Human identification: the anthropologists role

1
Human identification the anthropologists 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
• 55 to 57, 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
• 54 to 511
• 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
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
Facial reconstruction by Suzanne Baldon,
MAPresented to Media
13
Generalizations

• Kenneth Glaze
• White male
• 35 years old
• Relative tells detective that Kenneth always
  suffered with his ears
• Disappeared August 1963 (PMI4 mos)

• Unidentified Skeleton
• White male
• 33-45 years of age
• 54 to 511
• Long term infection of middle ears
• PMI less than 1 year

14
And.the facial reconstruction looks great

• Its not enough for a scientifically proven
  positive identification

15
Positive Identification

• Identification confirmed via mitochondrial DNA
  comparison with maternal relative

16
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

17
Jane Doe 1991Biological profile, clothing
jewelry description released to media
18
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 wasnt good
  enough
• Body buried as unidentified

19
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

20
Today we have more resources

• Digital radiographs
• Improved clarity
• Retention by hospitals
• Amelogenin marker tells us the sex
• CODISmp

21
Isolated Skeletal Elements
C. 1999 Arlington PD
A. 1995 Euless PD
B. 1995 Fort Worth PD
22
B
A
C
23
Robust Skeleton
24
Brow Ridge
Large mastoid process
25
Long mid-face
26
Elliptical Palate Shape
Inca Bone
27
Slight Lipping of Joint Surfaces
28
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.

29
Resources

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