Recovery, Analysis, and Identification of Commingled Human Remains

Mass fatality events can result in the intermixing, or commingling, of human remains. Commingling of human remains presents an added challenge to all phases of the forensic process. As the number of individuals increases, so does the complexity of the forensic investigation and the skills needed for case resolution. In Recovery, Analysis, and Identification of Commingled Human Remains, top professionals illustrate successful techniques for sorting and determining the number of individuals, the role of DNA, ethical considerations and data management. Instrumental to the forensic community, Recovery, Analysis, and Identification of Commingled Human Remains provides case examples and an in depth review of experiences, methods, and research related to commingling.

Table of contents
Methodology in Commingling Analysis: An Historical Overview

Douglas Ubelaker

Spatial Analysis of Mass Grave Mapping Data to Assist in the Reassociation of Disarticulated and Commingled Human Remains

Hugh Tuller, Ute Hofmeister, Sharna Daley

Pieces of the Puzzle: F.B.I. Evidence Response Team Approaches to Scenes with Commingled Evidence

Gary Reinecke and Michael Hochrein

Commingled Remains and Human Rights Investigations: Challenges from the Field

Sofía Egaña, Silvan Turner, Mercedes Doretti, Patricia Bernardi, and Anahí Ginarte

Anthropological Investigations of the Tri-State Crematorium Incident

Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, Kris Sperry, Frederick Snow, Laura Fulginiti, and Emily Craig

Approaches to Commingling Issues in Archeological Samples: A Case Study from Roman-Era Tombs in Greece

Douglas Ubelaker and Joseph Rife

Anthropologist Directed Triage: Three Distinct Mass Fatality Events Involving Fragmentation of Human Remains

Amy Mundorff

The Use of Radiology in Mass Fatality Events

Mark Viner

Detection of Commingling in Cremated Human Remains

Michael Warren

Models And Methods for Osteometric Sorting

John Byrd

Patterns of Epiphyseal Union and Their Use in the Detection and Sorting of Commingled Remains

Maureen Schaefer

How Many People? Determining the Number of Individuals Represented by Commingled Human Remains

Bradley Adams and Lyle Konigsberg

Assessment of Commingled Human Remains Using a GIS Based Approach

Nicholas Herrmann and Joanne Bennett Devlin

The Application of Traditional Anthropological Methods in a DNA-Led Identification Process

Laura Yazedjian and Rifat Kešetovic

Marrying Anthropology and DNA: Essential for Solving Complex Commingling Problems in Cases of Extreme Fragmentation

Amy Mundorff, Robert Shaler, Erik Bieschke, and Elaine Mar-Cash

Sorting and Identifying Commingled Remains of U.S. War Dead: The Collaborative Roles of JPAC and AFDIL

Franklin Damann and Suni Edson

Resolving Commingling Issues during the Medicolegal Investigation of Mass Fatality Incidents

Elias Kontanis and Paul Sledzik

Data Management and Commingled Remains at Mass Fatality Incidents (MFIs)

Michael Hennessey.