While authorities sift through countless tips and pursue numerous leads, serial criminals often have the opportunity to strike anew.

Forensic specialist David Mittelman believes that the recent rapid DNA advancements seen in the Idaho murders and Rachel Morin cases highlight a transformative tool for law enforcement. He points out that investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) has become so swift and affordable that it could soon be the primary resource for investigators rather than a concluding step.

“Reading the DNA should be as immediate as reviewing surveillance footage,” explained Mittelman, founder of Othram forensic lab, to Fox News Digital. “The initial question is always, who was present at the crime scene? So, examine nearby cameras, analyze the DNA, and then proceed with your investigation.”

On the left, Bryan Kohberger is seen being led to his extradition hearing in Pennsylvania following his arrest in connection with the University of Idaho student murders. On the right, Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant, after his arrest for the rape and murder of Maryland resident Rachel Morin. (Image credits: The Image Direct for Fox News Digital, Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Mittelman noted that in ongoing investigations, DNA is often treated as a “confirmatory tool,” used to verify a suspect’s involvement. This approach is more typical in cold case investigations, but Mittelman is advocating for a shift in practice.

“So DNA goes from being the last step in the process as a confirmatory tool to the first step,” Mittelman said. “It’s like checking the video feed, except that you’re checking the DNA feed.”

Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

In the Idaho student murders and the Maryland slaying of mom of five Rachel Morin, police with few leads turned to Othram for help conducting the IGG, which led them to now-convicted killers Bryan Kohberger and Victor Martinez-Hernandez.

Traditional DNA testing compares a suspect’s sample to a law enforcement database in search of a match, but not all criminals can be identified in this manner, especially if it’s their first offense. IGG testing involves a blend of forensic science and the same methods used to trace a person’s ancestry in order to track down an unknown suspect.

“When IGG becomes as common as fingerprint and digital forensics, it will ensure that other families don’t have to endure the same pain as the Morins,” said Randolph Rice, a Baltimore-area attorney who represented Morin’s family. “IGG should not be viewed as a last resort or a luxury; it should be a standard, front-line investigative tool.”

Cases that benefit from IGG have a readily available DNA sample from the perpetrator and often involve murder or sexual assault, Mittelman said, making them among the most heinous crimes. Under his proposal, he said, they’d be cheaper, faster and easier to solve.

A photo of Rachel Morin is posted to a tree by her family along the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, MD, Thursday, August 10, 2023. She was attacked and killed during a morning run in the area. (Mega for Fox News Digital)

“DNA testing identified him [Kohberger], in a month or in weeks, and the end-to-end cost for that DNA testing was under $10,000,” Mittelman said. “So you can’t even pay the detective for a month for the amount of money it costs to solve that case.”

In the Morin case, Martinez-Hernandez was already an international fugitive and suspected killer connected to another sex assault in Los Angeles.

“When he committed that crime in Los Angeles, they should have immediately put the DNA CODIS, like they did, saw no match, and they should have used this technique and immediately found him,” Mittelman said. “And then Rachel Morin would still be alive. That’s exactly my point.”