We all know of the criminal cases where DNA has played the role of ultimately catching the criminal or even freeing some who have been wrongfully accused. I have never given consideration to the fact that DNA can, by way of checking the Y-chromosome connect familial kinship. Take the case of Dutch murder victim Milica van Doorn. She was murdered in 1992. The Dutch police requested that 133 men in the area to volunteer their DNA who were of Turkish descent. The initial DNA taken from the crime scene where Milica Van Doorn was stabbed and raped before being dumped into a lake in Zaandam in the Netherlands, showed the man to be of Turkish descent. Two would not submit to the test.

However, the relative of one of the men agreed to have his taken. This quickly connected one of the men who would not have his taken. Upon arrest of this individual, his DNA was taken and it was proven that he was in fact the perpetrator. The Netherlands police emphasized that they did not expect to catch the actual perpetrator, but were in hopes that the Y-chromosome would point to familial kinship which would at least give a partial match and lead to the suspect.