Definitely with current technology, it's not possible to predict what a person would look like from DNA samples only (although a number of published sci-fi authors have used it in far futures.) However, even if the technology does exist in the LnCverse - it was able to predict what an alien would look like? That in itself should be enough to question the Sewell's claims that the man in the picture was an alien.
No, Hodge had his own reasons for wanting the Sewells out of the way. (I know where I'd take this, but it's Female Hawk's story...) :p
