Casework applications of probabilistic genotyping methods for DNA mixtures that allow relationships between contributors

Abstract

In both criminal cases and civil cases there is an increasing demand for the analysis of DNA mixtures involving relationships. The goal might be, for example, to identify the contributors to a DNA mixture where the unknown donors may be related, or to infer the relationship between individuals based on a DNA mixture. This paper applies a new approach to modelling and computation for DNA mixtures involving contributors with arbitrarily complex relationships to two real cases from the Spanish Forensic Police.

Keywords: Coancestry; DNA mixtures; Deconvolution; Disputed relationship; Identity by descent; Kinship; Likelihood ratio.