What started as a quick overnight trip down into the states from Canada ended in tragedy. Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were two young adults running an errand for Jay's father. The trip cost them their lives. Their murders went unsolved for over 30 year. In 2018 an suspect was arrest, thanks to genetic genealogy research. In 2021, that suspect because the first person to be convicted based on DNA evidence that was run through genealogy databases.
Fans of true crime with recognize the name CeCe Moore and Parabon Nanolabs from their work on the Golden State Killer case. But before there was Joseph James DeAngelo, there was William Earl Talbott II.
This was a meticulously researched and well told story that not only treated the victims with care, but also deftly navigated the controversial aspects of genetic genealogy and privacy rights. A must read for true crime fans.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Such an intriguing read! I'd never heard of Tanya and Jay's case, and it shocked me that it lay cold for so many years. That DNA evidence was preserved for so many years, and it could be matched to a suspect, blew my mind. I know what I want to do when I grow up.

I loved the discussion on the ethical questions and ramifications of using DNA and genealogy databases to identify criminals - as with everything, it is much more complex an issue that we realize.

Fascinating story and true crime details sprinkled through this retelling. Thanks to the publisher and all the best to the author and families of the victims.

I am such a fan of true crime (not an amateur expert in it, but I enjoy it a lot!) and Humes’s The Forever Witness delivered in all the best ways. This book details the context and circumstances of a cold blooded double murder of a young man and woman in Washington state, near Seattle. They disappeared while on an overnight roadtrip, running an errand. Their murder was a cold case for decades until new technologies became more available.

What makes The Forever Witness so compelling though isn’t just the fact that Humes gives us an account of how such DNA identifying technologies worked or even how the case was eventually solved (though those are good enough reasons to pick it up!), no, what makes this book unputdownable is Humes deeper delving into the larger national and world wide considerations and context of using DNA, genealogical, and qualitative research together in combination to investigate such crimes. Humes provides the reader with a landscape of criminal methodologies, giving them a glimpse into a world often over-dramatized and glossed over with unspecific details in news media and hour-long television serials. As if often the case, when compared with film, the book is better. The Forever Witness is full of nuanced context and specific information, perfect for the true crime fanatic for whom details are everything.

Readers should be aware that this wide fish-eye lens of the book and its subject matter does mean that Humes veers on occasion away from the specific case. He draws upon similar cases, discusses parallel crimes and explores the use of genealogy in other, related cases. Humes also provides the reader with a view from the other side; included here are not only the investigators, the family of the victims, but also the perspectives of genealogists and other criminologists not directly involved in these cases. The varied perspectives adds to the book’s appeal, giving the reader a deep understanding of the crime-solving process, with all its obstacles and victories.

Humes’ prose is also deeply compelling: dramatic and yet not overblown, succinct and yet brimming with knowledge, informative without overbearing being pedantic, flowing and smooth throughout. It is clear Humes has a vast and thorough grasp of his subject matter, but he does an exceptional job at breaking this down for the average reader. Terminology is explained, procedures and protocols are laid out step by step and their logics revealed.

In short, a fantastic read and one for every fan of true crime.

Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were murdered in Seattle in the 1980s and their case went cold for several decades. They had DNA evidence but nobody to compare it to until the advancement of genetic genealogy. Not only do I love true crime, but I also love STEM and this was such a good combination of the two. It was so fascinating to walk through the advances in crime scene technology as it applied to their case.

If you like true crime stories, you should definitely give this book a chance.

The way the case study is approached is abolishingly judicious and detailed, done with all the thoroughness necessary to be enlightening and a wonderful read.

The narration gives it extra points on a literary level, being quite well written, captivating and shocking.

The Forever Witness by Edward Humes

A relentless detective and a civilian genealogist solve a haunting cold case—and launch a crime-fighting revolution that tests the fragile line between justice and privacy.

Genetic genealogy, long the province of family tree hobbyists and adoptees seeking their birth families, has made headlines as a cold case solution machine, capable of exposing the darkest secrets of seemingly upstanding citizens. In the hands of a tenacious detective like Scharf, genetic genealogy has solved one baffling killing after another. But as this crime-fighting technique spreads, its sheer power has sparked a national debate: Can we use DNA to catch the murderers among us, yet still protect our last shred of privacy in the digital age—the right to the very blueprint of who we are?

The Forever Witness is an engrossing text that traces the development of using DNA and genetic genealogy in crime solving, both current and cold cases. Interwoven with true stories of solved crimes, the author explores the controversies of using DNA without people's consent.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a very accessible way to understand the path of genetic genealogy from its origins through present day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a free copy of The Forever Witness. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. #NetGalley

SO GOOD! I love true crime and this was up there with some of the best i've read. I had never heard of this specific case, but it was fascinating how genealogy was used to find the suspect. Well written, was respectful to victims/families, and not too science-heavy or confusing.

After 30 years, Detective Jim Scharf arrested a teenage couple's murderer—and exposed a looming battle between the pursuit of justice and the right to privacy.

When Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were murdered during a trip to Seattle in the 1980s, detectives had few leads. The murder weapon was missing. No one witnessed any suspicious activity. And there was only a single handprint on the outside of the young couple’s van. The detectives assumed Tanya and Jay were victims of a serial killer—but without any leads, the case seemed forever doomed.

In deep-freeze, long-term storage, biological evidence from the crime scenes sat waiting. Meanwhile, California resident CeCe Moore began her lifetime fascination with genetic genealogy. As DNA testing companies rapidly grew in popularity, she discovered another use for the technology: solving crimes. When Detective Jim Scharf decided to send the cold case’s decades-old DNA to Parabon NanoLabs, he hoped he would bring closure to the Van Cuylenborg and Cook families. He didn't know that he and Moore would make history.

Anyone can submit a saliva sample to learn about their ancestry. But what happens after the results of these tests are uploaded to the internet? As lawyers, policymakers, and police officers fight over questions of consent and privacy, the implications of Scharf’s case become ever clearer. Approximately 250,000 murders in the United States remain unsolved today. We have the tools to catch many of these killers—but what is the cost?

[4.25 stars]

Genetic genealogy is the new hot topic in solving crimes (especially cold cases). If you were interested in how it was used to solve the Golden State Killer case, this book is for you! The 1980's murders of Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook in the Seattle area were solved right after the GSK case in the same way. Detective Jim Sharf teamed up with genetic genealogist CeCe Moore to solve the 30 year old cold case and Humes shares the broader story of how genetic genealogy (using a crime scene’s DNA sample to trace a family tree backwards using online commercial DNA databases) came to be used to solve crimes. This feels different than your average true crime book…there’s more to it. The first part reads like true crime, the second part focuses on the science behind genetic genealogy, and the third part reads like a courtroom drama. Also fascinating were the ethical issues with using genetic genealogy to solve crimes.

I an unable to review this title, as it was archived before I had a chance to download and read it. This feedback is only to stop this title from adversely affecting my netgalley feedback rate. If in the future I have the opportunity to read this title, I will post a proper review here.

I found this to be a very interesting book of the growth and development of DNA testing. The 3 stages of DNA were insightful and interesting. The controversy of how DNA can be used and who can access the profiles on public sites was eye opening. The issues that have come up with people use the public access DNA testing amazing. Some of it has shattered lives but yet these company's bulk at law enforcement being able to access them. Anyone interested in the science or use of DNA should really read this book centered around Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook's murders and how the advancements of DNA help find their killer. There have been numerous cases where DNA has helped catch a murderer and it has also helped to identify Jane and John Does. The evolution of DNA testing and where it can still go is thought provoking. This was an excellent book.

I enjoyed reading this interesting book. I found this book to be well developed and will make you realize just how many cases go unsolved and the cost that goes with it. I enjoyed how engaging this story was. The author brought the book to life using details to make you feel as if you were right there. This is a fast paced, hard to put down book. A book that you don't want to miss. I highly recommend this book.

True crime stories - especially those that deal with cold cases - have long held an irresistible pull for me, not for the morbid spectacle of death but rather for the idea that in some way justice could still be served long after the crime itself. This book gave a fascinating glimpse into the work of people who are involved in solving these crimes and bringing answers long after.

At first glance, The Forever Witness: How Genetic Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder may look like your typical True Crime story, but it's more than that.

This nonfiction account is actually an examination of the history and use of the science of DNA evidence in criminal investigation. More specifically, this story explores the changes that occurred once consumer DNA services hit the market with great gusto in 2007.

DNA evidence was of course used prior to that time, but it was much more limited in reach. In the early-90s the FBI developed their CODIS system as a pilot program and by the end of the decade it was the go-to source for criminal investigators. However, for countless cases this system was unhelpful, as the perpetrators of the crimes in question were never in a situation where their DNA would have been collected and added to the system.

Regardless of that fact, biological samples from crime scenes were meticulously collected and stored over the years, mostly in the hopes that technology would advance to the point that it would one day prove helpful.
That's exactly what happened in the case that this book recounts. In the 1980s, Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were brutally murdered during a trip to Seattle.

The young couple, loved by many and known to be very reliable, were reported missing by their families when they were unreachable after the time they were expected to return home from their trip. Tanya and Jay's bodies, as well as the van they were traveling in, are all eventually discovered, although in three separate locations. It was clear that Tanya had been raped. Physical and biological evidence was painstakingly collected, but turned up no viable leads. The case went cold and remained so for many years.

Regardless of how much time passed, however, lead Detective Jim Scharf never forgot Tanya or Jay. Little did he know, that decades later after consumer DNA testing services like 23andMe, and shows like Finding Your Roots would shoot through the roof in popularity, he would be able to ride that wave all the way to answers.

This is such an incredibly well-written book. Humes did an great job of presenting not only the history behind the use of DNA technology in criminal investigation, but also in recounting the case of Tanya and Jay with the care and grace that they deserve.

The author showed so much consideration when recounting not just what happened to them on that fateful day, but also in exposing the life-long repercussions that crime had on all who loved them, including Detective Scharf.

This did explore some interesting ethical issues arising from the use of Genetic Genealogy by Criminal Investigators as well; particularly towards the end of the book. It did provide plenty of food for thought and is a topic that definitely doesn't get enough discussion or consideration in mainstream media.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone, particularly those who are interested in criminal investigations and the American criminal justice system in general.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would love to read more from Edward Humes. I was truly impressed with how he presented this entire story. Well done!

True story about the rape and murder of Tanya and murder of Jay, a couple on an overnight work trip for Jay’s dad.

If you love watching Cold Case then this book is for you. It gives the back story to the case and then goes beyond just catching the murder but also through the court case. You even get the history of how DNA has shaped how murders are found.

The Forever Witness by Edward Humes was interesting! I think I misunderstood the level of technicality that went into this book and there were times that it was a bit tedious to get through due to the technical nature of the writing. I enjoy learning about true crime from a scientific standpoint but this was still a bit too much for me. Thank you to Dutton (& NetGalley of course) for providing me with a complimentary copy for my honest review.

I’ve been trying to read more nonfiction that’s not research for writing, and so I picked this one up. It reads like the most compelling fiction. I was caught up on page one in the murder of Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook in the Pacific Northwest. Also of the story of Jim Scharf, the dedicated cold case detective assigned to the murder of Tanya and Jay.

If you’re a reader of true crime or forensic science, you’ll love this book. And because the story is so well written, readers of murder mystery fiction will enjoy the story, too. I have to say the science was beyond me but not incomprehensible. If you’ve got a basic grasp of how DNA works, you’ll be okay. We’ve had those DNA testing kits around for a while now, but this is the key in the lock that’s solved many cold cases beyond Jay and Tanya’s. The forever witness, if you will.

I had chills reading the pages, amazing because I’m not a science person. And in our household, the DNA kits people are using to explore their ancestry are a bit of a hot topic. I think it’s great–one of these days I’ll do it and find out where my genes have been. For my partner, this is potentially an invasion of privacy where its uses beyond the consumer and into the legal realm is potentially a Frankenstein monster. The book explores these ethical issues, too.

Highly, highly recommended.

I was absolutely enthralled by this book. The content was of course shocking and at times, gruesome, but the science and history behind it is incredible. The science is extremely technical and in most cases, would probably bore me as a reader, but the author wove such in intricate and personal story that I couldn't stop turning the pages!

Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were just beginning their lives and ready to see the world when they were murdered. Their case ran cold with little evidence, but over 30 years later there are finally some answers.

The technological advances that are made every day really amaze me. I found this to be well researched giving us an in depth count of genetic genealogy and the controversy behind it.

I was able to listen to a final version as well. It was narrated by the author for 10 hours and 26 minutes. His voice was perfect for a true crime read.