MK True Crime: The Inside Story of the Advanced Forensic Technology That Helped Solve the Kohberger Case

Host: Phil Holloway
Guest: Dr. David Mittelman, CEO of Othram
Date: October 20, 2025

Overview

In this special episode of MK True Crime, host Phil Holloway interviews Dr. David Mittelman, CEO of forensic genetics company Othram. The episode explores the groundbreaking forensic technology and genetic genealogy methods used by Othram to solve both contemporary and decades-old crimes. A deep dive is provided into Othram’s pivotal role in the rapid identification of Brian Kohberger as the suspect in the Idaho college murders, the underlying science, issues of privacy and equity, and another remarkable case: the identification of "Little Miss Nobody" after more than 60 years. The conversation highlights both technological advances and their power to deliver long-awaited justice and closure.

Othram: Mission & Technology

[02:38–05:20]

• What Is Othram?
  Othram is a forensic genetic genealogy lab and technology company specializing in helping law enforcement agencies identify crime victims and perpetrators—from current cases to 200-year-old cold cases.
  • Quote: “We build technology that can bring certainty to investigations…[and] take cases that could take years or decades to solve and reduce them to very short investigations.” — David Mittelman, 02:38
• Origins & Purpose:
  Dr. Mittelman recounts his early work as a teenager with the Human Genome Project and the drive to leverage DNA advances for criminal justice, an area he saw as underserved compared to medicine and diagnostics.
  • Quote: “There’s this huge backlog—hundreds of thousands of cases…with some form of violence. The victim or the perpetrator or sometimes both are unknown. So, it was really important to us to build technology...in an area that’s also important, but substantially underserved.” — David Mittelman, 05:20

Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing Explained

[07:55–13:05]

• How is forensic DNA traditionally used?
  The FBI’s CODIS database uses STR (short tandem repeat) testing—examining only 20 DNA markers, matching suspects already in the system.
• Othram’s Innovation:
  Othram’s “forensic grade genome sequencing” analyzes about half a million markers—enabling linkages to distant relatives, not just individuals already in law enforcement databases.
  • Quote: “With half a million markers, you just have the ability to do a lot more. For example, you can measure very distant relationships.” — David Mittelman, 09:55
• Process Simplified:
  Genealogical profiles uploaded to third-party, opt-in databases (not commercial ones like 23andMe). Law enforcement uses distant familial matches to generate investigative leads—building family trees using software, then confirming leads with traditional tests.

Addressing Criticisms: Privacy, Consent, and Equity

[13:58–18:05]

• Equity Discussion:
  Mittelman emphasizes Othram’s mission for equitable outcomes regardless of agency size or resources; technology is scalable and cost-effective.
  • Quote: “Unsolved crime is a choice. We can choose to prioritize these cases...and we can get them solved.” — David Mittelman, 16:00
• Cost:
  Othram is “pennies on the dollar” compared to traditional investigations.
• Consent and Privacy:
  Othram’s databases are entirely opt-in. Only profiles from users who have intentionally given consent are used for forensic searches.
  • Quote: “We certainly wouldn’t advocate pressuring anyone to do something they don’t want to do.” — David Mittelman, 17:52

The Kohberger Case: Step-by-Step Breakdown

[19:06–27:14]

How Othram Got the Case

• After Idaho police exhausted CODIS without a match, they contacted Othram for rapid assistance. The urgency: “They literally sent people to hand deliver the DNA evidence to our facility.” — David Mittelman, 20:38
• Within days, Othram generated a usable genetic profile—helping investigators leapfrog 19,000 unproductive tips.

Addressing Public Myths: The Knife Sheath DNA

[22:37–24:18]

• Contrary to reports, there was plenty of DNA; Othram handled far smaller samples in other cases.
  • Quote: “This case had about 500 times more DNA than the typical case Othram has been successful with.” — David Mittelman, 23:49
• The knife sheath DNA was from a single male—no complex mixture.

Confirming the Suspect

• After genealogical research pointed to the Kohberger family, police performed a trash pull in Pennsylvania, obtaining a DNA sample from Kohberger’s father.
• CODIS matched a parent-child relationship to the crime scene DNA.
• Final step: direct swab of Brian Kohberger after arrest confirmed the match to the crime scene DNA.
  • Quote: “What’s magical about this process is that you have different methods executed by different labs and different teams, and they all arrive at the same answer.” — David Mittelman, 26:20

Reflections on the Guilty Plea

[27:14–28:45]

• Mittelman felt relief for the families, who had endured years of uncertainty and public speculation. He values court scrutiny of Othram’s methods for broader adoption.
  • Quote: “We love at Othram that we don’t just help law enforcement solve cases, we go defend them in court…so we were relieved and happy for the families because they are, of course, the top priority.” — David Mittelman, 27:27

Case Highlight: “Little Miss Nobody” – Oldest Cases, Newest Tools

[28:45–34:00]

• Case Overview:
  In 1960, the remains of a girl found in Arizona could not be identified—dubbed “Little Miss Nobody.” Early suspicions linked her to an abducted girl, Sharon Lee Gallegos, but outdated forensic methods repeatedly gave conflicting answers for decades.
• Othram’s Role:
  Othram came in after all funding and prior methods were exhausted, rapidly raising support through local media and solving the case in weeks with its advanced DNA technology.
  • Quote: “Uncertainty, in my opinion, is a real enemy of criminal justice. And there are few cases that exemplify that more than this.” — David Mittelman, 29:26
• Resolution:
  The girl was in fact Sharon Lee Gallegos, abducted from New Mexico. The case’s closure after over 60 years provided her family—and community—with long-awaited answers and peace.
  • Quote: "It took us literally weeks to do the work...Sharon’s case was very straightforward and with a little bit of correct testing, it took us weeks to confirm the result." – David Mittelman, 32:08

Key Themes & Takeaways

• Scientific Certainty Changes Justice:
  Othram’s advanced DNA techniques break through both decades-old cold cases and high-profile contemporary crimes—transforming the pace and accuracy of criminal investigations.
• Justice Should Be Equitable:
  The technology’s cost-effectiveness and scalability mean that large and small agencies alike can solve cases, provided investment and leadership.
• Consent, Privacy, Defense:
  Othram’s methods use only fully consented data and are designed to stand up to legal scrutiny and public trust tests.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “With half a million markers, you just have the ability to do a lot more.” — David Mittelman, on Othram’s genome sequencing (09:55)
• “Unsolved crime is a choice. We can choose to prioritize these cases...” — David Mittelman, on justice as a collective decision (16:00)
• “This case had about 500 times more DNA than the typical case Othram has been successful with.” — David Mittelman, dispelling myths about the Kohberger case evidence (23:49)
• “We sure as heck would never advocate pressuring anyone to do something they don’t want to do.” — David Mittelman, on privacy and consent (17:52)
• “What’s magical about this process is...all arrive at the same answer.” — David Mittelman, on cross-validation of forensic methods (26:20)
• “Uncertainty...is a real enemy of criminal justice.” — David Mittelman, on the “Little Miss Nobody” case (29:26)

Final Thoughts

This episode reveals the transformative potential of modern forensic genetics in delivering swift, accurate, and equitable justice. From headline-grabbing contemporary cases to victims long forgotten by official systems, Othram’s work is driven by technology, compassion, and a quest to replace uncertainty with answers—changing lives and communities in the process.

For further listening, check out Othram’s own “America’s Crime Lab” podcast.