1. Who Are You? Case Studies in Human Identification
Dana Austin, PhD, DABFA
Forensic Anthropologist
Human Identification Lab
Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s District

3. Human Id Laboratory Director and Odontologist Anthropologist
Roger Metcalf, D.D.S.
Anthropologist
Dana Austin, Ph.D.
Fingerprint Examiners
Bill Bailey
Bill Walker
Interns
Paul Coffman & Others

5. TCME Unidentified 12/5/07 59 males / 12 females / 1 unknown
Currently 73 cases from 1982 – 2007
17 different law enforcement agencies
19 homicides /26 undetermined / 1 unk
Better for assistance from law enforcement
15 accidental / 9 natural / 3 suicide
Can mean less interest from LE

7. Protocol for Cold Cases
Case file retrieval and review
Files retained in Anthropology laboratory
NCIC entry or modification
Modification of biological profile
Addition of dental codes

8. Protocol for Cold Cases
CODISmp sample submission
Blood swatches/cards
Bone
Paraffin-embedded tissue blocks
Known hair samples
Fingerprints
Classification entry into NCIC
Upload into AFIS/IAFIS/IDENT
Follow-up with possible matches
$M messages from NCIC
Leads from networks or citizens

9. Additional Measures Scan photos and submit to internet based databases
Tattoos
Facial photos
Facial Reconstruction
Clay reconstruction from skulls
Sketches from body photos
Enter into other databases
UDRS
Doe Network

10. Manpower ! Grant Funded Part-time Employee Began June 4, 2007
Employment period 2 mos.
Began June 4, 2007
1st identification June 20, 2007
Two ids on July 13, 2007
Grant extension expired July 30, 2007
3 additional id’s since he left
Application in for Jan-Jun, 2008

11. 4 Years Unidentified 2002 John Doe Several tentative id’s were
obtained at the scene from medicine bottles and a vehicle
Lexis Nexis used to track down names and vehicle
Leads ran to dead ends or left open questions

12. 2006 Resolution
Requested all reports from LE. Their follow-up and questioning suggested one name.
Medical records and fingerprints were obtained
Chest radiographs and fingerprints matched

13. 4 Years Unidentified 2003 John Doe Apparent Transient
Unwitnessed Accident
Thumbprints searched through TX DPS AFIS database

14. 2007 Resolution
Family member called ME office asking for missing relative
Hospital records located for MP but no radiographs or dental records found
FWPD missing persons tracked down archived fingerprints on MP
TCME database showed 4 possible John Doe that fit time frame and had f.p. to compare

15. What did we miss? Fingerprint did not hit in AFIS
Individual was reported missing to FWPD
MP case was mis-filed
Tenacity of family paid off

16. 4 Years Unidentified 2003 John Doe
Fell or jumped from downtown parking garage
Thumbprints searched through TX DPS AFIS database

17. 2007 Resolution Fingerprints were run again through TX DPS AFIS system
Candidate search identified decedent this time

18. What did we miss? Fingerprint did not hit in AFIS in 2003
If fingerprints are still available it is worth the time to try again
Different fingers may produce a positive result

19. Dec. 1994 Train-Pedestrian Train unable to stop, body on tracks
Young Hispanic male
Handwritten notes in pocket possibly indicate suicide
Train ticket from Dallas to Ft Worth for 2 days earlier
Fingerprints checked with no results

20. July 2007 Call from UNTHSC DNA Identity Lab
Cold hit on our 1994 John Doe
TCME submitted Blood swatch 3/06
Family reference sample submitted by LE 2/06
7th cold hit for UNTHSC
Family notified in person by LE

21. TX Missing Persons DNA Database
Housed at UNTHSC in Fort Worth
Funded by State Legislation in 2001
Extractions begun March 2003
Accepts cases of unidentified remains and relatives of missing persons
First lab to use CODISmp software

22. Texas Missing Person’s DNA Database 7/16/07
Current Profiles for Unidentified/Missing
470 Unidentified remains
1210 Relatives of Missing Persons
108 identifications to date
7 Cold Hits to date
1st Id in August 2003

23. National Missing Person DNA Database (NMPDD)
2005 data Profiles for Unidentified/Missing
158 Missing Persons
415 Relatives of Missing Persons
203 Unidentified Remains
Current numbers (July 07) are less than 5000 combined

24. What did we miss? Family reported him missing to the local PD
No NCIC entry
No check with the MEO
Family continued to follow-up with their local PD
We had a train ticket with his last name and did not look at MPCH webpage for that name
MPCH webpage had his date of disappearance off by one year

25. October 1991 Homicide Unknown male recovered from Trinity River
Young Hispanic Male
An officer recognizes decedent but does not know legal name
Decedent resided at Night Shelter
Interviews suggested two possible names

26. July 2007 Fingerprints search through TX DPS AFIS
Name was the same as one name suggested in 1991
Family members still not located in Mexico for notification

27. June 1989 Homicide
Unknown male inside parked vehicle transported to hospital vomiting and seizing
Thought to be heat stroke
Citation in pocket for panhandling Name and date of birth obtained from ticket
Hospital changes John Doe to name on ticket

28. June 2007 Fingerprints located in main file
Right thumb searched through AFIS
AFIS produced a name with a 9999 score
Fingerprint comparison confirmed the id
Name was different but DOB the same as the panhandling citation
Family member notified in person by LE

29. AFIS/IAFIS Most states have AFIS database run by State Police or DPS
When we search through TX AFIS we are searching only the TX database
IAFIS (Integrated Automated Fingerprint Id System) combines fingerprint databases from contributing state & federal agencies
Maintained by the FBI
Access by law enforcement agencies

30. What did we miss? Family did not report him missing
Fingerprints were stored in an archived file
Date of birth on citation was correct

31. 22 Years Unidentified 1985-2007 Train-Pedestrian fatality 9/7/1985
Estimated to be 20 y.o. Hispanic Male
Postmortem fingerprints retained by agency

32. 22 Years Unidentified
In 2007, agency did not have original prints or any evidence in their storage
A letter showing that a copy of the fingerprints was mailed to MPCH in 1991
MPCH requested fingerprint search by Biometric Support Center West

33. BSC West/DHS Fingerprint Center
Services available to LE and ME 24/7. Response is 6-12 hrs from receipt
Multiple fingerprint databases including IAFIS & IDENT (DHS/Immigration)
70% of IDENT prints are not in IAFIS
They helped us id two Italian nationals
All foreign nationals entering US give index finger prints. Info included when they entered US, where they entered, but no NOK

34. What did we miss? Fingerprints not centralized and searchable in 1985
No information on NOK

35. 22 Years Unidentified
Bones were recovered in May 1993 by Johnson Co. ME
LE re-looked at case in 2003
Bone sample submitted to TX Missing Person’s DNA database
Skeleton submitted to Tarrant County Anthropologist for analysis and facial reconstruction

36. June 2003 NCIC Modification
Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse assisted us in modifying the entry
Age, PMI, stature & cause of death were modified
Dental codes were added
Modified entry was re-run against possible missing females

37. Facial Reconstruction by Suzanne Baldon

38. June 2004
The Texas Missing Persons DNA database links our skeletal remains to Donna Williamson
This was the first COLD HIT for the database

39. What did we miss?
Donna Williamson disappeared in 1982 when she was 19 years 11 mos old
MP & UNID profiles were in NCIC. Donna was eliminated as possible because her dental was entered reverse left-right

40. Missing Person Clearinghouses
Each U.S. state, Puerto Rico, and Canada have some type of clearinghouse
If you are active in MP or Unid cases, get to know your clearinghouse personnel
Individual states vary in their level of resources and services
NCMEC provides training, technical assist, & communication to clearinghouses

41. Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Texas
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Housed under the Texas DPS Criminal Law Enforcement Division, Special Crimes Service
MPCH was established by the 69th Legislature, regular session in 1985.
1986 MPCH became operational
Staff - 8 people

42. Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Texas
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Central repository for information pertaining to missing persons and unidentified living/deceased.
Assists law enforcement, families, non-profit organizations, and the general public in handling matters involving missing and unidentified persons.
Publication/distribution of photos
Training for law enforcement
Analytical support (including NCIC entry)

43. Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Texas
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Make new or modify NCIC entry
Search for next of kin
Easily accessible, knowledgeable
Run searches and gather responses from NCIC and collate for us

44. Summary of Id Methods 5 cases by fingerprints Two cold DNA hits
Two re-runs on TX AFIS
One hit by BSC (Dept. Homeland Security)
Three first time run
Two cold DNA hits
Two investigative clearances
Family Tenacity

45. Summary of Resources Clearinghouses NCIC database entry
DNA database entry
Unid body
Family reference sample for MP cases
Fingerprint databases
Statewide (TX DPS)
IAFIS (FBI)
Ident (DHS)
Webpages

46. Additional Resources National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
National Center for Missing Adults
Doe Network
ViCAP
Unidentified Decedent Reporting System (UDRS)
2006 MEOs can enter unidentified cases
Includes photos and details
Limited access to public (visitors)
Medical Examiner web pages
Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix)
Clark County, NV (Las Vegas)
Los Angeles, CA
Kentucky

47. Special Thank You John Planz & Steve Gammon, UNTHSC Harry Carlile, FBI
Heidi Fisher & Patricia Blake, TDPS MPCH
Douglas Hares, FBI Laboratory, CODIS Unit