How a Serial Killer’s Case Could Help With DNA Breakthrough

CeCe Moore, a genealogist, says that a technique used to catch Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann could come in handy amid the search for Nancy Guthrie after her February 1 disappearance.

Moore appeared on Brian Entin Investigates after it was confirmed by the FBI that they were analyzing DNA evidence found at Guthrie’s home “over two months ago.” The evidence, which is reported to be a hair sample, was initially sent to a lab in Florida and is now in the hands of the FBI for more testing.

Specific details about the DNA sample have not been confirmed, but Moore theorizes that it is a rootless piece of hair, noting that if it had a root, the analysis would be complete already.

“I’ve been really hoping that maybe they had some hair to work with,” Moore admits. “Because of the more recent advancements in the field, hair actually can make the case solvable. So I’m really excited.”

In the Heuermann case, a judge ruled that “cutting-edge advanced DNA testing” was allowed in trial, but the serial killer ended up pleading guilty, per CBS News. “While relatively new… the principles used are accepted as reliable in the scientific community,” the judge noted.

However, Moore also points out that the hair sample from Guthrie’s home may not even belong to a suspect, so even if an identification is made via the analysis, it may not lead to the person who abducted Savannah Guthrie‘s mother. In the Heuermann case, the serial killer’s hair was found on “six of the seven victims,” but some samples were also traced back to his wife and daughter, who were not accused of being involved in his crimes.

Heuermann pleaded guilty for his crimes, which took place between 1993 and 2010, on April 8. He will receive his prison sentence in June.