Last December a family walking along the shore of Lake Michigan in the Village of Somers came across a decomposing body.
Suited up in hazmat gear Kenosha County detectives began the painstaking process of putting the pieces together.
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"It was basically just bones." said Kenosha County sergeant Eric Klinkhammer.
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The skull and hands were missing, making a positive ID more challenging. With few clues Kenosha turned to one of the nation's foremost forensic labs for help.
The body traveled nearly a 1,000 miles to Fort Worth, Texas.
The Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas is home to some of the nation’s top forensic scientist who extract DNA from human remains to unlock the mystery and give faces to the unidentified dead.
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"Back in the mid 80's there was no DNA technology." said Bruce Budowle, director of the forensic unit.
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The former FBI scientist has been called the godfather of DNA research.
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"Now we have blood stains of a dot touch samples where you can't even see the samples to get results," he said.
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Last year the lab received more than 2,000 cases; 70 percent of them were from out of state. Because this work is highly sensitive every precaution is taken to preserve the remains.
The lab has protocols in place to prevent contamination.
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"We also have DNA profiles of everyone that works in the facility," Budowle said.
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Because of the sensitive nature we could only view their work through a glass window.
In one instance, a forensic scientist extracted DNA from a partial jaw bone and leg fragment.
Once the DNA has been extracted, the sample is mixed with chemicals in a test tube and placed in what can simply be called a DNA Xerox machine. The machine produces billions of copies of genetic markers from the remains.
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The lab provides its services free of charge, but recent federal funding cuts will put future out of state cases in limbo.
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"When we send a case it is an extreme circumstance," Budowle said.
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Michael Simley, the Milwaukee County medical examiner, says UNT has been an important resource to solving missing persons cases.
“In the two case we have sent for DNA it has actually rendered a positive I-D," Simley said.
With no funding for UNT's lab to process out of state cases, agencies here in Wisconsin will have few options, if any.
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"This University of North Texas is a special place and it will be unfortunate for law enforcement throughout the country,” Klinkhammer said.
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But the biggest losers may be the families of those unidentified waiting for resolution.
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