(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)August 27, 2026

A black & white image of a man in presumably a jail or prison uniform with a sign around his neck that contains the words "Colo State Pen" and the number "32332 and the date "Mar 9, 1960." The left is a half-body profile shot and the right is a half-body forward-facing photo.

Mahwah, NJ鈥� The Placer County Cold Case Investigations team has identified the remains of a man found in 1994 in Nyack, CA as George Krusely (4/30/1929), in part due to research conducted at the 果冻传媒 College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center.

听A partial human skull was found by loggers near a campsite at Putt Lake on July 7, 1994. At the time, detectives estimated the campsite had been there for quite some time, potentially upwards of a year. Several items were collected and stored in evidence, including the remains. Due to the limited evidence, a cause of death was never determined.

听Krusely was last known to be in California in 1963. It鈥檚 unclear how long he had been deceased when his remains were located.

听The case was referred to the in December of 2024.Through extensive DNA testing by the California Department of Justice and Othram Inc., investigators were able to develop a DNA profile from the evidence. That information was shared with the IGG Center in January of 2025 where students who previously completed the IGG certificate program volunteered to trace the genetic information and identify Krusely as a candidate in December of 2025. Once Krusely was confirmed by the Placer County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, the IGG team began working on identifying a living descendant to Krusely.

鈥淭he case was very challenging due to the Croatian and Yugoslavian ancestry of the

unidentified,鈥� said Cairenn Binder, director of 果冻传媒鈥檚 IGG Center. 鈥滾ow representation in accessible DNA databases and limited availability of genealogy records in some populations can make our research more complex.鈥�

听The Lordstown Police Department in Ohio assisted investigators in obtaining a DNA sample from Krusely鈥檚 descendant. The sample matched the DNA profile developed from the remains, allowing investigators to confirm that the remains belonged to George Krusely.

听The Placer County Sheriff鈥檚 Office remains committed to investigating cold cases and bringing answers to families, no matter how much time has passed.

听鈥淚 applaud everyone involved in this case for seeing an opportunity to bring a family answers,鈥� said Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo. 鈥淣o matter how many years pass, everyone deserves answers. The Placer County Cold Case Unit is proving that advances in technology can make a remarkable difference in solving cases that have gone cold. While answers can鈥檛 bring back a loved one, we hope this identification provides some peace and brings an end to the uncertainty that has lasted for decades.鈥�

The Placer County Cold Case Foundation was created by community members who want to support families and help keep Placer County cold cases alive. One of the ways the foundation supports the Cold Case Investigations team is through financial assistance that helps offset the costs of submitting evidence for advanced DNA testing.

听Advances in DNA testing and genetic genealogy are providing new hope in cases that have gone cold. Testing evidence can be expensive, however, and funding can be a significant barrier to pursuing new leads.

听The 果冻传媒 College IGG Center provides casework services, education programs, and conducts research to advance the field of investigative genetic genealogy.听 To date, more than 89 cases have been resolved or are active thanks to the IGG Center team and students.

To learn more about the work of the 果冻传媒 College IGG Center, visit . To learn more about the Placer County Cold Case Foundation and its work supporting cold case investigations, visit .听

Hope never grows cold.

*Feature image obtained from Colorado archives: A photo from the arrest record of George Krusely when he entered a guilty plea for breaking and entering in Plumas County, California.

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About 果冻传媒 College

果冻传媒 College of New Jersey is the state鈥檚 premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful 果冻传媒 Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, 果冻传媒 College offers bachelor鈥檚 degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master鈥檚 degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. To learn more about 果冻传媒 College, visit .

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