GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Lawrenceville police investigators and a team of forensic specialists have identified skeletal remains found near Highway 316 more than a year after construction workers first discovered them.
Investigators sent a fragment of bone to Othram, a DNA lab in The Woodlands, Texas. Scientists extracted genetic material from inside the bone and built a DNA profile unique to one person on earth.
“We work to build comprehensive DNA profiles from that evidence using what we call forensic grade genome sequencing,” said Colby Lasyone, chief of staff at Othram.
That profile was run through family DNA databases, the same technology behind consumer ancestry kits, to search for living relatives.
Timothy Mitchell Williams had last been seen alive on July 18, 2020. During his final conversation with his mother, he insisted she keep his cell phone and said he would call later. He never did.
When investigators contacted the family, his mother provided a cheek swab. Her DNA matched the remains and scientists were able to make an identification.
Williams was a son, a brother and a loyal friend, according to Lawrenceville police. He was an athlete with a passion for skiing, an animal lover and a business owner.
This is the second Lawrenceville case in two weeks resolved through Othram’s technology.
Two weeks ago the same lab helped identify a suspect in a string of 1986 rapes, leading to the arrest of 66-year-old Glenn Daniel Plybon.
“You may not hear from law enforcement for years, but it doesn’t mean that we’re still not fighting for justice,” said Capt. Dena Pauly of the Lawrenceville Police Department.
Lasyone said the work never gets old.
“With answers, you can often find peace and you can help to chart your path for healing,” he said.
The investigation into Williams’ death remains active.
The identification was a joint effort between the Lawrenceville Police Department, the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office, the GBI’s Forensic Artist Kelly Lawson, and DNA lab Othram.
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