1 / 29

Human identification: the anthropologist’s role

Human identification: the anthropologist’s role. Dana Austin, Ph.D. Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Anthropology Tarrant County Medical Examiner District Fort Worth, TX. Traditional Forensic Anthropology Identification. Comparative Osteology/Human Osteology Craniometry/Osteometry

sona
Download Presentation

Human identification: the anthropologist’s role

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Human identification: the anthropologist’s role Dana Austin, Ph.D. Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Anthropology Tarrant County Medical Examiner District Fort Worth, TX

  2. Traditional Forensic Anthropology Identification • Comparative Osteology/Human Osteology • Craniometry/Osteometry • Ancestral morphology • Sex identification • Age estimation • Radiological comparison • Facial reconstruction

  3. Traditional Anthropology Method Limitations • Generalizations only • Biological Profile • Individualizing Traits • Exclusions are possible • Positive identification not possible

  4. Unidentified Skeletal Remains1963 • White Female • 35-40 years of age • 5’5” to 5’7”, 135-140 lbs • Light brown or dark blond hair • Large nose with high bridge • 8 dental restorations • Ladies jacket, green with gold lining • Blue teen-age type socks • PMI greater than 6 months

  5. Death Investigation thru 1964 • D.P.S., Crime Briefs Bulletin • Newspaper story with facial drawing of female • Case submitted to Dallas PD, DPS Austin, FBI, LA State Police, Am. Dental Assn, OK DPS, • Comparison of dental records with missing women in OK, LA, TX, CA, PA

  6. 2004 Analysis • White MALE • 33-45 years of age • 5’4” to 5’11” • Long term infection of middle ears • PMI less than 1 year

  7. Male Features

  8. Postmortem Interval Postmortem Interval

  9. Infection Lesions of Skull

  10. Facial reconstruction by Suzanne Baldon, MAPresented to Media

  11. Kenneth Glaze White male 35 years old Relative tells detective that Kenneth always suffered with his ears Disappeared August 1963 (PMI=4 mos) Unidentified Skeleton White male 33-45 years of age 5’4” to 5’11” Long term infection of middle ears PMI less than 1 year Generalizations

  12. And….the facial reconstruction looks great • Its not enough for a scientifically proven positive identification

  13. Positive Identification • Identification confirmed via mitochondrial DNA comparison with maternal relative

  14. What did we do in the old days? • Decedents with a good tentative id were buried as John & Jane Doe • A lot of time and resources were used to try to locate obscure medical or dental records

  15. Jane Doe 1991Biological profile, clothing & jewelry description released to media

  16. Unidentified Female 1991 • Body was mummified • Fingerprints were obtained from some fingers • Fingerprints were compared to known missing white females, but the quality of the print wasn’t good enough • Body buried as unidentified

  17. 2008 Identification • Fingerprints sent to Department of Homeland Security, Biometric Support Center • They were able to confirm identity with an IAFIS hit • This female was a possible match in 1991

  18. Today we have more resources • Digital radiographs • Improved clarity • Retention by hospitals • Amelogenin marker tells us the sex • CODISmp

  19. Isolated Skeletal Elements C. 1999 Arlington PD A. 1995 Euless PD B. 1995 Fort Worth PD

  20. B A C

  21. Robust Skeleton

  22. Brow Ridge Large mastoid process

  23. Long mid-face

  24. Elliptical Palate Shape Inca Bone

  25. Slight Lipping of Joint Surfaces

  26. 1995 & 1999 cases • Amelogenin marker tells us all are male • XY • This eliminates half of our possibles (in theory) • CODISmp associated these bones with one another • This allowed a more detailed UNID entry including dental and stature information and allowed for a modified age estimation.

  27. Resources • www.namus.gov • www.baldonart.com • www.txdpsmpch.gov

More Related