This research determined if the patterns resulting from different chainsaw chain types impacting bone leave tool marks are dissimilar enough from one another to determine which type of chainsaw was used in dismemberment mimicking homicide cases. Multiple styles of commercially available chainsaw chains were used. The long bones of adult white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were cut to produce false start cuts and complete sectioning to mimic typical human dismemberment. The cut areas were examined macroscopically and microscopically to note features common to each chain. The chains were compared to one another to note differences. It was proposed that each chainsaw would leave different tool marks. It was found that the style of tooth significantly affects the size of the exit chipping, size of the breakaway notch, angling of the kerf floor, and the mass of bone wastage produced. The most significant differences were produced with a standard tooth. The skip of the chainsaw did not create significant differences. This research has applications in forensic anthropology through the additional information on tool marks and the ability to identify specific tool types. The information is also useful to law enforcement investigations involving dismemberments.

Studies have highlighted a growing national problem regarding the number of untested Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs). A 2011 National Institute of Justice report revealed Los Angeles alone had 10,000 untested SAKs. This backlog has fueled the need for specific and efficient testing of SAK evidence. In traditional workflows, serology tests are used to indicate the presence of a targeted bodily fluid and prioritize samples for genetic analysis. However, given the lack of sensitivity and specificity of modern serological assays, current SAK workflows often skip serological identification altogether for a “direct to DNA” approach. While these Y-Screen workflows achieve rapid screening of samples for the presence of a detectible male contributor, they do not provide any serological information. As a result, samples lack what can be critical investigative context. Improved serological capabilities with enhanced sensitivity and specificity would provide greater confidence in results for the confirmatory identification of seminal fluid. At a minimum, forensic biologists should understand the limitations associated with traditional serological approaches to seminal fluid identification when processing SAK samples. Current serological techniques based on antigen-antibody binding have exhibited both sensitivity and specificity limitations. False positive results for semen can be obtained by non-target biological fluids such as breast milk, urine, and vaginal fluid, or by non-specific binding events. This study evaluates a promising emerging technique that combines high specificity protein biomarker detection with targeted mass spectrometry. This research targeted human-specific peptide markers for seminal fluid proteins and peptide standards to perform quantification of seminal fluid peptide targets using an Agilent 6495 mass spectrometer coupled to a 1290 series liquid chromatograph. This approach has shown to be both more specific and sensitive in identifying a bodily fluid compared to current immunological based approaches. Thus, this proteomic workflow was used to evaluate authentic false positive rates of current immunochromatographic techniques for seminal fluid identification. Self-collected vaginal swabs collected from participants not engaging in barrier-free vaginal intercourse with male partners were tested using various immunochromatographic assays designed to detect both semenogelin (Sg) (RSID™-Semen) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) (ABAcard® p30 Test and SERATEC® PSA Semiquant). Similarly, three seminal fluid biomarkers (semenogelin 1, semenogelin 2, and prostate specific antigen) were used for seminal fluid identification via mass spectrometry. Any samples producing positive results on any immunochromatographic assay were evaluated to determine whether the target protein was actually present at levels above the reported sensitivity limits of the lateral flow tests. Additionally, Sperm HY-LITER™ Express was used to microscopically confirm the absence of spermatozoa in all samples producing positive immunochromatographic results. In addition to using the quantitative proteomic assay to estimate the rate of authentic false positive results associated with lateral flow assays, this research sought to establish the correlation (or lack thereof) between absolute quantitation of seminal fluid markers and the ability to successfully generate DNA profiles. Self-collected post-coital swabs from donors engaging in barrier free vaginal intercourse with male partners over varied periods of time between 1-8 days after intercourse were collected. All samples were analyzed using the quantitative seminal fluid protein mass spectrometry assay, once again targeting SgI, SgII, and PSA. Both autosomal STR profiles (GlobalFiler™) and Y-STR profiles (Yfiler™ Plus) were subsequently generated. With regard to immunochromatographic assay false positive rates, a total of 17 false positives for semen were observed (n=150), 14 of which were consistent with PSA and 3 with Sg, for a corresponding total false positive rate of 9.3% and 2%, respectively (11.3% overall). These samples were all confirmed to be sperm negative with mass spectrometry and microscopic analysis. This data supports the use of current immunochromatographic assays for the presumptive detection of seminal fluid while also providing further support for the improved specificity of alternative serological approaches using mass spectrometry identification of biological targets. With regard to the relationship between quantitative levels of target seminal fluid peptides and the ability to generate STR profiles from vaginal swabs collected at various post coital intervals, a total of 61 post-coital samples were tested. Of these, 48 samples had a seminal fluid target greater than the limit of quantitation for the mass spectrometry assay and 26 produced an STR (n=9) and/or Y-STR (n=10) profile. A correlation between peptide quantitation and ability to generate a genetic profile was unable to be determined from this initial sample set. Overall, however, it has been demonstrated that the use of proteomic mass spectrometry for the identification of seminal fluid targets (with its enhanced sensitivity and specificity) would enable forensic practitioners to make better use of serological information during the analysis of challenging sexual assault samples.

The identification of forensic cases often includes the use of skeletal elements to assess the age-at-death of an individual. The pubic symphysis is the preferred and most often used skeletal age indicator. Standard techniques, such as the Suchey-Brooks system, require that the morphology of the pubic symphysis is visually compared to shape characteristics typical for phases with associated age intervals. As individual factors accumulate during the aging process, estimating the age-at-death for older individuals becomes increasingly more difficult. In addition, methods based on visual inspection of the bones introduce some level of subjectivity and observer-related error. This research makes use of about 100 3D laser scans of the pubic symphysis of white male skeletons with known ages-at-death, and proposes several objective, quantitative methods for shape analysis that aim to provide a surface or outline measure of the shape of the scans that minimizes the age-estimation error. The proposed methods include the use of thin plate splines, two-dimensional Fourier, wavelet and elliptic Fourier analysis, and a technique that uses the radius of a best fitting circle (in 2D) or sphere (in 3D) as a measure of the curvature of a shape. In addition some refinement and partitioning techniques were implemented. The project investigates the relationship between the exact age-at-death and the different measures produced by each method. Also included are results of applying a recently proposed computational method, the SAH-Score, to new scan data and scan partitions. As a final result, the project proposes multivariate regression models that combine the measures with highest statistical significance to minimize the age estimation error (about 12 years) and maximize the adjusted R-squared value (over 55%). Furthermore, the results are subjected to two cross-validation analysis to test for the accuracy of the models when used in practice. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Scientific Computing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2015. / November 3, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Dennis Slice, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michael Creswell, University Representative; Bridget Algee-Hewitt, Committee Member; Peter Beerli, Committee Member; Xiaoqiang Wang, Committee Member.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / This study investigated the decomposition of three pig (Sus scrofa) carcasses in the same body of water under lentic and lotic conditions and at variable depths in a temperate mixed forest in the Outdoor Research Facility (ORF) in Holliston, Massachusetts in the summer months of June and July. Data were collected on the invertebrate activity, scavenger activity, water and ambient temperature, stages ofbody decomposition, and the rate of decomposition for each set of remains. Accumulated degree days (ADD) and total body scores (TBS) were used to determine two equations, differentiated by their microhabitat, with the potential use of estimating the postmortem submergence interval (PMSI) in death investigations under similar conditions. The aquatic remains reached skeletonization in 45 days and the terrestrial control remains in 14. Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate activity was extensive both above and below the waterline with 42 families from 17 orders collected and identified. Through the use of motion detector cameras the researcher was able to view the activities performed around the remains by a blue heron, a coyote, a raccoon, multiple black vultures, multiple turkey vultures, multiple squirrels, and multiple American bullfrogs.

Various traumatic events such as automobile accidents, structure fires, or terrorist attacks result in traumatic and thermal injury. Fire is a destructive force that can alter or destroy evidence, and thermal alterations have negative effects on forensic and anthropological recovery and analysis. Blunt force trauma is particularly difficult to analyze because of the multiple ways in which this trauma appears on a body and the variety of objects that can impact and fracture a bone or the variety of ways a body can impact a blunt surface. As fire is a common way to cover up a crime and blunt force trauma is used as a means to kill or injure an individual, it is necessary to understand the differences between these two types of fractures that can present together on bone. The present study was performed to determine the amount of survivability of traumatic fracture patterns in remains that have been exposed to a burning event. The sample used for this investigation was composed of twenty limbs (forty long bones) from five full-grown, domestic, female sheep (Ovis aries) obtained from a farm in Connecticut. Thirty specimens were traumatized with the head of an Estwing ball peen hammer and ten were left as controls. After specimens were subjected to blunt force trauma, each was radiographed using Computed Tomography. They were then placed in a small structure, 8' x 8', that was constructed to simulate the conditions of a house fire. Each post-burn bone was analyzed based on a number of characteristics. A trauma score of "1" no trauma, "2" ambiguous, and "3" traumatic fractures were given based on these observations. CT scans were examined after bone samples had been analyzed. Again, each specimen's CT scan was given a trauma score ("1" no trauma, "2" ambiguous, and "3" traumatic fractures). Results from the bone analysis on the 30 traumatized and burned specimens revealed that 15 did not have trauma, 2 were ambiguous (i.e., they may have trauma but traumatic characteristics were not distinct), and 13 presented with distinguishable traumatic injury. Comminuted was the most prominent type of fracture, and the next most common fracture was oblique. The majority of traumatic injury was found on the middle portion of the bone. CT examination showed that 12 specimens had suffered traumatic injury. The two analyses were compared and showed an agreement of 83.3% between the trauma scores. Results show that differentiation of traumatic and thermally induced fractures is possible using various fracture characteristics as well as taphonomic indicators to determine the sequence of events.

In homicide cases, suitcases provide concealment and ease of transport of a body and reduce the likelihood of detection. When estimating a minimum postmortem interval (mPMI), it is necessary to understand the taphonomic processes that occur when a body is concealed within a suitcase. In this study, the experimental carcasses consisted of pig (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) heads concealed within either hard shell or fabric suitcases whereas control pig heads were decomposed naturally. All control pigs heads attracted blowflies (Calliphoridae) immediately and mummified within days, whereas the experimental pigs heads had an oviposition delay of approximately 72 hours and decomposed resulting in skeletonization. Differences in the arthropod species present varied between the experimental and control pigs heads. Temperature comparisons revealed significant (p <0.001) differences between the experimental and control pigs heads. How a corpse decomposes when a suitcase is used for body disposal must be considered when estimating the mPMI.

Reconstructing stature is at the core of providing information on unidentified human remains. This research shows that there are significant differences between modern populations and those used to create the most common stature estimation formulae. New formulae for the femur and fibula in males and females were created to provide accurate estimates for modern forensic cases. Additionally, a novel measurement of the femur is shown to be moderately correlated with stature and stature estimation formulae for this measurement are included.

Thesis (MA)--University of Montana, 2009. / Contents viewed on January 14, 2010. Title from author supplied metadata. Includes bibliographical references.

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