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Coconino supervisors add $1.1M request for unidentified remains forensic work to CDS list
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Summary
The board approved adding a $1.1 million Congressially Directed Spending request for an Unidentified Human Remains Initiative to fund DNA, genetic genealogy and forensic analysis aimed at identifying long‑unresolved remains and supporting investigations.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors voted March 17 to add a $1,100,000 congressionally directed spending (CDS) request for an Unidentified Human Remains Initiative to the county’s list of federal funding requests.
Deputy County Manager Eric Peterson told the board the request was recommended by county management and the Unidentified Human Remains Task Force and has been briefed to both U.S. Senate offices working with the county. "This request is to add to our already adopted list of the CDS requests that you as a board have previously acted on," Peterson said.
County staff explained the funding would pay for comprehensive forensic analysis — including DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy — to generate investigative leads and identify unknown individuals whose remains in some cases date back decades. "The purpose would be to conduct comprehensive forensic analysis including DNA testing and genetic genealogy to generate investigative leads and identify unknown individuals," a county official said during the presentation.
Staff described a multi‑agency task force (medical examiner, sheriff’s office, county attorney, IT and health and human services) formed in December 2024 to address a backlog of unidentified remains, and said the project would apply modern tools such as the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and CODIS alongside genealogy approaches.
The board voted to add the request to its CDS submissions list. County staff said the total project cost is about $1,150,000 with approximately $100,000 in in‑kind staff time toward the effort; they also said CDS submissions can be adjusted after the initial filing and that senate staff have advised project sizing between $1M and $4M for competitiveness.
Board members said the initiative could provide closure to families, support criminal investigations and strengthen tribal and regional partnerships; staff will coordinate final application materials with congressional offices before the submission deadline.
