A cold case from 1993 was solved using DNA technology and AI, leading to the arrest of Albert “Buddy” Zigler for the murder of Randy Gail Sperino in Granite City, Illinois.
Randy Gail Sperino, 34, was last seen alive on 9 November 1993, getting into a pickup truck in Granite City, Illinois. Her body was found hours later, the victim of blunt force trauma. For three decades, investigators struggled to identify her killer until detectives from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office employed a novel approach: investigative genetic genealogy and AI analysis.
Breaking the Case with DNA and AI
Detectives sent genetic evidence to Othram, a Houston-based company that uses DNA technology to help identify the perpetrators in cold and current crime cases.
The process combined investigative genetic genealogy with AI tools like Centerline AI, developed by Florida software company CentralSquare. This platform helped detectives analyze 2,000 pages of evidence from the 1993 investigation. It’s so much easier than having a detective have to read through 2,000 pages,
Lawrence said. The AI also aided in interviewing Zigler, helping investigators figure out if Zigler was being truthful,
he added.
Madison County detectives collaborated with Othram after being inspired by the 2018 identification of the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, using similar techniques. While the killer’s own DNA profile wasn’t available, Othram used genetic data from relatives to narrow the search. This method has been credited with revolutionizing cold case investigations, with Othram claiming it has helped solve thousands of cases.
Ethical and Practical Challenges
Despite its success, the technique faces ethical and logistical hurdles. David Mittelman, chief executive of Othram, noted, It can’t solve every case. If you have no DNA, you can’t really use this technique.
Privacy concerns also persist, as genetic relatives may not have consented to their data being used.
Funding remains a challenge for law enforcement agencies. Mittelman stated, Every law enforcement agency wants to do it. There’s just not a lot of funding for it.
Cases are sometimes funded through donations or crowdfunding, with Othram operating a website listing cases that members of the public can help fund. Investigative genetic genealogy has been adopted in countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Australia, but it is not yet used in the UK.
A New Era in Forensic Science
The case highlights the growing role of technology in solving crimes. Othram’s methods have been key in identifying suspects in longstanding investigations, including cases involving unidentified human remains.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office officials emphasized that technology alone cannot solve cases. There comes a point, he says, 'where you leave the technology behind and you have to go track people down and talk to them,'
according to the source material. This balance between innovation and traditional detective work remains critical in criminal investigations.
Albert Zigler was charged in May this year. Gail Sperino’s son, Wes Sperino, stated at a press conference, I finally get closure and I finally know who did this.
The case underscores the transformative impact of combining genetic genealogy with AI, even as debates over ethics and funding continue.