Case Studies / GEDmatch PRO Helps Crack 40-Year-Old Texas Cold Case

GEDmatch PRO Helps Crack 40-Year-Old Texas Cold Case

In 1982, 64-year-old Velma Nesset was walking to work in Odessa, Texas, when she was sexually assaulted and murdered. Despite an early arrest and confession, the suspect was acquitted, and the case went cold for decades.

Violent Crime

In 1982, 64-year-old Velma Nesset was walking to work in Odessa, Texas, when she was sexually assaulted and murdered. Despite an early arrest and confession, the suspect was acquitted, and the case went cold for decades.

In 2020, the case was reopened through the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), a federally funded program aimed at resolving unsolved sexual assaults and related homicides.

With SAKI support, Bode Technology conducted forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) using GEDmatch PRO. Bode’s team worked exclusively within the secure, law-enforcement-only database, leveraging tools like the One-to-Many, One-to-One, Admixture, Are Your Parents Related?, and Autosomal Matrix Comparison tools to generate investigative leads.

This analysis pointed to Billy Wayne Ludwigson as a potential suspect. His identity was confirmed through traditional DNA testing, and he was arrested in Colorado. Ludwigson later confessed and, in August 2024, pled guilty to Nesset’s murder. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

This case highlights the power of FIGG and GEDmatch PRO in helping agencies solve violent crimes, even decades later — bringing long-awaited answers to families still seeking justice.

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https://www.dps.texas.gov/news/texas-rangers-solve-40-year-old-ector-county-cold-case-murder-suspect-pleads-guilty

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GEDmatch PRO Helps Crack 40-Year-Old Texas Cold Case

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