Groundbreaking new law could find thousands of missing people across California

A groundbreaking California law could help law enforcement crack both new and old missing persons cases by slackening the controls set up for the state’s DNA program. 

The new law, which was passed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in mid-July, takes aim with the state’s Missing Persons DNA Program. 

Before the law, the program’s DNA database could only be used to identify deceased individuals, but now the database can identify all unidentified victims, alive or dead. 

The goal is to lighten the load on local agencies to find the missing persons with the DNA testing services.

The state program helps “coroners, medical examiners and law enforcement agencies” across the state to identify missing persons, according to Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. 

“No family should know the prolonged uncertainty of waiting for answers, and together we’re making it clear that California takes action,” Bonta told Fox 40.

Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino) told Fox 40 that the new law is important to help make certain law enforcement has the “the tools they need to perform effectively is critical to bringing resolution to cases involving the missing.”

This new law comes as Northern California agencies looks to use the latest forensic technology to solve their cold cases. 

The Calaveras Cold Case Task Force, a nonprofit organization of local law enforcement officials and scientists, was formed in 2020 to use advanced DNA analysis technology to study the county’s cold cases.

The new state law will also keep DNA on file for a longer period of time. This could help officers work on cases that have been ongoing for a while, like that of Rebecca Arellanosa, who has been missing since 2001 and was last seen on the 10700 block of Lawler Street in Los Angeles. 

Previously, DNA of missing persons’ relatives was destroyed after remains were identified. But now samples will be kept if it’s possible that other familial remains could be found later. 

Ramos’ office explained that the law also leads to DNA collection more easily by removing certain prerequisites. 

Ramos, who authored the law, also said that the law will help law enforcement reach a new level of efficiency. 

However, he said that the law more so softens emotional burdens rather than local agency burdens.

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