Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG)

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IGG Center

Ramapo College

505 Ramapo Valley Road
Mahwah, New Jersey 07430

e: igg@ramapo.edu

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Wrapping Up 2024: Our Favorite Moments

Although we’ve been neglecting the blog lately (our New Year’s Resolution is to post more), we have had a busy and fruitful year at the Ramapo College IGG Center. Our staff spent this week reflecting on our favorite moments, which we’ve compiled here to share.

Marianne Hess, IGG Program Assistant:

“My favorite moment for the the IGG Center this year was when the Bintz brothers were exonerated. On a personal note, when I first learned about IGG I thought that it could be a great use of IGG. I was so excited the first time I heard someone mention IGG in that context – it was David Gurney at ISHI in 2022!”

Jim Mayer, Managing Attorney at the Great North Innocence Project, with Robert Bintz, exoneree, walking out of prison after 25 years of wrongful incarceration. Photo Courtesy of the Great North Innocence Project.

David Gurney, IGG Center Director:

“Seeing the Bintz brothers exonerated a result of the work of IGG Center staff and students was an incredible moment in 2024. Representing only the third and fourth individuals exonerated through IGG, their cases demonstrate the power of IGG as a tool of justice writ large. The exonerations also exemplify the value of Ramapo IGG Center’s collaborative approach to casework. I am so proud of our students and staff for helping to give Robert and David Bintz their freedom and finally achieve justice for Sandra Lison after 37 years.”

David Gurney and Cairenn Binder being surprised on stage by Jim Mayer, who just announced that the Bintz brothers had been found innocent of the murder of Sandra Lison. Photo courtesy of the International Symposium on Human Identification.

Monique Platt, IGG Program Assistant:

“My favorite moment of 2024 was the first day of Boot Camp. There’s a unique energy that you feel right before any case launch, but it’s wholly different when there are so many of you in the same room ready to dig in on the same case. Anything can happen. You don’t know yet whose lives could be impacted by the work you’re about to do, but there’s something very special about knowing you’re all working towards a shared outcome.”

Boot campers at the 2024 IGG Summer Bootcamp

Traci Onders, IGG Program Assistant:

“One of my favorite moments was meeting Allen Grasser, the brother of Norm Grasser, and learning about what it was like for him to have a brother missing for over four decades, and what it meant to finally have some answers as to what happened to his brother. Rhinelander John Doe was identified as Norm Grasser by Ramapo IGG’s first cohort and it was a special honor for our cohort to be able to hang out with Allen during RIGG and a special privilege for me to call him my friend.”

Traci Onders (bottom left) with students from the Spring 2023 IGG Certificate Program and Allen Grasser (right of center) at RIGG 2024.

Tracie Boyle, IGG Center Case Manager and Administrative Assistant:

“There were so many great moments this year, but if I had to choose one that stands out, it’s definitely CrimeCon. We worked hard, but we had a lot of fun too! We met some wonderful (and inspiring) people, created new partnerships, reconnected with familiar faces we hadn’t seen in a while, and enjoyed some really great conversations.”

IGG Center Staff with friends, alumni and collaborators at CrimeCon in Nashville.

Promoting uploads to IGG databases at CrimeCon 2024.

Cairenn Binder, IGG Center Assistant Director:

“I am cheating, because I update the website so I get to pick more than one favorite moment. Apologies to my coworkers! My favorite moments were those where we got to meet with our alumni and our colleagues in the field for in person meetups and collaborations. I4GG in San Diego stands out as a highlight, as do the alumni party and keynote nights at RIGG. Aside from that, quiet moments on campus and enjoying the beautiful scenery are little pleasures we can’t take for granted.”