Florida Trucker Arrested for 1996 Rape, Murder of Michigan Woman Case Solved using Forensic Genetic Genealogy

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Identifinders International, in conjunction with the Kent County Sheriff's Office (KCSO), is pleased to announce an arrest in the 1996 rape and murder of Sharon Kay Hammack. Ms. Hammack, 29, was found by a delivery man shortly after she was murdered in South Kent County, MI, on October 3, 1996. Garry Dean Artmen, a truck driver and resident of Florida, was identified as a suspect using forensic genetic genealogy and was arrested in Mississippi by the Mississippi Highway Patrol on Tuesday. He is currently awaiting extradition to Michigan.

"We appreciate the efforts that Identifinders put into solving this case,", said Lieutenant William Marks of the KCSO. "Mr. Artmen would never have been identified without Identifinder's forensic genetic genealogy expertise."

Authorities are investigating Artmen's link to other murders. He has already been tied through DNA to a 2006 Maryland homicide. The victim was known to have been in Ontario, California shortly before her death, about the same time that Artmen received a traffic citation in that area.

"This case is significant - the identification of Mr. Artmen may lead to his arrest for other crimes that otherwise would remain unsolved. This will certainly encourage other law enforcement agencies to use FGG as an investigative tool", stated Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, President of Identifinders.

Countless hours were spent tracing the subjects DNA matches from Eastern Europe to Michigan. In spite of distant matches and complex family pedigrees, the FGG methodology ultimately to one contributor of the DNA left at the crime scene - Garry Dean Artmen.

"It was truly an honor to work with Kent County Sheriff's Office. Our thoughts are with Sharon's family," said Linda Doyle, the Senior Forensic Genetic Genealogist on the case.

Identifinders International is a fee-based forensic service that works with law enforcement agencies, coroners, and medical examiners to apply genetic genealogy, Y-DNA and autosomal SNP analysis to solve cold case homicides, sexual assaults, and unidentified remains. For more information, please visit www.identifinders.com.

SOURCE Identifinders International LLC

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