Identified! GA - Rising Fawn, WhtFem 26UFGA, 16-25, On East Side of NB I-59, Dec'88 - Stacey Lyn Chahorski

[othram]

Pretty sure it's probably been explained at some point somewhere, but would the DNA have already been automatically compared (in theory) due to both being in NAMUS?

Good question. Putting a missing persons record into NamUs (MP) doesn’t mean that DNA is available for a relative and if there is DNA, there is no guarantee it is from a close relative and this is required for standard STR testing.

Likewise, the existence of an unidentified persons record in NamUs (UP) doesn’t necessarily mean there is a DNA profile available.

 

[SolVic]

I probably missed it, but does anyone here know when Stacy was born and when she was last seen/believed to have died?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[othram]

There will be another update on this case in about 10 minutes.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Remarkably, investigators found DNA evidence from an unknown male suspected to be responsible for Stacy's death. After identifying Stacy, GBI agents assigned to the investigation sought FBI assistance to identify this unknown male suspect. The DNA evidence from the case was sent to Othram and Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive genealogical profile for unknown male suspect.

Othram successfully produced a DNA profile and FBI genealogists developed investigative leads in June 2022. GBI investigators began to interview potential family and obtained DNA swabs for comparison to the Othram profile.

The confirmation DNA testing established Henry Frederick Wise, AKA Hoss Wise, as the primary suspect in Stacey Chahorski’s murder. Wise would have been 34 years old at the time of Chahorski’s murder in 1988. Wise was a truck driver, traveling the route for Western Carolina trucking company, driving through Chattanooga to Birmingham to Nashville and was also a stunt driver. In 1999, Wise was killed in a car accident at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina and was burned to death. Wise had a criminal history in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, ranging from theft, assault, to obstruction of a police officer. Wise’s arrests predate mandatory DNA testing after felony arrest and so he remained undetected and unconnected to Stacy's murder until genetic genealogy revealed the connection.

 

[othram]

After 34 years, Stacy Lyn Chahorski's Murderer is Identified

GBI, FBI, and Dade County Sheriff’s Investigators Team With Othram to Identify the 1988 Murderer of Stacy Lyn Chahorski

dnasolves.com

 

[Oakie]

So, what's the connection between Chahorski and Wise?

 

[HmmMysterious]

So, what's the connection between Chahorski and Wise?

Wise was a truck driver who probably picked up Chahorski while she was hitchhiking back to her home in Michigan.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I’m glad her killer has been identified. Fantastic news again from Othram!!

Maybe he suffered a little before his death. Some of these articles speak so highly of him. Ugh. I can’t help but think he has to have more victims someplace. JMO

Sun-News 16 May 1999, page 41 - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Sun-News dated 16 May 1999, page 41.

www.newspapers.com

Anderson Independent-Mail 04 Nov 1982, page 23 - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Anderson Independent-Mail dated 04 Nov 1982, page 23.

www.newspapers.com

 

[carbuff]

I probably missed it, but does anyone here know when Stacy was born and when she was last seen/believed to have died?

Found Deceased - MI - Stacey Chahorski, 19, Norton Shores, 15 Sept 1988 *found in 2022*

Stacey Lyn Chahorski Muskegon County, Michigan 19 year old white female Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue Distinctive features as described below: 6 to 8 inch scar on her left forearm 5 to 8 piercings in each ear Circumstances: The last...

www.websleuths.com

 

[SolVic]

Her killer is dead? I think you know what that means for me.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Her killer is dead? I think you know what that means for me.

I just read through that thread the other day and was going to go and mention it there.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Stunt driver identified as man who killed Michigan woman in Georgia 34 years ago

Henry Fredrick Wise, also known as Hoss Wise, was identified as Stacey Chahorski's killer using genealogy DNA testing.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[SolVic]

After 34 years, Stacy Lyn Chahorski's Murderer is Identified

GBI, FBI, and Dade County Sheriff’s Investigators Team With Othram to Identify the 1988 Murderer of Stacy Lyn Chahorski

dnasolves.com

Just a quick question… When was Henry born and when did he die? I read that he was 34 years old at the time of the murder.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Now, her killer has been identified as Henry Fredrick "Hoss" Wise, a truck driver who drove through Dade County on his regular trucking route, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office Keri Farley said during a news conference Tuesday.

Chahorski's case is "the first time that we know of that investigative genealogy was used to identify both the victim and the killer in the same case," Farley noted.

"Investigators found what was believed to be the killer's DNA at the (crime) scene, but for years it could not be linked to the person," Farley said.

The killer of a Michigan woman who was missing for 33 years has been identified using genealogy technology, investigators say

Investigators have used genealogy technology to determine the killer of a Michigan woman who was missing for 33 years before her remains were identified using the same technique earlier this year, authorities said.

www.cnn.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[breachtones]

At least Wise died a horrible death, it is always so frustrating to see cold cases solved but the guy is long dead, having lived a peaceful life after taking so many (greenwell, for instance).

 

[taramarie]

So glad to see her case completely resolved. I have to imagine that as a truck driver with sick proclivities, Wise has to have more victims. Hopefully his dna is now in codis.

On another note, while @othram is certainly killing it in the genetic genealogy field, this is not the first time that both the victim and murderer were announced simultaneously as articles are starting. See: Mary Silvani (DDP/Identifinders), Anita Piteau (Identifinders), and Wanda Kirkum (unsure of who worked this case). Hopefully we’ll see even more of this in the near future!

 

[othram]

So glad to see her case completely resolved. I have to imagine that as a truck driver with sick proclivities, Wise has to have more victims. Hopefully his dna is now in codis.

On another note, while @othram is certainly killing it in the genetic genealogy field, this is not the first time that both the victim and murderer were announced simultaneously as articles are starting. See: Mary Silvani (DDP/Identifinders), Anita Piteau (Identifinders), and Wanda Kirkum (unsure of who worked this case). Hopefully we’ll see even more of this in the near future!

The bottleneck is funding. Getting Audiochuck's support was key in getting the suspected killer identified. We are definitely grateful for their help.

 

[othram]

A nice write up in the NYT on the case: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/us/chahorski-killer-georgia-identified-dna.html