May 6, 2026 – Springfield, Massachusetts – The Hampden District Attorney’s Office will conduct forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) DNA collection on Saturday, May 16, during the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast hosted by Spirit of Springfield.

The District Attorney’s Office will have a booth located in front of the MassMutual Center, where investigators will be collecting voluntary DNA samples in the form of cheek swabs to support ongoing unsolved homicide investigations in Hampden County. 

Forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) is an advanced investigative technique that combines DNA analysis with genealogical research to help identify potential relatives of an unknown suspect — even when no match exists in CODIS, the national law enforcement DNA database.

Through FIGG, DNA collected from crime-scene evidence can be compared against publicly available genealogy databases to identify distant relatives of unknown suspects, sometimes reaching fourth, fifth, or even sixth cousins. Investigators then use those connections to build family trees, narrow investigative focus, and, in some cases, identify individuals connected to cases that have remained unresolved for years.

In Hampden County, FIGG has already helped investigators generate meaningful leads and resolve long-standing cases. In 2025, a decades-old sexual assault case from 2000 was solved using forensic genetic genealogy, ultimately leading to a guilty plea and state prison sentence for the offender after more than two decades without answers.

This outreach effort is part of the Hampden District Attorney’s Office’s continued commitment to pursuing answers in unresolved cases and supporting the work of its Unresolved and Unidentified Case Investigation Unit.

Community members who choose to participate in the DNA collection will not only be assisting investigators but will also receive their own full ancestry and family-tree information free of charge, a service that typically costs up to several hundred dollars.

“Every case we carry represents a life lost and a family still waiting for answers,” Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni said. “Forensic genetic genealogy has become an important tool in that work, and community participation plays a real role in helping us move these cases forward.”

The World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast takes place from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 16. Booths line Main Street in Springfield from State Street to Bridge Street, and parking is available for $5 at the I-91 South Garage, the I-91 North Garage, the Convention Center Carpark, the Columbus Center Garage, and the Union Station Garage.

Anyone with information about unresolved homicide cases in Hampden County is encouraged to call the Hampden District Attorney’s Office State Police Detective Unit at (413) 505-5993 or text-a-tip to 274637, text SOLVE then your message.