FORENSIC Scief\1CE '1
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If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. () ''I FORENSIC SCIEf\1CE '1 ., DUring the afternoon of Decem intensive search produced only a few were forwarded to coauthor Dr. J. ber 15, 1975. the Howard County, strands of long hair, a medium-sized Lawrence Angel, Curator of Physical 1).Id., Police Department received in sweater, and a few pieces of women's Anthropolo~y at the Smithsonian In formation that a human skeleton had jewelry-scant clues to the identity stitution in ·Washington, D.C. After a been discovered in Columbia, Md., in of the decedent, a suspected rape painstaking examination of the an isolated wooded area adjacent to homicide victim. skeletal remains, it. was concluded that an industrial park. Investigators re The physical l'emains were taken the skeleton was that of a. Caucasian sponded to the scene, located the badly to the office of the medical examiner female, approximately 17 to 22 years decomposed remains, and began a in Baltimore, Md., where the time of of aget who was of less than average search of the immediate vicinity. death was estimated to be from 3 to stature. She had broader 1h:.111 average The crime scene investigation dis 6 weeks prior to discovery. A sub shoulders and hips and was beJieved closed that the skeleton had been sequent review of missing persons re to be right-handed. Her head anti face· dragged a few feet from its original ports for the perlinent time period were l~l1g; the nose high-bridged. location and. was not intact. Police produced no additional clues. Also noted was subcal'tilage damage theorized that: this disarrangement "Filh the question of the victim's to the righl hip joint. a condition i was the result of animal activity. An identity still unresolved, the remains which had probably caused occasional 12 FBI Law Enforcetnent fhsJletin : }. ' *'...... '~~ '" " , .I '\ " \ ,I , \ \ .~ j ~ Lo.a..w __~._ .. · ____ .. J L.~j Donald G. Cherry J. Lawrence Angel pain and suggcsted occupational "Obviously, the recon its established by the anthropological stress. An irregularity of the left struction of a personaliiy study-mainly, the tissue depths and clavicle (collarbone) revealed a involves considerable con probable placing of eyes, ears, mouth healed childhood fracture. jecture, butwilh the proper corners, and nasal tip. At the Howard County Police De blend of science and artistic Although science has not yet en partment's request, Dr. Angel and skill, it may be possilJle to abled us to reconstruct personalities coauthor Donald G. Cherry, a police produce a reasonable like based solely upon the fragmentary re artist with the Metropolitan Police De ness of an individual under mains of an individual, scientific ex partment in Washington, D.C., began rertain circumstances." aminations of this nature can some a social and personality profile of the times provide meaningful indicators deceased based upon an analysis file photographs of the victim's skull of sex, race, age, stature, bodr huild, of the physicalc\'idencc obtained in standard eye-ear plane orientation nutritional history, congenital varia through the crime Hcene search and were taken. Tracings of the skull were tions, occupational manifestations, related photog:raphs~ medical exam also made. Several meetings between pregnancies, and previous medical his iner's reports. and report.s from the the ~cienti!'t and the artist insured that tory, such as fractures, dental work, FBI Laboratory. Scale frollt and pro- the artist remained within the lim' and anomalies, if present. In some in- August 1977 13 , ; ;1 "', I ~.-~~ .. ~- .... ~ .. , \. 4 I • ,f '-'~/~1;-' \ .,.,. ,(. i I. \. I Figurc 1. Police urlist's skcteh of fueinl fenturcs reeon- Figurc 2. Hecovered skull suhscquctlt]y identified as tha~ of strueted from unidentified skU. ROSCl\IltlC lUkhcle Stul'l7.. stances, these indications may suggest "Of course, the thorough On March 17, 1976, the finished personality traits. For exa!11ple, ness of the crime scene sketch was published in a local news several healed fractures could be in search is a critical factor, paper, and police officials immediate dicath'e of a hast)', accident-prone for the success of the scien ly reeeh'ed calls from three readers person; or they may suggest an oc tist and artist will tIe pend stating that the sketch closely resem cupational pattern, just as injuries largely lIpOll the recorery, bled a young WQman, Roseanne sustained frequently by cowboys, for presernltion, and careful Michele Sturtz, a friend who had not instance, reveal themselves in calca llnalysis 0 f all ul.'Clilable been seen since August 1975. neal (heelbone), knee, clavicle, and eddence." A search of the Baltimore Police forearm fractures. Department records disclosed that an Obviously, the reconstruction of a largely upon the recovery, preserva indiddual of this name had been pre personality in\'olyes considerable COIl tion, and careful analysis of aU avail viously photographed (fig. 3) and jecture. hut with the proper blend of able evidence. fingerprinted by the department, science and artistic skill, it mar he In the case under discussion, a Holled fingerprint impressions were i possible to produce a reasonable like sketch (fig. 1) was prepared after a then compared at the FBI Identifica { ness of an indh'idual under certain cir deliberate study of the eyidence, in tion Division in Washington, D.G., cumstances. Of course, the thorough cluding not only the skull (fig. 2) and with the badly decomposed prints ness of the crime Scene search is a skeleton, but also the hair, jewelry, from one of thc\'ictim's fingers, and, . critical factor, for the success of the sweater, and the area where the re it was establi~hed that the vict1m Was I scientist and" artist will depend mains were found. indeed Roseanne 1\Iichele Sturtz. 14 FBI LoYl Enforcement Bulletin ~.-r-__------------------ __------------~----~------,------,------, , ' .... " original fleshy body. If so, this area should be recorded with precise meas' urements and photographed, and jf at all possible, plaster casts of the site should also lbe considered. Through the use of such techniques, valuable clues regarding tissue thickness may be found, indiicaling whether the de· ceased was plump or thin. Clc)thing sizes are obviously helpful. If a skeleton is situated on an in cline, a very careful search should be conducted downhill from the original site since the action of rain, wind, an· imal activity, and even gravity might well cause some pnrts to separaie from thenlain skeletal frame a {ter the con necting tissue has decomposed. "The case in JPoint pro vides an e:t:cellenl example of what can be accomplished when the police artist. scicll list, and in t'estigalor pool their talents and experience in a cooneratit'e effort to successfully reconstruct a I·'igurc 3. ROSt'UIlIlC Michcle Sturtz (photo tukt'n July 1975). face, former lifestyle, or personal history-a per sonality-from skeletal re mains." Further investigation by poUce de tion should be exercised in the search. The skeletal remains themselves termined the victim was 20 years of Because animals may have disturbed must, of course, be carefully measured nge when reported missing in August parts of the body, the search should be and photographed. After the bones 1975. Associates related that, when conducted over a fairly larf(e area. It have been recovered, the ground under she was working as a nightclub danc may be significant to know that dogs, them should be sifted for additional er, she occasionally favored one leg. It coyotes, or pigs consume bone, while bits of evidence. was further determined that she 'had . rodents gnaw or nibble skeletal reo The scientist/artist team, ha, ing suffered a fracture of the left clavicle mains. Although murderers may scat made a thorough analysis of the phys at the age of 6. - tel' or perhaps burn parts of a victim, ical evidence in its entirety, must then In this manner, the unknown hom '. it should be understood that, even strh-e to recreate a lidng likeness just icide victim, whose scattered remains after such treatment, enough bone to the point of caricature. had been found On a bleak Decem fra~ment rnar sur\'ive to be useful in The case in point provides an ex ber day ·r· months before, received a achieving identification. A "ictim's cellent example of what can he accom· name and a history. facial features. howe\'er. can be recon- p:i~hed when the police arli~t, scien The lessons lenrned frolll this case f structed only in circumstances in tist, and investigator pool tlwir tal('nt~ hare llleaningfully contributed to the 'whirh the skull is Yirtually complete and experience in a cooperntiw ef· fieltl::: of forensic anthropo]ol!Y and with lowe1' jaw and teeth. fort to successfully recon~tru('t a face. crime scene technolo~r. \Vhen poliC'€' Dependin~ upon the composition of former lifestyle. or personal hi:'lory- itlvestigate n cdme scene where :::kele· the ground s\lrface beneath the re a personality-from skeletal remain!'-, tal remains lire located. extreme cau· mains. there may be an outline of the ij1 August 1977 15 -~-~~~~--~------,---------------------..- .