In an interesting case out the state of New York, DNA from a commercial genealogical website has been used to convict a man of a rape that was committed 25 years ago. It is the first conviction of this kind in the state of New York. On September 18, 2026, Jancys Santiago was sentenced to 25 years for raping a college student in her Bronx apartment back in December of 2001. At the time of the attack, Santiago was living in the same apartment building as the victim. Investigators were able to connect the DNA of a distant relative of Santiago’s, that was on a commercial genealogical website, back to Santiago. The case went to trial and Santiago was convicted by a jury. On September 30, 2025, Santiago was convicted of raping another woman and sentenced to 20 years in that case. The 25 year sentence imposed in the recent case will run consecutive to his prior sentence.
This case illustrates the intersection of widely used and popular commercial genealogical DNA testing and scientific criminal investigation techniques. This case also adds to the body of cases in which we are seeing that modern juries are sophisticated, well informed, and willing to accept evidentiary presentation that are based on reputable scientific methodologies. As science and technology continue to advance, we can expect that more and more cold cases will come through the criminal justice system. Provided that DNA samples are lawfully obtained and used for a lawful purpose, their use in subsequent testing and investigations will be difficult to challenge on constitutional grounds. Consequently, this makes the use of scientific experts for criminal defendants who are capable of challenging these findings all the more important. With respect to the criminal justice system in North Carolina, given that the Research Triangle has a stellar reputation for its prowess in science, technology, and the life sciences, we should expect that these types of investigations will become prevalent in our state in the years to come.
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