62 Forensic dentistry
Just as identification of a living individual allows for contacting of next
of kin if necessary, or processing their medical/legal needs, identification of
a deceased person serves many purposes. Family can be contacted, allowing
for the grieving process to begin and permitting arrangements for disposi-
tion of the body. Correct identification of a decedent also allows for accurate
documentation of the death (i.e., filing of the death certificate) and permits the
deceased’s financial and legal issues to be addressed, including the settling of
t he est ate, fi l i ng l i fe i nsu ra nce cla i ms , a nd probat i ng a L a st Wi l l a nd Test a ment.
Death investigation is greatly enhanced by knowing the identity of the person.
A medical and social history can be obtained from the decedent’s family and
friends, and medical records can be obtained from local hospitals/clinics.
Witnesses may be interviewed to determine when the decedent was last seen.
The decedent’s residence/property may be examined for further information.
In 2007, the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics,
determined that there were approximately forty-four hundred unidentified
medical examiner/coroner cases in the United States, with approximately
one-fourth of those cases remaining unidentified after one year. Thus, estab-
lishing the identity of an unknown person is a large concern for forensic
scientists. The establishment of identity is a combined duty of law enforce-
ment and the forensic scientist/pathologist. The efforts to establish identity
ultimately result in one of the following identification categories: positive,
presumptive, or unidentified.
This chapter will address the various methods for establishing the iden-
tity of an individual/remains from the perspective of a forensic pathologist
(medical examiner); thus, the methods discussed will mainly refer to those
used for deceased individuals. Many of the principles discussed, however,
can also be applied to living individuals who require identification.
5.2 Human versus Nonhuman
The identification of remains begins with establishing that the remains are
human. This may be obvious, as in the case of an unidentified person found
by the side of a major highway, but it may also be more complex, as in the
case of a single bone recovered from the neighborhood dog park. The most
common items that require delineation between human and nonhuman are
decomposed bodies, particularly skeletons, and fragmented or dismembered
bodies (Figure 5.1).
For skeletonized remains, most major bones can easily be assessed by
a forensic pathologist or anthropologist for species identification, though
smaller bones may require further analysis. Dismembered body parts can
also be difficult to assess, especially if decomposed. Portions of eyes, ears,