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Texas Missing Persons Database

University of North Texas Center for Human Identification The state legislature established the Texas Missing Persons DNA Database in 2001 on the UNT Health Science Center campus with funding provided by the Attorney General's Crime Victims' Compensation Fund. The database began accepting samples from Texas law enforcement agencies in March 2003. Texas was the first state in the country with a Missing Persons DNA Database capable of analyzing both Mitochondrial and STR systems and is the first state to participate in the federal database for missing persons (The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Combined DNA Index System or CODIS). The database provides a very powerful tool for investigators trying to locate missing persons or identify remains by allowing federal, state, and local crime laboratories to electronically exchange and compare DNA profiles. The DNA analysis provided by the Texas Missing Persons DNA Database is at no charge to law enforcement agencies or families with missing members.

The UNT Center for Human Identification Laboratory has provided scientific and technical support for Texas law enforcement agencies and crime labs for more than 10 years. The lab is one of only a handful of facilities that is able to conduct mitochondrial forensic DNA analysis and is currently one of two state laboratories that can submit mitochondrial DNA profiles directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Entry of DNA profiles into the CODIS database is an ongoing process resulting in numerous matches and providing closure for many families.

Attention Submitting Agencies:

Effective July 1, 2011 the UNT Center for Human Identification will require that samples submitted for DNA testing and entry into CODIS must be entered into NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems). This was a stipulation set forth by NIJ who has provided the funding for this testing. We are asking that each agency, please enter all relevant information into NamUs prior to submission of samples. Please contact George Adams at 817-735-5451 or B.J. Spamer at 816-792-9820 if you need further assistance.

CONTACT UNTCHI - MISSING PERSONS: