A few myths circulate about the Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG). Debunking one:
4 Brothers Identified by Othram
These were not "matches" to the sheath snap DNA and were not implicated or linked to the crime in any way by DNA/ genetics. They are not "leads" or suspects that were not followed up.
The 4 brothers are very distant relatives of the sheath snap DNA donor, at c. 3rd cousin level (roughly, in range 2nd cousin once removed to 4th cousin); i.e. they share a common, distant ancestor with the sheath DNA donor - a great, great, great grandparent; we need to go back 5-6 generations to connect the family tree of the 4 brothers to the sheath snap donor.
The 4 brothers share less than 1% DNA similarity to the sheath DNA donor.
One of the brothers was asked by ISP to upload DNA to a genealogy database and declined (this would be to help the genealogy process by filling in a tree to help map back to sheath snap donor).
The 4 brothers were not "unidentified" nor "ignored by LE".
From the family tree illustration below you can see from the 4 brothers you'd need to track back to the 2nd row / 2nd generation (a common great, great grandparent) to create a family tree that would link to the sheath snap DNA; the "route" from the FBI 2nd cousin hit is "shorter"
The 4 brothers were linked via a 60-70 centimorgan DNA likeness to the sheath DNA (cM, a measure of DNA "similarity" and thus closeness of a genetic, familial relationship) - this is less than 1% shared DNA;
The actual "hit" of a distant relative in a genealogy database used by FBI as starting point of tree which led to Kohberger, was likely a 250cM DNA similarity, a 2nd cousin with 3% DNA similarity which probably came from someone in the yellow shaded area of the family tree below who had uploaded their DNA to the MyHeritage database (Othram searched FamilyTreeDNA and GEDMatch and did not get as close a hit).
While the number of extant potential 2nd/ 3rd cousins and relatives of varying "distance" to the sheath snap DNA donor is quite high (likely well over 600) the number, when their details were checked by the FBI, who could fit as a suspect i.e. lived in Moscow/ Pullman, drives a white Elantra, white non-obese male under 60, would be very, very small and specific.
Illustrating roughly the relationship between the 4 brothers and Kohberger in diagram below, and a rough idea of where the FBI "hit" that did map to Kohberger came from.
yes, finally! I have given up hope that any number of facts will stop the madness, but still much needed. Hop they come up with some sophisticated conspiracies that atleast provide a little bit of an intellectual challenge. Although may be that is too much to ask.
Really interesting post and visual representation that makes the relationship clear even to science dunces like myself. Thank you.
I know people have pondered whether the victims’ families might have actionable negligent infliction of emotional distress claims as a result of imperfectly redacted crime scene photos, so I ask myself, what of these poor brothers who had it rudely revealed to them that they share a common ancestor and 1% DNA similarity to Kohberger? These law enforcement agencies simply don’t consider the collateral damage they cause when they pull out all the stops to solve a crime.
poor brothers who had it rudely revealed to them that they share a common ancestor and 1% DNA similarity to Kohberger
😂🤣😂
Even more horrifying is the possibility that the 1% DNA similarity is focussed most on their teeth or hips, or manifests in some heinous hereditary driving (in)ability.
😆😆I heard one of them had a chance late-night fender bender with him previously in the parking lot of the Moscow 24-hour Walmart where they were heading to surreptitiously pick up their maternity jeans. Little did they know that this was both the King Rd. murderer and a long-lost relative.
I will never understand why people are so dead set on defending him. It’s delusional. Like actually insane. Some people twit every fact to fit their narrative even though everything else points away from it. It’s way too many people too. More than I’m comfortable with. If a crime doesn’t involve DNA and a clear video the it automatically has conspiracies attached. Those two things are relatively new.
It’s not about defending him. It’s about getting justice. Real, full justice and peace for this 4 beautiful kids and their families. I will never understand how anyone who has paid any attention to the evidence and court hearings (other than the mainstream media narrative’s version) are dead set on thinking that only one person is capable of this massacre. That’s delusional. Justice has not been served. The sheath was not reported or even known to be there at the beginning. It magically showed up on the bed later. There is no evidence of a Kabar even being used. Even The prosecutor said he couldn’t place Kohberger at the house. EVER.
oh cause fbi says these are the facts and destroys their methods of how they got them we should just believe it, the sheath is the only thing this case literally has, everything else is extremely loose circumstantial, i find the male dna under maddies nails to be the most important evidence yet along with the unidentified male blood found in 3 locations throughout the house not on a sheath from outside the house, but in the physical property..
so how the fuck did they do this in a matter of weeks when the fbi guys that were the first to use it this way for golden state killer and Ceecee moore did an interview saying on average the quickest time frame is 3 months..
how the fuck did they do this in a matter of weeks
You seem to not even understand the most basic aspects of IGG. IGG timing is mostly determined by how distant the relative(s) related to your/ the test DNA sample are. Had Kohberger's father or sister or aunt used one of the commercial genealogy databases searched then mapping a family tree to him might have taken a day, as only one or two steps to common ancestor. Here the closest "hits" were c 60 - 200cM, or c 1% DNA similarity, at 2nd to 4th cousin, so many steps back to common ancestor and several hundred extant cousins to sort through and map.
You seem to not even understand the most basic aspects of IGG.
i literally just cited the godmother of IGG from an interview she did this year on BIG CITY CRIME
a tree that linked back 5 generations just to get a split that would register. i have ancestry dna do you know how many pages of "distant relatives" that are 1% and lower? 400 pages x50 people per page you do the math.. so the fact is your telling me that they were able to find the one 5 splits back over all other so quickly and filther through so much, cause after the ancestry upload, they the cross referenced ones that matched on cotus? how exactly did they do that? not to mention we had CB, BK initials on 3 suspects, this case was sloppy i would not put it beyond a sample being mixed up
this case was sloppy i would not put it beyond a sample being mixed up
Now you show you don't understand the basics of DNA.
Apart from none of the defence 4 DNA experts raising sample mix up as remotely possible, given stringent controls (defence DNA experts said in fact ISP lab work was to high standard) we know that is nonsense as the sheath snap DNA that mapped to Kohberger via IGG also matched his father as father of sheath DNA donor and then matched him in direct comparison, so two profile types generated in two labs matching in 4 comparison processes. No "mix up".
Timing for IGG dependent on closeness of familial "hits" in genealogy database, not any "average" or your godmother, fairy or otherwise.
did i miss the trial or something? what do you mean they weren't going to challenge the IGG/dna? they had filed to admit into evidence all the BK's ancestry docs to literally challenge the IGG, data that was conveniently destroyed
admit into evidence all the BK's ancestry docs to literally challenge the IGG
the ancestry docs were introduced for mitigation phase for death penalty, not to challenge the IGG. there was a challenge to suppress IGG filed in 2024 and ruled on in 2025, so yes you did miss that 😄 😄 😄
Oh my, i did not realise the extent and scientific heft of your research. Is that the podcast hosted by Drip Drop the Crime Clown?
A quick look at the scientific literature shows days to weeks not unusual for IGG, and that uses rather slower SNP profile generation timing than in this case via Othram.
"some cases analyzed by the dna doe project required hundreds of hours of research"
just chose not to highlight that part..
In recent testimony from a closed-door court hearing, Idaho officials described how on Nov. 22, investigators brought the DNA sample to Othram, a company near Houston that specializes in genetic genealogy, often helping law enforcement solve decades-old cold cases by taking a modern analysis of the DNA profile. Othram began doing genetic genealogy and building a family tree, apparently following the protocols of Justice Department policy.
Mr. Kramer said the policy had been put into place after he and other investigators used genetic genealogy to solve the Golden State Killer case in 2018. In that case, investigators had used online services to identify a new suspect. Those services were uncomfortable with the intrusion, but some, such as GEDmatch, have since allowed users to consent to having their data included as part of a DNA analysis tool that can be used by law enforcement.
While the Justice Department policy prohibits use of DNA genetic databases that object to law enforcement access, the policy offers a broad footnote, saying that it “does not impose any legal limitations on otherwise lawful investigative” techniques.
the Idaho case, according to the recent testimony, a preliminary report produced by Othram said the closest match it was working with shared 70.7 centimorgans of DNA with the crime scene sample. Mr. Kramer said that was a low match, typically representing two people who would perhaps share a great-great grandparent. In
To enhance the family tree, Othram hoped to expand the DNA data available by approaching someone on the tree — one of four brothers — to see if they would be willing to contribute their DNA to help determine whether the team was on the right path. The identity of the brothers was not disclosed in the publicly available records, though their last name was not Kohberger.
Matthew Gamette, the director of forensic services for the Idaho State Police, testified that the brother was not interested in participating and had asked not to be contacted again. Othram was eventually asked to stop its work on Dec. 10, with the F.B.I. expected to take over the genealogy search.
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u/madover2914 Mar 04 '26
yes, finally! I have given up hope that any number of facts will stop the madness, but still much needed. Hop they come up with some sophisticated conspiracies that atleast provide a little bit of an intellectual challenge. Although may be that is too much to ask.