It’s such a crushing feeling … that impulsively you see her mendacity there. … It’s positively horrific. … But we had no concept nonetheless about the place was Jay? Where was the van? … How did this occur? Why did it occur?

The subsequent day, Tanya’s pockets, the keys to the van, some bullets, and quite a few different gadgets turned up 16 miles away, in Bellingham. They had been discarded below the porch of an area tavern subsequent to the Greyhound bus station.

Police situated the van in a close-by parking zone, however Jay was nonetheless lacking.

Det. Jim Scharf (displaying map): The following day … Jay’s physique was discovered … beneath High Bridge.

He was about 70 miles south of the place Tanya had been discovered.

Det. Jim Scharf:  It was a horrible scene.

Her 20-year-old boyfriend had been strangled — a pack of cigarettes stuffed down his throat. 

Erin Moriarty: What did most investigators take into consideration this killer? I imply, who does one thing like this?

Det. Jim Scharf:  Right. That was the massive query. … this was an individual who was an actual predator.  And it was … believed on the time … that it was in all probability a serial killer or an ex-convict.

But discovering that predator could be difficult. Investigators and forensic scientists had 4 crime scenes scattered over three counties, however few clues.  A bullet casing discovered on the hillside close to Tanya’s physique matched these bullets collected on the tavern in Bellingham, however a gun was by no means discovered.  

A surgical glove was found below the porch. Investigators imagine the killer wore it to keep away from leaving fingerprints. But he could have been careless.

Det. Jim Scharf: There was a palm print on the again of the van that … they believed hopefully belonged to the suspect. 

Inside the van, they discovered what would finally be a very powerful piece of proof: the black pants Tanya had been carrying.

Det. Jim Scharf: They discovered that there was semen on Tanya’s pants … and once they examined the semen, they discovered that it could not be left from Jay.

The pattern matched the DNA discovered inside Tanya’s physique, and would later be generally known as “Individual A.”

But the one proof that related all 4 crime scenes had been plastic zip ties discovered close to Tanya and Jay’s our bodies, below the porch, and contained in the van.  According to Detective Scharf, they had been a part of the killer’s rape-murder package.

Det. Jim Scharf: This was a predator that was trying to find a sufferer that he wished to rape. And perhaps in his thoughts, he determined that he was going to kill them too.

John Van Cuylenborg: They had been two-mild mannered, soft-spoken youngsters. They weren’t out to choose a battle with anybody. … I imply, each households had been simply so devastated.

Hoping to seek out the killer, Tanya’s household provided a $50,000 reward for data. Tips got here in, however none panned out.

John Van Cuylenborg: The police, to their credit score, had been attempting to chase down each type of principle. 

Over the years, the theories and false leads would develop, and greater than 200 names would fill the case file; some had been convicted felons. And then there was Charles Sinclair.

Det. Jim Scharf: He was believed to be a serial killer throughout the western United States.

There additionally was an nameless author who despatched threatening letters to Jay and Tanya’s households claiming to be the killer.

John Van Cuylenborg: It was simply unfathomable to assume that, , anyone not solely had accomplished these murders however then was going to proceed taunting the households with these letters. 

But each suspect’s DNA was in comparison with Individual A’s profile, and none matched.

Lisa Collins: the purpose was to strive to determine … Who did this semen pattern belong to?

Lisa Collins, a forensic scientist with the Washington State Patrol, uploaded Individual A’s profile to CODIS – the FBI’s nationwide offender database.

Lisa Collins: As the years glided by, simply full silence. …  it is disheartening. You simply — are afraid that this is perhaps a type of circumstances that is by no means gonna be solved.

And then, greater than 30 years after Tanya and Jay had been killed — there is a break within the case.

Lisa Collins: I used to be skeptical. I used to be hopeful however I used to be skeptical. And I– I’m a believer now.

AN INVESTIGATIVE GAME CHANGER

Lisa Collins: We had these unique semen samples — from the pants after which from Tanya’s physique …  attempting to determine who this pattern could belong to … that was the tedious and exhausting half.

The man police believed killed Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook left behind a forensic calling card, says Lisa Collins, however nonetheless managed to elude seize for years.

And then in 2017, Detective Jim Scharf heard about an revolutionary software developed by Parabon NanoLabs that makes use of DNA proof to foretell the genetic traits of an unknown suspect.  It’s known as Snapshot Phenotyping.

Det. Jim Scharf: They collect all that data, they usually find yourself making a Snapshot … of what a person with all of these traits would possibly look just like.

Parabon was employed to make use of Individual A’s DNA to create a composite sketch which gave Scharf some clues as to what the suspect may appear like on the ages of 25, 45 and 65, however he nonetheless did not have a reputation.

Then, in 2018, a surprising arrest in California opened new doorways for regulation enforcement.

GAYLE KING | “CBS THIS MORNING”: Investigators in California say DNA proof led them to one of many nation’s most infamous serial killers. …He is believed to be the so-called Golden State Killer.

The man answerable for quite a few rapes and murders was lastly apprehended after 43 years utilizing genetic family tree. 

Erin Moriarty: Did just a little gentle bulb go over your head at that second?

Det. Jim Scharf: Oh yeah, large gentle bulb.

The Golden State Killer’s DNA had been uploaded to GEDmatch, a genetic database that enables customers of varied shopper take a look at kits to share and evaluate their DNA.

Det. Jim Scharf: This is improbable. I have to get on this.

Parabon agreed to add Individual A’s DNA to GEDmatch and known as in genetic genealogist CeCe Moore. She’s recognized for her work on the PBS present, “Finding Your Roots.”

And she’s famed for expertise at mapping household bushes.  But this was her first felony case.

CeCe Moore:  I had had quite a lot of doubts whether or not this was the precise factor for me to do and I lastly made the choice, “OK, I’m — I’m gonna do this.” But loads was using on that case.

It was a case she had been following for years and felt a private connection to.  Moore’s dad and mom had been from the Pacific Northwest, and she or he was the identical age as Tanya Van Cuylenborg.

CeCe Moore: She was killed proper once I was graduating highschool, and going onto faculty, and my life was simply actually starting and hers ended so tragically. And so, I believe it all the time caught with me. 

On Friday April 27, 2018, Individual A’s DNA file was uploaded to GEDmatch.

CeCe Moore: It’s in contrast in opposition to everybody that is taking part in that database. And so, what they’re searching for are lengthy segments of an identical DNA between two individuals.  … Sometimes the match listing will present up instantly and generally it takes a few days. So, I stayed up actually late that Friday evening. I saved checking.  There had been no matches.

The subsequent morning Moore logged on to see if there was an inventory.

CeCe Moore:  And there was. … And so, we’re hoping for at the very least a second cousin or nearer on the prime of that listing. … And we used to name that bein’ struck by lightning.

Erin Moriarty: Were you struck by lightning on this case?

CeCe Moore: Twice. We had been caught — struck by (laughs) lightning twice.

On the listing had been two individuals who shared sufficient DNA with Individual A to be his second cousins.

Erin Moriarty: And what was that — what was that feeling like?

CeCe Moore: It was fairly thrilling (laughs) and s — scary.

In this case the cousins shared DNA with Individual A however not with one another, which meant they’re associated to him on totally different branches of his household tree.  But to determine who he was, Moore first needed to discover out who they had been.  

CeCe Moore: Now, thankfully one of many individuals on the prime of that listing had a very distinctive title.

Erin Moriarty: And what was her title?

CeCe Moore: Chelsea Rustad.

Chelsea Rustad had taken an Ancestry DNA take a look at after which went a step additional.

Chelsea Rustad: You can obtain your uncooked DNA file to your pc after which add it to GEDmatch. … I simply had no inkling in any respect that … that there have been secret relations I did not find out about or mysteries to uncover.

Neither did the opposite second cousin – who Moore was additionally in a position to determine – however has chosen to stay nameless 

CeCe Moore: And then I constructed the household bushes of these prime two matches, and surprisingly rapidly I found how they converged. … it solely took me two hours to return to the identification of who I believed to be Tanya and Jay’s killer.

Erin Moriarty: This is an individual who had eluded seize, investigation for 31 years, and also you had been in a position to determine this individual in two hours?

CeCe Moore: That’s the ability of genetic family tree. Yeah.

Erin Moriarty: But how positive had been you?

CeCe Moore: I used to be very positive.

Erin Moriarty: But is not that scary, CeCe? Because … your work would possibly find yourself with this individual in jail.

CeCe Moore: Right. And at that second I’m the one individual on the planet who is aware of that he is in all probability responsible of this crime, apart from him, in fact. And so, it’s a tremendous heavy burden. 

Monday morning, April 30, Detective Jim Scharf obtained the news. 

Det. Jim Scharf: We’ve obtained it narrowed down to at least one man. And I’m pondering I do not imagine this

… And my first thought is … who’s the man?

A SUSPECT IS IDENTIFIED

Thirty-plus years. Dozens of useless ends. Hundreds of false leads.

And then, in April of 2018, CeCe Moore obtained on a pc and out of the billions of individuals on earth, recognized — by way of genetic family tree — the one man she believed killed Jay Cook and Tanya Van Cuylenberg.

Erin Moriarty: Who was the individual you recognized?

CeCe Moore: William Earl Talbott II.

William Earl Talbott II.  When Detective Jim Scharf heard the title, he ran it by way of the system and was stunned to be taught that Talbott had no felony convictions. 

Det. Jim Scharf: It was a brand new title we would by no means heard of earlier than. … But it was positive good once we came upon that he solely lived 7 miles from the bridge the place Jay’s physique was discovered.

Scharf additionally discovered that in 1987, Talbott, who was 24 on the time, labored as a supply driver and made stops close to the place Jay and Tanya had been headed to choose up that furnace half — and says Talbott was fired a couple of months earlier than the murders.

Det. Jim Scharf: So, it is smart … that he was down in that space prowling round and doubtless bumped into Jay and Tanya.

But Scharf wanted greater than outdated work data and genetic family tree.

CeCe Moore: It’s actually only a tip. It’s an investigative lead.

To make an arrest, Scharf wanted to ensure that the DNA left on the crime scene by the person they knew solely as Individual A matched William Talbott’s.  So someway, Scharf needed to receive a contemporary DNA pattern from Talbott himself. 

Det. Jim Scharf: We had been going to comply with him till he dropped or threw away something that had touched his mouth as a result of we wished his saliva on it as the perfect kind of DNA supply. 

Investigators discovered Talbott now drove a semi, they usually started tailing his truck. One day a few week later, they watched as Talbot stopped at a purple gentle and opened the truck door.

Det. Jim Scharf: The gentle modifications to inexperienced, he slams the door and drives away, and there is a white paper cup laying on the road. … It’s blowing round within the wind. So, they leap out, they go over they usually accumulate the cup, they usually name me.

Scharf rushed the paper cup to forensic scientist Lisa Collins with the Washington State Patrol.

Lisa Collins: They wished me to check this cup and simply see if I may get a DNA profile from it.

Scharf left the cup on the lab to await the outcomes. CeCe Moore had already begun trying to find Talbott on-line, and rapidly discovered his sisters and father on social media.

CeCe Moore: I could not discover hardly something about him. You know, no marriages. I may discover little or no footprint on-line in any respect. And that was just a little uncommon. 

Years earlier, another person who knew nothing concerning the investigation, had made an identical search … Chelsea Rustad.  In 2013, lengthy earlier than she submitted her DNA to any web sites, Rustad Googled her grandpa’s sister Blanche and located quite a lot of data on-line.

Chelsea Rustad: Her daughter was Patty Talbot. And Patty had three daughters and one son, and the son was William Earl Talbott.

These had been Rustad’s second cousins, the Talbotts. Chelsea friended two of the sisters on Facebook, however their brother William was a thriller.

Chelsea Rustad: This man was simply sort of a query mark. Off the grid. 

Rustad figured William Talbott was estranged from his household, however did not give it a lot thought, even after she uploaded her DNA to Ancestry.com after which GEDmatch. So, she was shocked that day in 2018, when these investigators confirmed up on her doorstep, and requested to see her analysis.  

Chelsea Rustad: Man, I’m simply sort of like, “wait. One of — you’re saying one of my family members is connected to a murder?” And they’re saying, ,” yeah. It’s from 1987. And the person of interest is William Earl Talbott.”

Chelsea Rustad: And I’m like, sort of greedy the scope of this. … And … , sickened interested by it.

The investigators wished to know her impression of William Talbott.

Chelsea Rustad: I informed them … my principle. That I believe he is estranged.

Detective Scharf obtained extra particulars from Talbott’s family and friends.

Det. Jim Scharf: He had a historical past of anger and violence when he was youthful.

In audiotaped interviews with Talbott’s sisters, Scharf discovered William’s troubles started when he was 11 and his father was significantly harm in a bike accident. The sisters say William started to lash out.

TALBOTT’S SISTER: He was actually an offended child.

TALBOTT’S SISTER: He beat me up, broke my tailbone, I needed to go to the hospital.

Another sister says William harm her too. Still, she mentioned, she did not assume he was able to homicide.

TALBOTT’S OTHER SISTER: Yeah, he … may very well be a bonehead, however to not the purpose of … attacking or killing anyone, no.

But would the DNA on the paper cup inform a special story? That was on Detective Scharf’s thoughts when he returned to the police lab, and Lisa Collins shared the outcomes of her testing.

Lisa Collins: I mentioned, “The profile from the cup matches Individual A.”… it was simply an — an incredible second, yeah. 

Erin Moriarty: What did that really feel like, Jim?

Det. Jim Scharf: I obtained tears in my eyes … I’m like, I am unable to imagine it. It’s so emotional. And then I’m like, yeah, we obtained him (laughs).

So, on May 17, 2018, practically 31 years after two carefree youngsters set out on a street journey and by no means returned, Detective Scharf arrested William Talbott.

John Van Cuylenborg: He says “John, we got him.”

Scharf known as Tanya’s brother John instantly, saying that in the end Individual A was in handcuffs.  

John Van Cuylenborg: I imply, that is when it actually despatched a chill down my backbone. … It was fairly overwhelming to assume that it had all culminated in that second proper there, 31 years later.

The subsequent day, William Talbott was charged with Tanya’s homicide. Charges for Jay’s homicide quickly adopted. Jay’s sister spoke at a press convention.

LAURA BAANSTRA: It’s exhausting to place into phrases this sense of aid, of pleasure, of — of nice sorrow that this arrest brings.

Jay’s mother mentioned the second was bittersweet.

LEONA COOK: On one hand, we’re near closure, and on the opposite, we’re nonetheless at a loss and I haven’t got my solely son, Jay.

Detective Scharf informed the group he was grateful for breakthroughs in DNA know-how.

DET. JIM SCHARF: If it hadn’t been for genetic family tree we would not be standing right here right now.

But would proof obtained by way of genetic family tree be allowed in courtroom?

FIRST TEST IN COURT

More than three a long time had handed since these darkish November days in 1987 when Jay and Tanya had been discovered murdered.  Now, with William Talbott’s arrest, Tanya’s brother John Van Cuylenborg was lastly in a position to face the person suspected of his sister’s homicide.

Erin Moriarty: And what did you assume the primary time you noticed him?

John Van Cuylenborg:  Just reviled. I imply, it is exhausting to regulate your feelings.

Talbott pleaded not responsible to 2 counts of aggravated homicide and so in June of 2019 his trial started within the Snohomish County Superior Court.

CeCe Moore: It was the primary case ever to go to a jury trial the place the suspect had been recognized by way of investigative genetic family tree.

Although the Golden State Killer had been recognized first, Talbott’s trial could be earlier than his, and CeCe Moore was conscious about how a lot was using on the result.

CeCe Moore: We did not know at that time how genetic family tree was going to be handled in courtroom as a result of there was no priority.

The prosecution hoped to make it a nonissue.

Matthew Baldock: I used to be going to reduce the publicity by sort of downplaying the significance of the genetic family tree, figuring out full properly, that was the a part of the case that was maybe most intriguing to individuals.

Chief felony deputy Matthew Baldock was the lead prosecutor on Talbott’s case. He approached the protection with a proposal: they might stipulate to the jury that the DNA from Individual A had come from William Talbott as an agreed upon reality.

Matthew Baldock: Much to my shock, they agreed.

It was a significant victory for the prosecution. The use of genetic family tree to find a suspect wouldn’t be contested in courtroom.

CeCe Moore: That was an enormous aid … actually it was the very best final result.

Erin Moriarty: So, you admit that that’s William Talbott’s DNA. Am I appropriate?

Jon Scott: You’re appropriate. That was a stipulation.

Talbott’s attorneys Jon Scott and Rachel Forde would argue there may be really an harmless rationalization for that DNA.

Rachel Forde: Every indication of the DNA discovered … from my shopper indicated consensual intercourse.

Yes, they admit that Talbott had intercourse with Tanya, however deny he raped or killed her, or Jay Cook. They level out that Tanya and Jay had been lacking for a number of days earlier than their our bodies had been discovered, implying that the couple will need to have encountered their killer in a while. 

Erin Moriarty: Tell me what you assume then occurred to Tanya and Jay? 

Rachel Forde: We do not know what occurred. … These youngsters had been off to an journey. Whether they went to a bar, a restaurant, some type of membership to fulfill individuals, I do not know. 

Talbott’s attorneys say it is comprehensible that Talbott may not keep in mind assembly Tanya and even the place he was 30 years in the past, but it surely’s vital, they are saying, that investigators had been unable to hyperlink Talbott to the kind of gun that killed Tanya, the pack of cigarettes, or the supplies used to strangle Jay.

Erin Moriarty: So … William Talbott’s protection is mainly that he had intercourse with Tanya after which someway anyone else killed her?

Jon Scott: That’s not William Talbott’s protection. William Talbott’s protection is that there’s inadequate proof to show him responsible past an inexpensive doubt.

But prosecutors say they do have enough proof: there’s Talbott’s DNA from Tanya’s physique and her pants, the truth that he had lived simply 7 miles from the place Jay’s physique was discovered, and the palm print on the van that police say was a match to Talbott. Then there are the zip ties — discovered in any respect 4 crime scenes.

Baldock says they show the connection between Jay’s homicide and Tanya’s, and the van.

Erin Moriarty: What do you imagine the zip ties had been used for?

Matthew Baldock: I imagine that Mr. Talbott had Jay and Tanya within the van for some time frame after he kidnapped or kidnapped them. And I imagine that he used the zip ties to restrain them.

As a part of his investigation, Detective Scharf had hoped to acquire a usable DNA profile from any of the zip ties.

Det. Jim Scharf: There had been a combination of DNA on one of many zip ties that was present in Jay’s van. And they weren’t in a position to discern who all of the profiles belonged to.

But mid-trial, forensic scientist Lisa Collins realized she may run that combination into a brand new software program program to see if they may discover a match—and, to her shock, she did.

Lisa Collins: When I in contrast — William Talbott’s DNA profile to the combination obtained from the zip tie that was discovered within the sufferer’s van — he was included as a attainable contributor.

But as a result of her discovery got here throughout trial, prosecutors felt it was too late to current to the jury, fearing it might delay the trial. Talbott elected to not take the stand, and his attorneys had been hopeful the jury would agree there was not sufficient proof to show him responsible.

In their closing arguments, the protection informed the jury police had been unreasonably centered on the DNA.

RACHEL FORDE: They by no means stopped to contemplate that maybe the one that left the DNA was not the assassin.

Attorney Forde argued Det. Jim Scharf had tunnel imaginative and prescient.

Erin Moriarty: Is it in any respect attainable that sure, that was William Talbott’s DNA … however he did not kill both of them?

Matthew Baldock: Is that attainable? … Sure. Is it affordable? … No. … She was discovered with out her pants or underwear. … So, simply virtually talking is the declare that Mr. Talbott had consensual intercourse together with her after which she obtained dressed and the one that finally killed her undressed her?

Baldock says the one affordable principle is that Talbott had overpowered the couple with the plan of raping Tanya after which killed them each. 

MATTHEW BALDOCK: He had zip ties. He had gloves. He had a firearm. He had ammunition. 

After a two-week lengthy trial, the jury started to deliberate. But they did not come again that first day. Or the second …

John Van Cuylenborg: You notice that is actually going to be the second of fact.

A NEW ERA

On that third day of deliberations, the households of Jay Cook and Tanya Van Cuylenborg lastly obtained news:  There was a verdict.

“We the jury find the defendant William Earl Talbott II guilty of the crime of murder.”

Guilty. William Talbott had been discovered responsible of the aggravated homicide of Tanya Van Cuylenborg, and responsible of the aggravated homicide of Jay Cook.

John Van Cuylenborg: Just to listen to them — hear the foreman of the jury say responsible was … surreal.

CeCe Moore wasn’t within the courtroom, however she later noticed video of Tanya’s brother John’s response.

CeCe Moore: It was as if I may see a bodily burden raise off his shoulders. He had informed me how he had carried this burden — for years. You know, he was the one sibling. He was her older brother … And so, , that was unbelievable to see. 

Chelsea Rustad had by no means spoken to both Jay or Tanya’s household. But with their blessing, she determined to attend Talbott’s sentencing—the place she first met John.

CHELSEA RUSTAD: John?

JOHN VAN CUYLENBORG: Chelsea?

CHELSEA RUSTAD: Pleasure to fulfill you.

JOHN VAN CUYLENBORG: Pleasure to fulfill you.

Chelsea Rustad: I used to be actually nervous … , he appeared just a little bit nervous as properly.

CHELSEA RUSTAD [hands John a bouquet]: I wished to provide this on behalf of the Rustad household.

JOHN VAN CUYLENBORG: Wow, that is very considerate. Thank you for coming right now.

John Van Cuylenborg: She’s, successfully, a member of the family of the assassin. … so, I believe it was courageous of her to take that danger.

At the sentencing, Jay Cook’s mom informed the choose concerning the grief she has carried all these years.

LEONA COOK: Some of us wished a shirt or a sweater. You put on them. You may put them to your nostril and odor him. I nonetheless have that outdated sweater in my dresser drawer. Thank you.

The sentence was necessary: two life phrases in jail with out parole. 

JUDGE: The courtroom’s solely attainable sentence for every depend is to impose a sentence of life with out the potential for launch.

Chelsea Rustad says her sympathy is for Jay and Tanya’s households, regardless of her genetic ties to Talbott.

Chelsea Rustad: His dad wasn’t there. His sisters weren’t there. He had a member of the family within the viewers, and I used to be there supporting the victims.

Rustad is proud that her DNA helped deliver a killer to justice, however there are some who’ve considerations about this new frontier in police work. 

Andrea Roth: It is perhaps that you simply’re not the Golden State Killer. But it additionally is perhaps that you do not need regulation enforcement scrutinizing your whole household.

Law professor Andrea Roth is head of the UC Berkeley Center for Law and Technology and says

one of many issues she sees is that the DNA used for genetic family tree may be very revealing.

Andrea Roth: This is DNA testing that tells you numerous about an individual’s very delicate data, their medical historical past … data … about familial strains that the households themselves do not even know.

Professor Roth does agree that in circumstances like this, genetic family tree may be an efficient software for the general public good. But she cautions that almost all states haven’t any restrictions on its use.

Andrea Roth: There’s the priority that the federal government may use your DNA for some cause apart from a felony investigation that it should not be utilizing it for: giving it to insurance coverage corporations or utilizing DNA to seek out out who was at a protest assembly. … We haven’t got proof proper now of the federal government doing that. But — these are — are causes that anyone would possibly need to take into consideration earlier than they resolve to add their DNA.

Because of this lack of authorized oversight, Roth has deep reservations about sharing DNA on public family tree web sites. 

Erin Moriarty: Would you not add your DNA?

Andrea Roth: I might not.

But it might already be too late for Professor Roth or many different Americans to really decide out.

Experts estimate that right now greater than 90 p.c of white Americans may be recognized utilizing genetic family tree, and that is as a result of, says CeCe Moore, these of European descent are properly represented on web sites like GEDmatch.

CeCe Moore: We have sufficient DNA. We can determine virtually anybody of northwest European ancestry … even when it takes hours. Dozens of hours, tons of of hours, we’ll get there.

But on this case, after greater than 30 years with no strong leads, Moore was ready to make use of Chelsea Rustad’s DNA to assist find a viable suspect in simply two hours. 

Erin Moriarty: Was this the quickest you’ve got ever discovered a suspect?

CeCe Moore: It was. To today, three and a half years later, tons of of circumstances later, this was essentially the most easy case I’ve ever labored. And that’s wonderful.

Detective Scharf believes this case modified the face of chilly case investigations eternally.

Det. Jim Scharf: Genetic family tree is the perfect software that is come round since DNA … You do not want a CODIS database … to get your match.

For Jay and Tanya’s households it means they lastly have some solutions and a measure of peace.

On Tanya’s grave, her dad and mom inscribed the ultimate line from a poem she wrote when she was 17: “There is a place that I know of … where up above there flies a dove … and slowly as it turns to dawn/she parts her wings and then she’s gone.“

John Van Cuylenborg: She was rising up and maturing and spreading her wings and getting her toes below her after which she was gone.

Erin Moriarty: You miss her nonetheless, do not you?

John Van Cuylenborg: Yeah, positively.

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Produced by Lisa Freed, Sarah Prior and Mary Ann Rotondi. Lauren Clark is the sphere producer. Sara Ely Hulse and Charlotte Fuller are the event producers. Shaheen Tokhi and Addison Briley are the affiliate producers. Michael McHugh is the producer-editor. Atticus Brady and Michael Baluzy are the editors. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.