Support for DNA testing in cold cases
Donation protected
On November 7th, 1973, my sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Clifford Bernhardt were found murdered in their home in Billings, MT. My family was shocked, saddened, and completely broken by this stunning and heinous crime.
What made this even worse, though, was the days continuing to tick by without any answers as to who perpetrated this awful act. In the mid 2000s, DNA evidence was recovered from old case files, and, with the help of new technology, our family once again had hope that the killer could be caught and brought to justice.
The dedicated, unpaid detectives of the Yellowstone County Cold Case unit, gave thousands of hours of their time to this case, tracking every lead, examining every theory, and working tirelessly -- even as their funding dwindled.
This March however, everything changed. Using new advances in DNA technology, the detectives, working with Parabon NanoLabs , were able to positively identify the DNA found at the scene, and were able to unearth the identity of the killer. This was only possible through generous donations, family support, and the dedication of the detectives to see the job through.
This story has been widely documented in the media around the country, as evidenced by this Billings Gazette article, this New York Times article, this Washington Post article, and many others. DR. OZ recently aired a segment on July 2nd, 2019.
In honor of my sister and brother-in-law, I am working to establish a foundation to support victims of unsolved crimes and provide financial support to help fund DNA testing and other investigative services for cold case units and forensic genetic testing.
What made this even worse, though, was the days continuing to tick by without any answers as to who perpetrated this awful act. In the mid 2000s, DNA evidence was recovered from old case files, and, with the help of new technology, our family once again had hope that the killer could be caught and brought to justice.
The dedicated, unpaid detectives of the Yellowstone County Cold Case unit, gave thousands of hours of their time to this case, tracking every lead, examining every theory, and working tirelessly -- even as their funding dwindled.
This March however, everything changed. Using new advances in DNA technology, the detectives, working with Parabon NanoLabs , were able to positively identify the DNA found at the scene, and were able to unearth the identity of the killer. This was only possible through generous donations, family support, and the dedication of the detectives to see the job through.
This story has been widely documented in the media around the country, as evidenced by this Billings Gazette article, this New York Times article, this Washington Post article, and many others. DR. OZ recently aired a segment on July 2nd, 2019.
In honor of my sister and brother-in-law, I am working to establish a foundation to support victims of unsolved crimes and provide financial support to help fund DNA testing and other investigative services for cold case units and forensic genetic testing.
Organizer
Kelly Reich
Organizer
Boise, ID