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Bodies of Evidence: Mystery Solved

Bodies of Evidence: Mystery Solved. By Dana Austin, Ph.D., DABFA Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office Fort Worth, Texas. Unidentified Female Skeleton 1993. Bones were recovered in May 1993

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Bodies of Evidence: Mystery Solved

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  1. Bodies of Evidence:Mystery Solved By Dana Austin, Ph.D., DABFA Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office Fort Worth, Texas

  2. Unidentified Female Skeleton1993 • Bones were recovered in May 1993 • Body was evaluated at the Johnson Co. Medical Examiner and biological profile data were submitted to NCIC

  3. Unidentified Female Skeleton2003 • Cold case squad re-looked at case in 2003. • Brought bone sample to Texas Missing Person’s DNA database • Skeleton brought to Tarrant County Anthropologist for analysis and facial reconstruction

  4. Findings: Re-analysis of Skeleton • White Female • Aged 16-23 • 5’4” – 5’9” • Postmortem interval greater than 5 years (prior to discovery in 1993) • DOB probable range = 1952-1972 • Date missing estimate = 1975-1988

  5. NCIC Data Entry • Entry modified with new biological profile and re-run against possible missing females • Assistance from the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse

  6. Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse • Housed under the Texas DPS Criminal Law Enforcement Division, Special Crimes Service • MPCH was established by the 69th Legislature, regular session in 1985. • 1986 MPCH became operational

  7. Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse • Central repository for information pertaining to missing persons and unidentified living/deceased. • Assists law enforcement, families, non-profit organizations, and the general public in handling matters involving missing and unidentified persons. • Publication/distribution of photos • Training for law enforcement • Analytical support (including NCIC entry)

  8. Jane Doe 1993 Possibilities • Approximately 79 possible matches were received • 31 eliminated from further consideration due to age discrepancy, postmortem interval deviation, and/or inconsistent dental • 48 tentative matches

  9. Johnson Co. Sheriff’s Office • Mark Thompson tracked down the originating departments on these MP • Received dental records or • Encouraged family to submit reference samples to Texas Missing Persons DNA database

  10. August 2003 • Rica Garcis from North Richland Hills P.D. revaluates a file on a missing female • She determines that female is still missing • With help from the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse she tracks down the mother and assists in getting a DNA sample to the Texas Missing Person’s DNA database

  11. Texas Missing Persons DNA Database • Housed at UNTHSC in Fort Worth • Funded by State Legislation in 2001 • Extractions begun March 2003 • Accepts cases of unidentified remains and relatives of missing persons • First lab to use CODISmp software

  12. Texas Missing Person’s DNA Database • Current Profiles for Unidentified/Missing • 17 Unidentified remains • 260 Relatives of Missing Persons • 7 identifications to date • 1st Id in August 2003

  13. National DNA Index SystemNDIS • Current Profiles for Unidentified/Missing • 158 Missing Persons • 415 Relatives of Missing Persons • 203 Unidentified Remains

  14. June 2004 A break in the case • The Texas Missing Persons DNA database identifies our skeletal remains • The mother’s DNA was found to match the DNA extracted from a bone—probability of maternity = 95.21% • This was the first COLD HIT for the database

  15. Lessons in Identification • Why hadn’t we come up with her name earlier? • This female was eliminated because her dental didn’t match! • Dental information was incorrectly coded in the original NCIC entry • This female would not have been identified if not for DNA database

  16. Case Summary • Female disappeared in 1982 when she was 19 years 11 mos old • Her partial skeletal remains were discovered in 1993 • Re-analysis of her skeleton showed evidence of homicide and a longer postmortem interval

  17. Case Summary • Her skeletal remains were identified through a DNA database thanks to the hard work of two police agencies • The homicide investigation is in progress

  18. TX Missing Persons Clearinghouse • Toll-Free Help-line • 800-346-3243 • TX Missing Persons DNA Database • Steven Gammon 817-735-0188 National MP Database: Dr. J.E.B. Stewart, FBI 703-632-4589 Thanks to John Planz, UNTHSC And Patricia Blake, TMPCH

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