Meet The Team
Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Marketing and Social Media Manager
Kaycee Connelly
Kaycee Connelly is an Investigative Genetic Genealogist and Marketing and Social Media Manager for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She holds a degree in corrections and parole and a degree in youth supervision. Kaycee has been a genealogist for over 20 years and has worked on countless adoptee cases utilizing DNA.
Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Lab Coordinator
Olivia McCarter
Olivia McCarter is an Investigative Genetic Genealogist and Lab Coordinator for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She holds a Bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of South Alabama. Olivia began her work in Investigative Genetic Genealogy at the age of eighteen and this passion led her to a career as a Genealogy Analyst at the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. She currently works with the Foley Police Department in Alabama as a Crime Scene and Evidence Technician, in addition to her work with our company. It is her main goal to solve as many cold cases in her home state of Alabama as possible. In her free time, Olivia likes to document cemeteries for Find a Grave, play with her dogs and cats, and research her own family tree.
Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Business Manager/Team Member Coordinator
Katie Thomas
Katie is an Investigative Genetic Genealogist and Business Manager for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and has completed coursework towards her Master's degree in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum and her graduate certification in crime analysis. Katie has over 10 years of investigative social work experience, supervisory experience, and genealogical experience. She is an area director, regional manager and member of the Potential Match Panel board for the Doe Network and holds a Lean Six Sigma green belt certification. Katie is a graduate of the Forensic Genealogy Training for Law Enforcement program. She has completed the genealogical coursework at the University of Strathclyde and is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG).
Contract Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Social Media Managing Consultant
Bryan Worters, MA
Bryan is a contract Investigative Genetic Genealogist and Social Media Managing Consultant for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. He holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology from North Carolina State University, where he graduated summa cum laude, and a Master's Degree from the University of South Carolina in criminology and criminal justice. In addition to his time with our company, Bryan is also a volunteer with the DNA Doe Project and works on several podcasts as a research assistant.
Volunteer Law Enforcement Specialist
Detective Adam Turner
Detective Adam J. Turner is from Shelby, Ohio where he graduated with Honors in 2003. He attended The University of Toledo (UT) where he was a member of the Criminal Justice Society and Sigma Phi Epsilon, where he served as Chaplain in charge of religious service and the disciplinary board. He graduated from UT in 2007 with his Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. In 2008, he graduated from the Police Academy at North Central State College, Mansfield with awards for Top Academics and Top Physical Fitness. In 2012, he received his Diploma in Forensic Science from The American Institute of Applied Science and in 2014 he graduated Magna Cum Laude with his Master’s in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science from St. Leo University in Tampa, Florida. He started with the Shelby Police Department in 2007. From 2007-2012, he was in the patrol unit where he investigated misdemeanor and felony offenses occurring in the city of Shelby. He completed multiple investigations regarding a broad spectrum of crimes, as the department, at that time, had no detective unit. While employed with the Shelby Police Department, he was appointed to serve as a Deputy United States Marshal on the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Taskforce. This is a collaborative, district-wide law enforcement effort, spearheaded by the U.S. Marshal Service dedicated to the pursuit, apprehension, and successful prosecution of violent adult fugitives across the Northern District of Ohio with outstanding state and federal warrants. He was awarded Officer of the Year in 2012. From 2012-2016, he worked for the Springfield Police Department, Clark County, Ohio as an Officer and a Crime Scene Technician as well as a Technical Crash Investigator. In 2016, he received a meritorious medal. From 2016-2018, he worked as an Enforcement Investigator for the State Medical Board in Columbus, Ohio. Here, he conducted investigations of potential violations of laws & regulations governing the practice of medicine & its branches in Ohio. In the fall of 2018, he returned to the Shelby Police Department to spearhead the Detective Bureau and to be closer to his family. He is still in this role. His cases cover all variants of crime to include both property and personal. He is currently in charge of one of the Country’s oldest, active missing person’s investigations from 1945. His work has been featured across many media platforms. In 2012, he was nominated and received induction into “Marques Who’s Who in America.” His research and work has been in Missing & Unidentified Persons, Exhumations, Forensic Pathology, Drug Addiction, Fingerprint Identification, Accident Reconstruction, Crime Scene Investigation and the Psychopathology of Violent Serial Offenders.
Volunteer Research Analyst
Lennon Ferguson
Lennon Ferguson is the youngest member on the Moxxy team and works as a Volunteer Research Analyst. Lennon has held interest in cases of the missing, unidentified, and murdered for several years. Lennon's primary focus in research is to provide closure to grieving loved ones. Outside of research, Lennon enjoys playing guitar, recording music, freelance writing, and various activities.
e: N/A
![Headshot3 - SP24[2].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d0def8_09e74589fab64a0ab8bd73a805d8014d~mv2.jpeg/v1/crop/x_0,y_301,w_1588,h_1316/fill/w_403,h_334,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Headshot3%20-%20SP24%5B2%5D.jpeg)
Volunteer Grant Writer and Investigative
Genetic Genealogist
Dr. Traci Austin
Traci is a Volunteer Grant Writer and Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She holds a doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is an associate professor in business communication at Sam Houston State University. Traci has over 10 years of experience in grant writing and fundraising for nonprofits and educational institutions. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has led CliftonStrengths activities for individuals and groups. In addition to researching family histories for herself and others, Traci enjoys using objects (like quilts, bibles, and other heirlooms) to date or inform genealogical events, and vice versa. Her latest project involves attempting to date an album quilt (with embroidered signatures from 32 different individuals) using genealogical research. She is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG).
e: N/A
Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Dawn Kosmakos
Dawn Kosmakos is a Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist with Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two young adult sons. After identifying and meeting her own unknown biological father in 2016, Dawn caught the genetic genealogy bug and began volunteering with DNA Detectives and Search Squad on Facebook. In 2019 she started SunriseDNA and began taking private clients specializing in complex unknown parent mysteries. In 2022 Dawn began occasionally taking on IGG cases. Dawn is self taught but also attends workshops, seminars and classes to keep up with the IGG field. Dawn is a member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and her local genealogical society. She is currently on the board of DNA Justice, a non-profit database dedicated to helping law enforcment identify perpetrators and unidentified human remains. Dawn also has over 25 years admin assistance experience that she gained from various temporary, virtual, and volunteer positions. Dawn has a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Communications.
e: N/A
Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Melissa Gamez Stevens
Melissa is a Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She is a self-trained genealogist with over 25 years of experience. As a dedicated volunteer search angel, she has helped countless individuals reconnect with their birth families, leveraging her expertise in Catholic records and Spanish, Latin, and Italian documents. Melissa graduated magna cum laude from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, with a BA in Theatre. Her diverse career has included roles as a musical lyricist, vocal and theatre coach, theatre teacher, and artist specializing in Mexican folk art. Originally from Arizona, and of Mexican descent, Melissa is passionate about issues surrounding the US/Mexico border, particularly the plight of the countless migrants who have gone missing or died in the Sonoran desert. Through her work, she aims to restore identities to the nameless and bring closure to grieving families.
e: N/A
Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Erin M. Donohue Boyer
Erin M. Donohue Boyer is a Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. She holds a graduate certificate in Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy from the University of New Haven. With over 10-plus years of relevant experience, Erin has had had the honor of reuniting adoptees with biological families, solving misattributed parentage cases, and unraveling family mysteries. Erin also volunteers to find the next of kin of unclaimed decedents nationwide. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, the American Ancestors through the New England Historical Genealogical Society as well as the Anchorage Genealogy Society. Erin graduated summa cum laude from the University of Western Oregon with a Master of Science Education in information technology. She earned a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Her professional journey includes firefighting, 911 dispatching, over 30 years as an EMT, and more than 25 years as an educator. An award-winning instructor as well as a grant manager, Erin has held leadership roles at national, state, and local levels. Passionate about ethics, collaboration, and achieving results, Erin is committed to bringing resolution to families who have been waiting far too long.
e: N/A
Volunteer Law Enforcement Specialist, Research
Analyst, and Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Matthew Hoggatt
Matthew Hoggatt is a Volunteer Law Enforcement Specialist, Research Analyst, and Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. Matthew is a former police detective with over 20 years of service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast where he calls home. For the majority of his career, Matthew served as a felony crimes investigator and crisis negotiator before specializing in long-term missing persons and unidentified human remains cases. After retiring from law enforcement, Matthew began a career in higher education as a criminal justice instructor at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). Matthew earned a Bachelor’s degree from USM, and a Master’s degree in criminal justice from William Carey University. Matthew also volunteers with the DNA Doe Project, and serves as a Team Adam Consultant for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In a previous life, Matthew was a singer/songwriter on Jimmy Buffett’s record label, Mailboat Records, and worked as touring artist as well as a radio host on Radio Margaritaville, Sirius XM. Matthew currently hosts a true-crime podcast called “The Timeline with Matt Hoggatt”.
Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Tiffany Sowell
Tiffany is a Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. Her interest in genealogy began in 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Victim Studies from Sam Houston State University with a minor in Sociology. With over 6 years of experience in victim advocacy and working with families in crisis situations being victim centered remains a top priority. Tiffany is a graduate of both the University of New Haven Forensic Genetic Genealogy and the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy certificate programs. She has experience as a search angel working with adoptees and clients with unknown parentages and helping connect them to their biological truth. In her free time she often enjoys stage managing or performing in local community theatre, hiking, traveling, and shopping any clearance sales!
e: N/A
Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Detective Robert Taft
Detective Robert Taft is a Volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. He is a 31-year member of a southern California law enforcement agency and is currently assigned to conduct cold case investigations. His first exposure to Investigative Genetic Genealogy began in 2018, with his assignment to his agency’s Golden State Killer Task Force. Soon after the arrest of Joseph DeAngelo, Robert began to explore the use of that same DNA technology in identifying John and Jane Does for his Department. Detective Taft initially partnered with a third-party genealogy organization and in working together, they successfully identified his department’s first Jane Doe in December 2019. Since then, Detective Taft has continued to educate himself in the practices and implementation of IGG techniques and is now one of only a few sworn law enforcement officers that conduct their own IGG investigations “in-house” for his agency. He has completed the IGG certificate programs at the University of New Haven and also Ramapo College of New Jersey. Since being able to primarily focus on IGG cases, Detective Taft has made several successful identifications in both unidentified human remains cases and unidentified homicide victims. Detective Taft had received several commendations regarding his work and commitment to these genealogical investigations and most recently was the recipient of his Department’s Medal of Merit for his work in investigation and identification of a 1974 John Doe that was suspected to have been a victim of a notorious serial killer active in southern California in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
e: N/A
Investigative Genetic Genealogy Intern
Ed Adams
Ed is an Investigative Genetic Genealogy intern with Moxxy Forensic Investigations. He has served over 21 years as an Army Officer, working in a wide variety of roles. Ed has experience as an organizational leader, college professor, and instructor pilot among others. He holds a B.A. in History from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, and an M.M.A.S. in Military History from the Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He has been involved in genealogical research for over 14 years and specializes in the Colonial American South. Ed maintains membership in the National Genealogical Society (NGS).
Volunteer Law Enforcement Specialist/Investigative Genetic Genealogist
Scott Minyard
(Retired Detective)
Retired Detective Scott Minyard is a Volunteer Law Enforcement Specialist and Investigative Genetic Genealogist for Moxxy Forensic Investigations. During his 24-year law enforcement career, he has served as a Wyoming State Trooper, a Deputy Sheriff, and a Detective with a south Texas law enforcement agency. His assignments and experience include Special Response Team, Field Training Officer, Instructor, and Supervisor. As a Detective, Scott began his investigative experience in the Family Violence Squad and the Special Crimes Squad before moving to the Robbery Homicide Squad. Scott began working Cold Case Homicides, missing persons and unidentified persons in 2019. He has made multiple successful identifications of unknown remains and solved several Cold Case Homicides. During his investigations of these complex cases, Scott developed knowledge and an appreciation for IGG investigations. He has successfully partnered with several forensic laboratories and with Moxxy Forensics to leverage new technologies and the use of IGG to solve these cases. Scott is the recepient of the Cold Case Coalition Investigator of the Year award for 2023 and was also selected as the Detective of the Year (2 awards) during his career as a Detective. Prior to his career in law enforcement, Scott served as a United States Marine and a Navy Special Operations Officer (EOD) retiring as a Commander following 22 plus years of service. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Midwestern State University in Radiologic Technology.
e: N/A