Free event on October 24 to connect families of the missing with forensic specialists, law enforcement, and community support 

 
NEW CASTLE, Del.  — The Delaware Division of Forensic Science, in partnership with New Castle County Police, Wilmington Police and the Delaware State Police, will host the state’s first Missing and Unidentified Persons Day on Saturday, October 24, at the Route 9 Library in New Castle.

Download the Delaware Missing Persons Day Flyer Oct 24

• What: Missing and Unidentified Persons Day
• When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Where: Route 9 Library, 3022 New Castle Ave., New Castle, DE 19720
• Who: Families and friends of missing persons; a prior missing-person report is not required
• Preregistration: Chief Forensic Investigator Carla Tarrach, Carla.Tarrach@delaware.gov, 302-407-4632

This free event is for all families and friends affected by the disappearance of a loved one. Participants can meet with agencies working to locate missing people, identify unknown remains, learn about available resources, and connect with advocates and other families.

“For every family with a missing loved one, not knowing can bring its own kind of grief — and often no single agency can answer that question alone. By bringing together DNA testing, forensic records, and the people willing to sit with a family and take down every detail of a case gone cold, this event could help get families closer to the answers they’ve been waiting years to hear,” said John Evans, Director of the Delaware Division of Forensic Science.

Families are encouraged to preregister, although a prior missing-person report is not required to attend. Participants will be able to share information to help advance cold cases, support new missing-person investigations, and ensure that agencies have complete pre-mortem information for missing loved ones. Eligible family members — including biological relatives such as parents, children, or siblings of the missing person — can also provide DNA samples to compare with unidentified skeletal remains recovered in Delaware.

Participants are encouraged to bring two biological relatives of the missing person for cheek-swab DNA collection, along with:

• Available X-rays, dental or medical records
• Identifying photographs
• Information about tattoos or scars
• Any applicable police reports or case numbers

Partner agencies, as well as the Delaware State Police Victim Services Section, the Delaware Department of Justice, and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), will be on hand to demonstrate and educate attendees about the tools, services, and forensic resources used to help locate missing people and identify unknown decedents.

The National Institute of Justice estimates over 600,000 individuals go missing in the United States each year. While many are quickly found alive and well, tens of thousands remain missing for more than one year — what agencies consider “cold cases.” About 4,400 unidentified bodies are also recovered each year, with about 1,000 remaining unidentified after one year.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) is a national centralized repository and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases across the United States. NamUs provides free forensic services that can help investigators match long-term missing persons with unidentified remains to resolve cases and bring closure to families.
The Delaware Division of Forensic Science provides forensic laboratory, medical examiner, and death investigation services to law enforcement agencies and the public across the state, including DNA analysis, forensic pathology, and support for missing-persons and unidentified-remains cases.

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Contact:
John “JP” Petersen
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security
john.petersen@delaware.gov | (302) 744-2686
dshs.delaware.gov

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