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DNA From Body Parts in Trash Can Cracks 17-Year-Old Cold Case, Husband Arrested

Remains found nearly two decades ago have been identified as those of Laurie Diane Potter, a Temecula resident who was never reported missing.

With the help of DNA technology, investigators have finally been able to identify legs that were found in a San Diego trash can 17 years ago and make an arrest for the body, the San Diego Union Tribune reports. The legs belonged to Laurie Diane Potter, a Temecula resident who was never reported missing. Police arrested her husband, Jack Dennis Potter, on suspicion of murder earlier this week. Law enforcement did not reveal how they think Potter was murdered but said they had “substantial cause to believe that Jack Potter had murdered Laurie Potter.” Officials were able to identify the body using genetic genealogy, a process that requires taking crime scene DNA and using it to match other DNA that have been uploaded onto databases. In this case, the DNA from the legs initially matched with someone in Potter’s family tree from 200 years ago, but police were able to interview several living family members to narrow it down to Potter.