SPRINGFIELD — As part of a push to expand genealogy testing to help investigators solve cold cases, the Hampden District Attorney’s office will offer free tests at next weekend’s Springfield Thunderbirds game at the MassMutual Center.
The game on Saturday versus the Charlotte Checkers kicks off at 7:05 p.m. The district attorney’s office will have a marked booth on the concourse.
The booth will be staffed with Massachusetts state troopers and city police detectives experienced in conducting mouth swabs for the tests — and who will be available to answer people’s questions.
The Family Tree DNA tests are valued at $99 each but will be used at no cost to individuals. Those interested in participating should:
- Seek out the district attorney’s office booth.
- Submit to a brief mouth swab.
- Watch their test kits get sealed.
- Provide contact information for the company to respond with test results within six weeks.
The kits will be sent for processing by the DA’s office.
For those who can’t make it to the game and want to participate, visit www.HampdenDA.com, then click on the Forensic Investigative Genealogy tab. File out the Genetic Genealogy sign-up form and wait for an investigator with the Hampden District Attorney’s Office to contact you directly.