Michael Amy R, Blatt Samantha H, Isa Mariyam, Redgrave Anthony, Ubelaker Douglas H
Department of Anthropology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NC, USA.
Department of Anthropology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA.
Forensic Sci Res. 2022 Mar 11;7(3):412-426. doi: 10.1080/20961790.2022.2034717. eCollection 2022.
Anthropologists are often the custodians of long-term unidentified human remains though their positions as curators of university or museum skeletal collections. Various factors decrease the solvability of these legacy cases including the passage of time, the loss of provenience for specific cases, and lack of documentation or case records. While anthropologists can contribute important information toward identification, it is often necessary to explore novel and cross-disciplinary strategies to resolve difficult cold cases. In long cold cases, the postmortem interval, in particular, may be difficult to estimate leading to further challenges in achieving identification. Modern advances in radiocarbon bomb pulse dating, isotope analysis, and actualistic studies have contributed to positive identification of unidentified human remains in some legacy cases, but may not be available to all forensic practitioners and law enforcement from resource-poor agencies. Pooling resources, as well as collaborating with professionals outside of forensic anthropology, is a useful strategy to pursue when anthropological methods are exhausted.The case study presented here demonstrates a collaborative approach between forensic anthropologists, forensic genetic genealogists, and law enforcement in a century-old homicide. The dismembered and mummified parts of a male body were recovered in a remote cave in 1979 and again in 1991. Despite forensic anthropologists creating and updating the biological profile over the decades from recovery to present, no identification was made until the application of forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) to the case in 2019. New interpretations of bone microstructure and trauma analysis are presented for the case, alongside the historical documentation and "proof of life" evidence used by the genealogy team. A review of the FGG methods underscores the challenges in this case (e.g. significant endogamy, multiple aliases used by the victim) and the steps taken toward resolution. Ultimately, a combined anthropology and genealogy approach resulted in a confirmed identity for a man who was murdered in 1916.Key pointsForensic scientists should leverage a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach toward human identification.When combined with forensic anthropology methods, forensic genetic genealogy is a valuable tool linking biological and cultural-historical aspects of identity.Forensic anthropologists should review challenging cases in their labs as new methods are introduced and new resources become available.
人类学家常常通过其作为大学或博物馆骨骼藏品馆长的身份，保管长期身份不明的人类遗骸。多种因素降低了这些遗留案件的可侦破性，包括时间的推移、特定案件出处信息的丢失，以及缺乏文件记录或案件档案。虽然人类学家可为身份识别提供重要信息，但往往需要探索新颖的跨学科策略来解决棘手的悬案。在时间跨度长的悬案中，尤其难以估计死后间隔时间，这给身份识别带来了更多挑战。放射性碳炸弹脉冲测年、同位素分析和实际情况研究等现代进展，在一些遗留案件中有助于确定身份不明的人类遗骸，但资源匮乏机构的法医从业者和执法人员可能无法使用这些技术。当人类学方法穷尽时，整合资源以及与法医人类学以外的专业人员合作是一种可行的策略。此处呈现的案例研究展示了法医人类学家、法医基因谱系学家和执法部门在一宗百年前杀人案中的协作方式。1979年在一个偏远洞穴中发现了一具男性尸体的碎块且已木乃伊化，1991年又有新发现。尽管几十年来法医人类学家从尸体发现到现在一直在创建和更新生物特征描述，但直到2019年将法医基因谱系学（FGG）应用于该案件才得以确认身份。本文针对该案件给出了骨骼微观结构和创伤分析的新解读，同时介绍了谱系团队使用的历史文献和“生前证据”。对FGG方法的回顾凸显了该案件面临的挑战（例如高度近亲通婚、受害者使用多个别名）以及为解决问题所采取的步骤。最终，人类学与谱系学相结合的方法确认了一名于1916年被谋杀男子的身份。要点法医科学家应采用协作的跨学科方法进行人类身份识别。法医基因谱系学与法医人类学方法相结合时，是连接身份的生物和文化历史层面的宝贵工具。随着新方法的引入和新资源的出现，法医人类学家应在实验室中重新审视具有挑战性的案件。
