[Following post is long. I am not by any means an expert on how NamUs or CODIS work. Corrections to the below are strongly requested.]
To a
first approximation, the most basic answer is "yes"; if a matching MP and UID have DNA in "the system" (NamUsCODIS) then eventually the system should get a "hit" on the match.
The most accurate answer is probably only "maybe".
As you may know, CODIS can receive three different types of DNA profiles. For CODIS to make a comparison, both MP and UID have to have the same type of profile entered:
- nuclear STR ("nucDNA") profiles needs a direct MP reference sample or at least 2 MP family reference samples
- Y-STR DNA profiles only for paternal-line connections, only to/from males
- mitochondrial ("mtDNA") profiles only for maternal-line connections
Furthermore, CODIS has three levels. To make a comparison within a state, both MP and UID have to have DNA profiles in the same state database. Across state lines, both DNA profiles have to be "good enough" to be in the national one:
- Local (LDIS) Local DNA lab chooses own requirements for profile to be stored
- State (SDIS) State index accepts LDIS profiles that meet stricter state standards, varies by state
- National (NDIS) Nationwide index accepts SDIS profiles that meet strictest national standards
(There are many other potential problems that can crop up to screw a meaningful DNA comparison partial/low-quality profiles, not enough reference samples, Y-STR/mtDNA don't discriminate enough, profile entered into wrong CODIS index, etc.)
I've left out a lot of detail, and the above is just an absolute bare minimum. The profiles have to be of the same type, and they have to be in the same CODIS level/database. If either of those is off, it's a non-starter.
There will be no DNA comparison, and therefore no CODIS "hit".
Furthermore still, NamUs case files and CODIS entries aren't directly connected. A NamUs case file's DNA information depends on some human's correctly entering what kind of DNA is available for the MP or UID, and what databases it's stored in, and keeping that information up-to-date. CODIS comparisons may or may not be happening behind the scenes regardless of what the NamUs case file says.
As of September 2013, what we public users can see on a NamUs case file is whether the MP or UID had
any type, any quality of DNA submitted, anywhere, at all. That's it.
UID case files occasionally publicly list some (not all) MP rule-outs if the case manager chooses to do so, but not the reason for the exclusion. There is no way for a public user to find out via NamUs whether an MPUID DNA comparison was ever made at all, through CODIS or through direct comparison by cooperating agencies.
