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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGYA Very Brief Overview

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Thanks to help from Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego

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Forensic AnthropologyBrief Overview

•Defined as “the field of study that deals with the analysis of human skeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths.”•Often done in a legal context•An applied science•Five subdisciplines:

•1. Biological, or physical anthropology •2. Archaeology•3. Cultural anthropology•4. Linguistics•5. Applied anthropology

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Forensic AnthropologyGoal: Biological Profile

Includes:1. General Description2. Sex of decedent3. Age of decedent4. Ancestry of decedent5. Stature of decedent6. Assessment of trauma

(ante-, peri-, post mortem)7. Pathologies noted

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Osteology: study of skeletal remainsEach bone studied INDIVIDUALLY

206 Skeletal Bones (total)

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Osteology: study of skeletal remainsEach bone studied INDIVIDUALLY

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Osteology

Human bone –vs- Animal bone

Macroscopic differencesRadiology ObservationMeasurement

Microscopic differences

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Osteology

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Osteology

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Macroscopic differences

Baboon femur Human femur

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Microscopic differences

Spongy bone

human

mouse

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Osteology

Radiographs

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Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent

Hip bone FemurSkull

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Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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Information from skeletal

remains Sex of decedent

MALE OR FEMALE MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON?SKELETON?

(a) IS FEMALE and (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE(b) IS MALE

Handout

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Information from skeletal

remains Sex of decedent

MALE OR FEMALE MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON?SKELETON?

(a) IS FEMALE and (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE(b) IS MALE

Male

Female

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Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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What can we learn from skeletons? Age at Death

Hip bone most useful for adults

Teeth: Erupted or Not?

Estimate given as a range (30 – 35 yrs old)

Epiphyses: fused or unfused?

Pubic symphysis

Auricular surface

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Age at DeathLong Bone Development

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Age at Death

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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Age at Death

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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Osteology

Teeth also studied

Deciduous –vs- Permanent

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Age at Death

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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Epiphyses - A part of bone separated from the main body of the bone by a layer of cartilage and

subsequently uniting with the bone through further ossification

Unfused = juvenile

Fused = adult

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Spine

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More info from skeletal remains

ANCESTRY of decedent

Difficult determination to make

Facial bones most important

Nasal aperture

TeethInterorbital space

Mandible

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Stature estimate

Measure long bone(s) available

Plug in value to formula

Range established for stature of decedent

5’ 2” – 5’ 5”

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Other information TRAUMA and PATHOLOGIES

Ante- mortem Post-mortem Peri-mortem

Gunshot

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Trauma

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Individual IdentificationPerson identified when it was found that the amalgam used in her dental restorations was of a type found only in specific areas on the Eastern Coast of the United States.

Habitual activity can wear away the protective, cartilagenous lining which reduces friction in joints. The humerus in this photograph were in contact for many years prior to this individual's death. The surfaces are smooth and shiny, indicating that the joint capsule and cartilage had worn away, allowing bone on bone contact in the cavity.

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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Individual IdentificationDental implants, braces, and other types of dental work are often recovered with a body and are extremely useful in identification because they are so unique to the individual and are well detailed in antemortem radiographs and medical records.

Healed fracture on the sternal end of a midthoracic rib. The area within the red brackets is the site of injury. Note the more porous appearance of the bone in this area - this is woven bone.

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

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Case Study

September 1999 Tourist Aircraft Crash on the Big Island of Hawaii

From Prof. Ann BunchSUNY Oswego

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

Piper Aircraft with 9 passengers, 1 pilot

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

Aircraft’s path prior to crash & location of crash

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

NTSB determination of cause = pilot error

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

Document remains present

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

X-ray all remains/Possible remains

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

Personal effects and identification

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

Identification “by exclusion”

Osteoarthritis

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

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Big Island Aircraft Crash

Sorting out commingling

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Other Types of Evidence

Wreckage fragments

Wreckage in situ

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Federal Government Cases

Ha Tay Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

1995-1996 Recovery Mission

From Prof. Ann BunchSUNY Oswego

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1972 B-52 Crash Site

Christmas Bombing of Hanoi, Operation “Rolling Thunder”

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Witness interviews

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1972 B-52 Crash Site

Pond after draining

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B-52 Crash Site

Surrounding terrain

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The “Bottomless Pit”

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Progress after one field activity

Test Pit

Test Pit

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6 weeks’ progress

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6 weeks’ progress

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Recovery continues

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Focal point of recovery

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Evidence

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Final View of Excavation

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More Evidence

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More evidence

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Case Status•Remains of tail gunner identified with mtDNA•Captain’s rank insignia recovered from site = presence of second MIA?•Family of tail gunner not willing to accept ID until more solid evidence of other MIA is found/presented

Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego

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Harper Bone/Kennedy

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ harper.htm

Believed to be a parietal bone

Found the day after the assassination 25 ft. from the car path in the Plaza.

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Harper Bone/Kennedy

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ harper.htm

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Believed to be a parietal bone

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Harper Bone- Kennedy

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

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Forensic Anthropology

• http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/anthropology/1.html

• http://www.forensicanthro.com/

• http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/forensics/index.shtml

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Forensic Anthropology Conclusions and Summary

1. General Description2. Sex of decedent3. Age of decedent4. Ancestry of decedent5. Stature of decedent6. Assessment of trauma

(ante-, peri-, post mortem)7. Pathologies noted

Exclusionary and identification evidenceClass and individual evidence

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