For years, he was only known as Septic Tank Sam — a macabre nickname the RCMP pinned on a disfigured body pulled from a septic tank in rural Alberta in the late 1970s.
But this past summer saw a breakthrough: Septic Tank Sam got his name back.
Through a Texas-based DNA lab that uses genetic genealogy, the RCMP in Alberta was able to identify the deceased as Gordie Sanderson, who had been reported missing decades earlier.
Using DNA extracted from his bones, Othram Inc. was able to build a genetic profile by uploading his information to public genetic databases.
While Sanderson’s homicide remains an open file, it now has a
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