Finding Family DNA

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jay takes the show out of the studio for an in-person reunion story. In 1993, a teenage mother in the Bronx chose an adoptive family for her baby son, received photos for a few years, and then lost all contact. Thirty years later, her daughter called Jay with little more than a first name, hoping to find the brother she had never met. Jay sits down with the birth mother, then with her son, and finally with the two of them together as they talk about the email that changed everything, the photos that proved it was real, forgiveness, and the grandson who now calls her Gigi.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydnaWatch this podcast right now on YouTube!https://youtu.be/eNY8M3SKsrgChapters00:00 Intro00:11 Welcome and Supporting Pro Bono Cases07:35 Introducing Today's Story10:11 Midroll — BirthParentFinder10:42 Elana's Interview, Placing Her Son in 199312:50 Choosing His Family14:47 The Call That Started the Search16:30 Reaching Out to Ron19:43 Jay and Misty React to Elana20:49 Ron's Interview, the Email24:19 Why Ron Was Receptive26:17 Jay and Misty React to Ron27:50 Elana and Ron Together31:33 Reflections on the In-Person Interviews32:49 Dom, Elana, and the Rest of the Story34:14 Following Up With Clients35:01 Why We Vet Every Case36:20 Thanks and CloseBirthParentFinder: https://www.birthparentfinder.com/Follow the show here:https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydnahttps://www.instagram.com/lasleuthhttps://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinderAre you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!https://www.birthparentfinder.com/https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀Want help building your podcast?Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.https://podshuttle.iohttps://www.instagram.com/podshuttlehttps://www.instagram.com/chobostudiosFinding Family DNA, Adoption, Adoptee, Birth Mother, Adoption Reunion, Closed Adoption, Birth Parents, Family Reunion, DNA Test, Genetic Genealogy, Misty Gillis, Jay Rosenzweig, BirthParentFinder, BronxAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jay and Misty sit down with an adoptee who grew up in Texas feeling like the black sheep of her adoptive family, carrying hurtful stories about the birth mother she never knew. After asking to search and being told no, she quietly turned to DNA, only to wait 14 years for a meaningful match. Then a half sibling appeared overnight. Misty explains how she built the family trees on both sides, and our guest shares what it has been like reaching out to new siblings, the side-by-side photo that stopped her in her tracks, and a discovery about how close her birth family may have been all along. Jay and Misty also open with the Michael McDonald adoption story and why 23andMe is surfacing family secrets.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydnaWatch this podcast right now on YouTube!https://youtu.be/cA7SNjtHLvoChapters00:00 Intro00:11 Welcome and the Michael McDonald Story03:18 Introducing Denise04:12 Growing Up the Black Sheep07:33 Asking to Search and Testing DNA09:02 A Half Brother Match After 14 Years10:59 Finding BirthParentFinder12:59 Midroll — RootsTech 2027 and BirthParentFinder14:09 How Misty Connected Both Sides15:35 The Half Brother Who Said Yes17:17 Connecting With Her Father's Side18:56 The Side-by-Side Photo20:43 Same Town, Same High School22:04 Wanting Her Mother's Story23:11 Defending Her Birth Mother24:51 Plans to Meet Her Siblings25:42 Working With BirthParentFinder28:24 Thanks and CloseBirthParentFinder: https://www.birthparentfinder.com/RootsTech 2027: https://www.rootstech.org/Michael McDonald story (CNN): https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/02/entertainment/michael-mcdonald-son-michael-goesslingFollow the show here:https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydnahttps://www.instagram.com/lasleuthhttps://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinderAre you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!https://www.birthparentfinder.com/https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀Want help building your podcast?Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.https://podshuttle.iohttps://www.instagram.com/podshuttlehttps://www.instagram.com/chobostudiosFinding Family DNA, Adoption, Adoptee, DNA Test, AncestryDNA, 23andMe, Birth Parents, Half Sibling, Genetic Genealogy, Closed Adoption, Family Reunion, Misty Gillis, Jay Rosenzweig, BirthParentFinder, Michael McDonald, RootsTech, Texas AdoptionAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jay and Misty step away from adoption reunions to revisit a 47-year-old Montana cold case Misty worked during her time at Parabon NanoLabs. In December 1978, 16-year-old Corina Lydia Contreraz was sexually assaulted and murdered outside Billings, and her case sat unsolved for decades. Misty walks through how genetic genealogy opened a path investigators hadn’t had before. Jay also shares how a high school photo signed “Love, Bill” cracked a birth father case, the two talk RootsTech 2027, and Misty explains why families get release rather than closure, and how everyday GEDmatch users can help.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydnaWatch this podcast right now on YouTube!https://youtu.be/rI-ahuutLaYChapters00:00 Intro00:11 Welcome and RootsTech 202703:29 A "Love, Bill" Photo and Two Reunions07:07 The Corina Lydia Contreraz Cold Case08:36 Working the DNA at Parabon10:05 Building the Trees Toward Montana12:27 Midroll — RootsTech 2027 and BirthParentFinder13:37 Landing on Angelo Stallsmith Sr.16:07 DNA From a 1982 Fingerprint Card17:33 Confirmation and a Criminal History19:26 Remembering Corina20:16 CeCe Moore at the Press Conference22:25 Misty at the Press Conference23:36 Boy in the Box and Where This Case Ranks24:19 How GEDmatch Users Can Help25:09 What Investigators Can and Cannot Access26:13 Birth Parent Privacy and Cooperation27:15 Could an Amateur Have Solved It27:59 Release, Not Closure28:46 Thanks and CloseYellowstone County Cold Case Unit: https://www.yellowstonecoldcase.com/Parabon NanoLabs: https://parabon-nanolabs.com/GEDmatch: https://www.gedmatch.com/RootsTech 2027: https://www.rootstech.org/Follow the show here:https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydnahttps://www.instagram.com/lasleuthhttps://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinderAre you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!https://www.birthparentfinder.com/https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀Want help building your podcast?Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.https://podshuttle.iohttps://www.instagram.com/podshuttlehttps://www.instagram.com/chobostudiosFinding Family DNA, Cold Case, Genetic Genealogy, Investigative Genetic Genealogy, Corina Lydia Contreraz, Misty Gillis, CeCe Moore, Parabon NanoLabs, GEDmatch, Family Tree DNA, BirthParentFinder, True Crime, Yellowstone County, RootsTechAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When we recorded this episode of Finding Family DNA, we had no idea that CeCe Moore was about to be announced as a RootsTech 2027 keynote speaker. Now, with that announcement official, the timing of this conversation couldn’t be better.Internationally renowned genetic genealogist CeCe Moore joins host Jay Rosenzweig, licensed private investigator and founder of BirthParentFinder.com, and co-host Misty Gillis, genetic genealogist and CeCe’s longtime friend and colleague, for a candid and personal conversation that goes far beyond the usual Q&A.CeCe takes us through the unexpected path that led her to genetic genealogy — including how a Michael Jackson video shoot at USC and a career in the music world helped prepare her for life in front of the camera. She explains how DNA kept pulling her back until the early days of public testing at FamilyTreeDNA gave her a path into what would eventually become a groundbreaking career.CeCe and Misty also dig into the investigative side of genetic genealogy and the difficult “brute-force” cases where distant DNA matches, unusual ancestry and incomplete family trees require creativity and persistence. CeCe discusses the nearly 50-year-old Nancy Anderson murder case in Honolulu, where researching city directories and Romanian and Italian surnames eventually led her to Tudor Chirila, as well as the Lindy Sue Biechler case in Lancaster, where an ancestral migration pattern from Gasperina, Italy, helped point the investigation in the right direction.The conversation also goes beyond the cases. CeCe talks about discovering the connection between Madison Hemings, Thomas Jefferson and DNA while researching her brother-in-law’s family tree, answers some fun rapid-fire questions — from coffee to late-night casework — and shares her thoughts on Misty as both a genealogist and a friend, including why she describes Misty’s work as “magic.”CeCe Moore has become one of the most recognizable figures in genetic genealogy through her groundbreaking work solving unknown-parentage and law-enforcement cases and through television appearances including Finding Your Roots and The Genetic Detective.And now, CeCe will take the stage as a keynote speaker at RootsTech 2027, taking place March 4–6, 2027, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. RootsTech is the world’s largest family history and genealogy conference, bringing together genealogy enthusiasts, industry experts, technology innovators and people from around the world who share a passion for discovering their heritage and connecting with their family history.Episode 52 of Finding Family DNA is sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA.We’d be grateful if you subscribe to Finding Family DNA. Every subscription helps us grow the show and supports our ability to take on more pro bono DNA and family-search cases.Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!https://youtu.be/8yFKt23IJs8Chapters00:00 Intro00:11 Welcome, Sponsor, and a Guatemalan Father Case03:05 Introducing CeCe Moore03:37 Michael Jackson, USC, and a Music-World Sister07:32 How CeCe Moved From Music Into DNA11:23 Alternate Careers and Brute-Force Genealogy16:14 Celebrity Cases and Growing Up Hip Hop19:03 Broadway Dreams and Coming Full Circle on Camera22:02 Midroll — Family Tree DNA and BirthParentFinder23:37 Nancy Anderson and Tudor Chirila28:23 Distant Matches, Gasperina, and Lindy Sue Biechler29:58 Madison Hemings and Jefferson DNA32:24 Jay's Spingarn Cousin and a Poland Trip35:09 What If Not Genetic Genealogy37:04 RootsTech and Southern California Genealogy Jamboree39:44 Rapid Fire45:14 Thanks and CloseFamily Tree DNA: https://www.findingfamilydna.com/?utm_source=redcircle&utm_medium=social&utm_content=com+des&utm_campaign=finding+family+dna+ep+52CeCe Moore: https://www.cecemoore.com/Finding Your Roots (PBS): https://www.pbs.org/show/finding-your-roots/RootsTech: https://www.rootstech.orgFollow the show here:https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydnahttps://www.instagram.com/lasleuthhttps://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinderAre you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!https://www.birthparentfinder.com/https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀Want help building your podcast?Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.https://podshuttle.iohttps://www.instagram.com/podshuttlehttps://www.instagram.com/chobostudiosFinding Family DNA, CeCe Moore, Genetic Genealogy, Cold Case DNA, Family Tree DNA, BirthParentFinder, Finding Your Roots, DNA Detective, Brute Force Genealogy, RootsTechAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, we follow the story of a woman who set out to find the birth father she never knew, hoping for closure but bracing herself for anything. Using DNA and genetic genealogy, our investigator uncovers his identity in just 48 hours — only to reveal a devastating truth about his past. Despite the shock, the search doesn't end there: newly discovered siblings step forward, offering unexpected connection and healing. From heartbreaking revelations to the surprising bonds that follow, this episode explores how identity is shaped by more than biology alone. It's a raw, honest conversation about resilience, family, and choosing connection even after the hardest news imaginable.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydnaWatch this podcast right now on YouTube!https://youtu.be/6LHGd6FPuHw00:00 Intro00:51 Misty's reunion story02:05 Introducing Kayley's case03:23 Meeting the guest04:07 Searching for her birth father05:09 The DNA discovery revealed07:06 Processing the shocking news10:33 Ad break11:18 Learning about her birth father's family12:49 Meeting her sister in person14:00 Meeting other siblings16:20 The victim and circumstances19:01 What defines her20:00 Her birth mother's reaction21:20 Reflecting on therapy and closure26:13 Advice for others27:46 Teaser for episode 5228:10 ClosingFollow the show here:https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/https://www.instagram.com/lasleuthhttps://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!https://www.birthparentfinder.comhttps://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinderThis podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.https://www.instagram.com/chobostudioshttps://www.instagram.com/podshuttleFinding Family DNA, Adoption Reunion, DNA Genealogy, Birth Father Search, Adoptee Story, Emotional Reunion, Closed Adoption Search, Family Discovery, BirthParentFinder, Genetic GenealogyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands