DNA Test Turned Murder Mystery: How a Casual DNA Test Led to a Cold Case Arrest
Imagine taking a DNA test just for fun, only to have it unravel a chilling murder mystery from the past. This is precisely what happened to Jenna Gerwatowski, a 23-year-old from Newberry, Michigan, who found herself at the center of a decades-old cold case investigation.
It all started on a regular workday for Jenna at the local flower shop when she received an unexpected call from a detective in May 2022. The detective mentioned the "Baby Garnet case," a haunting mystery from 1997 where an infant was discovered in a campground pit toilet at Garnet Lake Campground, the very place Jenna had grown up.
Despite the case going cold due to lack of leads, Jenna was stunned to learn that her DNA was a match to the deceased infant. The revelation left her in disbelief, questioning how her DNA had even come into the picture.
Months prior, Jenna had taken a FamilyTreeDNA test out of curiosity after a friend received one as a Christmas gift. Little did she know that this innocent act would connect her to a long-forgotten tragedy.
Through a series of events involving genetic genealogy investigation firms and forensic companies, Jenna's DNA eventually led detectives to her doorstep, linking her to the Baby Garnet case. The reopening of the cold case in 2017 marked the beginning of a chain of events that would change Jenna's life forever.
Upon receiving the shocking news, Jenna confided in her mother, Kara Gerwatowski, about the situation. Both mother and daughter were baffled, trying to piece together the connection to a case that had haunted their small town for years.
As the investigation progressed, Misty Gillis from Identifinders International reached out to Jenna for further DNA analysis. However, Jenna's initial skepticism led her to believe it was a scam, prompting her to decline cooperation, unaware of the gravity of the situation.
It wasn't until a week later, during a distressing call from her mother, that Jenna realized the seriousness of the matter. Police had contacted her cousin, a victim's advocate, to explain the Baby Garnet case, dispelling any doubts Jenna had about the authenticity of the investigation.
Despite knowing she had no involvement in the case, Jenna feared being misunderstood by the authorities due to her earlier reluctance to engage with Gillis. An analysis of her DNA kit confirmed her relation to Baby Garnet, setting off a chain of events that would lead to a startling revelation.
On June 1, 2022, detectives approached Kara, Jenna's mother, who agreed to provide her DNA for testing. The results revealed that Kara was the half-sister of Baby Garnet, shedding light on a family secret that had remained buried for decades.
The unfolding events took a dramatic turn when Nancy Gerwatowski, Jenna's grandmother, was implicated in the case. Despite the estranged relationship between Kara and Nancy, the revelation that Nancy was the one behind the town's enduring mystery left the family in disbelief.
The Michigan attorney general's office alleged that Nancy had delivered the newborn alone at her home, leading to Baby Garnet's death due to asphyxiation. The case took a complex turn as Nancy's defense presented a contrasting narrative, claiming she had unexpectedly given birth in a bathtub, resulting in a tragic outcome.
Nancy's defense argued that the lack of access to communication devices in 1997 had prevented her from seeking medical help during the distressing situation. While she admitted to disposing of the stillborn fetus at the campground, her defense emphasized the traumatic circumstances surrounding the incident.
Charged with open murder, involuntary manslaughter, and concealing the death of an individual, Nancy faced a potential life sentence as the legal battle unfolded. Her defense team sought to dismiss the case, challenging the prosecution's ability to prove the fetus was born alive.
