The First Family Tree Murder: How Genetic Genealogy Solved a 30-Year-Old Double Homicide - and Changed Justice Forever

By Lucy Loophole

They were forgotten. He thought he was safe. But DNA doesn't forget.

In May 1987, 18-year-old Tina Marie Eubank vanished while hiking on Cougar Mountain, Washington. A second young woman, 16-year-old Wendy Coffield, was found strangled near I-90 just two months later. The cases went cold-until 2018, when a revolutionary new tool cracked them open: investigative genetic genealogy.

The First Family Tree Murder is the gripping true story of how a 31-year-old double homicide was solved not by a tip or a confession, but by a distant cousin's DNA upload, a hand-drawn family tree, and a detective who refused to let go.

This is the inside account of the case that helped launch a forensic revolution-solving over 250 cold cases and redefining justice in the digital age. From the quiet heroism of genealogists to the ethical firestorm over privacy, this book explores the promise and peril of a world where your DNA can name a killer... or expose your own family.

Based on deep investigative research, court records, and interviews, The First Family Tree Murder is a heartbreaking, haunting, and unforgettable journey from silence to truth.

Perfect for fans of: I'll Be Gone in the Dark, Catch and Kill, The Innocent Man, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FN8FTDWJ
• ISBN13: 9798299072020
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"