University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2004 Missoula County Sheriff's Department case #8509102: A comprehensive forensic case report for "Christy Crystal Creek" Sydney Wimbrow The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Wimbrow, Sydney, "Missoula County Sheriff's Department case #8509102: A comprehensive forensic case report for "Christy Crystal Creek"" (2004). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 5884. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/5884 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. 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Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY The University of Montana Permission is granted by the author to reproduce this material in its entirety, provided that this material is used for scholarly purposes and is properly cited in published works and reports. ♦♦Please check "Yes" or "No" and provide signature** Yes, I grant permission y No, I do not grant permission_____ Author's Signature: Z) Date:_____________________________ Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertaken only with the author's explicit consent. 8/98 M issoula C o u n t y Sheriff’s D epartment Case # 8 5 0 9 1 0 2 : A C omprehensive Forensic Case R eport for “C hristy C rystal C reek” By, Sydney Wimbrow B.A., The University of Montana Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts The University of Montana 2004 Approved By: fean, Graduate School " 3 0 - o4* Date UMI Number: EP36685 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT OiMirtatton PüWatring UMI EP36685 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 -1346 Abstract Wimbrow, Sydney, M.A. July 2004 Anthropology Missoula County Sheriffs Department Case #8509102: A Comprehensive Case Report for “Christy Crystal Creek” Chairperson: Dr. Randall R. Skelton Identification of skeletal remains is integral in the process of law enforcement. This case has been in the hands of the Missoula County Sheriffs Department for nineteen years, and still this victim remains unidentified. Using today’s established methods of identification in forensic anthropology, I will determine sex from visual and metric analysis of the skull, scapula, humerus, os coxae, sacrum and femur. Age will be determined by visual assessment of cranial sutures, dental attrition, 4^^ rib, vertebrae, pubic symphysis, and auricular surface of the ilium. Ancestry is estimated by visual analysis of the cranium, dentition, and curvature of the femur. Hair samples will be included in this analysis. Using metric analysis of the cranium, I will estimate ancestry by discriminant function analysis and the computer program FORDISC. The scapula and sacrum will also be measured for ancestiy. Pathology and trauma of the skeleton, as well as stature, weight, handedness and time since death will also be covered. As a literature review, the history of the study of parturition (childbirth) will be discussed. It is my intention that one day this victim will be positively identified and returned to her family, where she belongs. u Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Missoula County Sheriffs Department for allowing me the distinct opportunity to work on this case. Dr. Randall Skelton has always encouraged me to pursue my educational goals while patiently answering the myriad of questions and correcting my mistakes. Dr. Thomas A. Poor has been with me since the beginning of my Anthropology career, sparking my interest with his intriguing teaching methods (even with statistics!) as well as his racy fashion sense. Thanks to Dr. Richard Bridges for sitting in on my committee and understanding every time I extended my studies another semester. Garry Kerr’s wild enthusiasm is an inspiration to all students; after taking one of his classes everyone wants to be a forensic anthropologist. My parents, Skip and Elizabeth, my big sister Heather, and lif bro T.G. have always supported my decisions, no matter how obscure, and expect nothing less than the best from me. I thank them for that, because sometimes I forget that I ca n g tï what I want. I love you! C. Milo McLeod has taught me the ins and outs of Cultural Resource Management in the Forest Service. He is a human encyclopedia; I am very fortunate to work for him. J. Rodger Free is my field buddy and knows the answers to all my questions. If not, he’ll go look it up for me. Thanks, Rodg! Deirdre Boggs is a huge reason why I am where I am academically and career-wise, because she told me to get “my ass in gear” (Personal Communication, 2001); I hope I continue to make you proud. Lastly, I’d like to thank my sweet favorite, A4r. ChrisBacon, for allowing me the quiet time to write this. He is the one who motivated me the most to get moving on this paper so we could move forward with our life together. in Table o f C on ten ts Abstract ............................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ iv Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Materials and Methods ................ .................................................................................. 2 Implications ..................................................................................................................... 3 Background ...................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction to the Human Skeleton .............................................................................. 8 Skeletal Inventory ........................................................................................................... 11 Cranial Bones ........................................................................................................ 11 Postcranial Bones .................................................................................................. 13 Non-Skeletal Inventory ......................................................................................... 15 Sex Determination .......................................................................................................... 16 Sex From Morphological Traits of the Skull ............................................................. 17 Sex From Discriminant Function Analysis ................................................................ 19 Sex From the Pelvis ..................................................................................................... 20 Sex from Long/Irregular Bones ................................................................................. 23 Sex From Clavicle Length .......................................................................................... 24 Sex from Analysis of the Scapula ............................................................................... 24 Sex from Analysis of the Humerus ............................................................................. 25 Sex from the Femur .................................................................................................... 26 Sex from the Tibia ....................................................................................................... 28 Conclusions on Sex ..................................................................................................... 28 Age Determination ......................................................................................................... 29 Age from Visual Assessment of Cranial Sutures ....................................................... 30 Dentition as an Estimator of Age ................................................................................ 33 Age from the Sternal End of the 4*^ Rib ..................................................................... 36 Age from Vertebrae Analysis ...................................................................................... 36 Age from the Pubic Symphysis ................................................................................... 37 Age from the Auricular Surface of the Ilium ............................................................ 38 Conclusions Regarding Age .......................................................................................