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True Crime Obsessed

True Crime Obsessed

503: The Body in the Sand (from "Naming the Dead")

May 28, 202650 min
Summary

In this episode of True Crime Obsessed, the hosts explore the third installment of the documentary series Naming the Dead, titled The Body in the Sand. The discussion centers on the grueling but vital work of the DNA Doe Project, a volunteer-run organization that uses genetic genealogy to identify unidentified human remains. The episode focuses on a Jane Doe discovered in the Arizona desert in 1992. For years, the case remained cold until investigators leveraged DNA testing and forensic genealogy to trace her identity. The hosts delve into the emotional and technical challenges of these investigations, highlighting how crime scene technicians and genealogists spend hundreds of hours navigating complex family trees, public records, and public DNA databases to give victims their names back. A particularly poignant part of the discussion involves the accidental discovery of a man named Patrick, whose own search for his biological family led to the revelation that he is the uncle of the victim. The hosts also touch upon the historical context of the Brown Babies adoption project, adding deep layers of historical and sociological insight to this compelling and heartbreaking journey toward justice.

Updated Jun 29, 2026

About This Episode

The body of an unidentified young woman was found in the Arizona desert in August 1992.  Over thirty years later, the incredible efforts of the forensic genealogists at the DNA Doe Project would identify her as Melody Harrison.  But how they pieced together her story traces a puzzle that brought together long-lost relatives and shed light on a little known adoption program from post-WWII Germany. 

Learn more about the DNA Doe Project's work on this case here, and for more information on Mabel Grammer's work, check out this article.

Find and watch "The Body in the Sand" on Hulu

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