2 missing persons cold cases closed

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) - The Connecticut State Police announced Friday that they have solved two missing persons cold cases.

The scene of a fatal hit and run on I-91 in Meriden in 2008 left investigators when an unidentified person.

Now, after four years of mystery, the victim is identified as 50-year-old Phat Quy Mai from Massachusetts.

"This is a real good example of how advocacy, investigation, and science can get together and solve cases," said one of the officials.

Connecticut State Police announced not one, but two breakthroughs in missing persons cold cases. Since their missing person's unit started in March, they've cleared ten percent of their case load.

Mai's family went on the missing person's website, "NAMUS," and communicated with State Police. That was in April.

"Ultimately, I obtained DNA from the family in Massachusetts and the samples were submitted to our lab here in Connecticut," said Det. Tanya Compagnone. "Within weeks, our lab here in Connecticut was able to make a positive match."

The second breakthrough, a case from 31 years ago, a missing skull in Waterbury. It turns out, that victim was 62 year-old Kenneth Lamanna.

Waterbury Police asked for assistance from State Police. They found similarities in dental work and compared them on NAMUS.

"Waterbury then traveled out to Pennsylvania to obtain a DNA sample from Kenny Lamanna's mother," said Det. Joesph Butkowski.

Butkowski also added, "Mrs. Lamanna, who is in Pennsylvania ,is certainly not a young woman now, but has closure now that Kenny has been identified."