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Human identification: the Human identification: the anthropologist’s roleanthropologist’s role
Dana Austin, Ph.D.Dana Austin, Ph.D.Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Diplomate, American Board of Forensic
AnthropologyAnthropologyTarrant County Medical Examiner DistrictTarrant County Medical Examiner District
Fort Worth, TXFort Worth, TX
12/17/200812/17/2008
Traditional Forensic Traditional Forensic Anthropology IdentificationAnthropology Identification
Comparative Osteology/Human Comparative Osteology/Human OsteologyOsteology
Craniometry/OsteometryCraniometry/Osteometry Ancestral morphologyAncestral morphology Sex identificationSex identification Age estimationAge estimation Radiological comparisonRadiological comparison Facial reconstructionFacial reconstruction
12/17/200812/17/2008
Traditional Anthropology Traditional Anthropology Method LimitationsMethod Limitations
Generalizations only Generalizations only Biological ProfileBiological Profile Individualizing TraitsIndividualizing Traits
Exclusions are possibleExclusions are possible Positive identification not possiblePositive identification not possible
12/17/200812/17/2008
Unidentified Skeletal RemainsUnidentified Skeletal Remains19631963
White FemaleWhite Female 35-40 years of age35-40 years of age 5’5” to 5’7”, 135-140 lbs5’5” to 5’7”, 135-140 lbs Light brown or dark blond hairLight brown or dark blond hair Large nose with high bridgeLarge nose with high bridge 8 dental restorations8 dental restorations Ladies jacket, green with gold liningLadies jacket, green with gold lining Blue teen-age type socksBlue teen-age type socks PMI greater than 6 monthsPMI greater than 6 months
12/17/200812/17/2008
Death Investigation thru Death Investigation thru 19641964
D.P.S., Crime Briefs D.P.S., Crime Briefs BulletinBulletin
Newspaper story with Newspaper story with facial drawing of femalefacial drawing of female
Case submitted to Case submitted to Dallas PD, DPS Austin, Dallas PD, DPS Austin, FBI, LA State Police, Am. FBI, LA State Police, Am. Dental Assn, OK DPS, Dental Assn, OK DPS,
Comparison of dental Comparison of dental records with missing records with missing women in OK, LA, TX, women in OK, LA, TX, CA, PACA, PA
12/17/200812/17/2008
2004 Analysis2004 Analysis
White White MALEMALE 33-45 years of age33-45 years of age 5’4” to 5’11”5’4” to 5’11” Long term infection of middle earsLong term infection of middle ears PMI less than 1 yearPMI less than 1 year
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Male FeaturesMale Features
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Postmortem IntervalPostmortem IntervalPostmortem IntervalPostmortem Interval
12/17/200812/17/2008
Infection Lesions of SkullInfection Lesions of Skull
12/17/200812/17/2008
12/17/200812/17/2008
12/17/200812/17/2008
Facial reconstruction by Suzanne Facial reconstruction by Suzanne Baldon, MABaldon, MA
Presented to MediaPresented to Media
12/17/200812/17/2008
GeneralizationsGeneralizations
Kenneth GlazeKenneth Glaze White maleWhite male 35 years old35 years old Relative tells Relative tells
detective that detective that Kenneth always Kenneth always suffered with his suffered with his earsears
Disappeared August Disappeared August 1963 (PMI=4 mos)1963 (PMI=4 mos)
Unidentified Unidentified SkeletonSkeleton
White maleWhite male 33-45 years of age33-45 years of age 5’4” to 5’11”5’4” to 5’11” Long term infection Long term infection
of middle earsof middle ears PMI less than 1 PMI less than 1
yearyear
12/17/200812/17/2008
And….the facial reconstruction And….the facial reconstruction looks greatlooks great
Its not enough for a scientifically proven positive Its not enough for a scientifically proven positive identificationidentification
12/17/200812/17/2008
Positive IdentificationPositive Identification
Identification confirmed via Identification confirmed via mitochondrial DNA comparison with mitochondrial DNA comparison with maternal relativematernal relative
12/17/200812/17/2008
What did we do in the old What did we do in the old days?days?
Decedents with a good tentative id Decedents with a good tentative id were buried as John & Jane Doewere buried as John & Jane Doe
A lot of time and resources were A lot of time and resources were used to try to locate obscure medical used to try to locate obscure medical or dental recordsor dental records
12/17/200812/17/2008
Jane Jane Doe Doe 1991 1991Biological Biological profile, profile, clothing & clothing & jewelry jewelry description description released to released to mediamedia
12/17/200812/17/2008
Unidentified Female 1991Unidentified Female 1991
Body was mummifiedBody was mummified Fingerprints were Fingerprints were
obtained from some obtained from some fingersfingers
Fingerprints were Fingerprints were compared to known compared to known missing white females, missing white females, but the quality of the but the quality of the print wasn’t good print wasn’t good enoughenough
Body buried as Body buried as unidentifiedunidentified
12/17/200812/17/2008
2008 Identification2008 Identification
Fingerprints sent to Fingerprints sent to Department of Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security, Biometric Support Biometric Support CenterCenter
They were able to They were able to confirm identity with confirm identity with an IAFIS hitan IAFIS hit
This female was a This female was a possible match in possible match in 19911991
12/17/200812/17/2008
Today we have more Today we have more resourcesresources
Digital radiographsDigital radiographs Improved clarityImproved clarity Retention by hospitalsRetention by hospitals
Amelogenin marker tells us the sexAmelogenin marker tells us the sex CODISmpCODISmp
12/17/200812/17/2008
Isolated Skeletal ElementsIsolated Skeletal Elements
C.
1999 Arlington
PD
B.
1995 Fort Worth PD
A.
1995 Euless PD
12/17/200812/17/2008
AB
C
12/17/200812/17/2008
Robust SkeletonRobust Skeleton
12/17/200812/17/2008
Large mastoid process
Brow Ridge
12/17/200812/17/2008
Long mid-face
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Inca Bone
Elliptical Palate Shape
12/17/200812/17/2008
Slight Lipping of Joint Slight Lipping of Joint SurfacesSurfaces
12/17/200812/17/2008
1995 & 1999 cases1995 & 1999 cases
Amelogenin marker Amelogenin marker tells us all are maletells us all are male XYXY This eliminates half of This eliminates half of
our possibles (in theory)our possibles (in theory) CODISmp associated CODISmp associated
these bones with one these bones with one anotheranother This allowed a more This allowed a more
detailed UNID entry detailed UNID entry including dental and including dental and stature information and stature information and allowed for a modified allowed for a modified age estimation. age estimation.
12/17/200812/17/2008
ResourcesResources
www.namus.govwww.namus.gov www.baldonart.comwww.baldonart.com www.txdpsmpch.govwww.txdpsmpch.gov