Forensic Taphonomy

Question 1

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER TAPHONOMY?

Answer 1

• Helps in establishing PMI
• Critical in distinguishing ante, peri and postmortem trauma
• Post changes can mimic pathologies, this needs to be distinguished
• Conversely taphonomic changes can mask perimortem injuries
• Can provide clues about circumstances surrounding death (aka ones caused by humans)

Question 2

DISMEMBERMENT

Answer 2

• 1o form of postmortem damage caused by humans
• Difference in meaning cross-culturally however in WESTERN contexts:
  -shows contempt/maliciousness towards the victim
  -conceals ID of vic
  -evidence of dismemberment <=> synonymous with homicide
• Difficult to analyze when bones are dispersed after dismemberment
• Types:
  -Conceal: head, fingers, hands; lower body generally removed for ease of transport
  -Hatred/Contempt: more extensive, at all major joints
• Other considerations:
  -Did perp have anat knowledge? Were cuts clean?
  -Were there hesitation marks?
  =>> Can help us determine state of mind/ID of perp

Question 3

DISMEMBERMENT: ANALYSIS

Answer 3

• Photography
• Soft tissues should be removed
• If bones are to be returned, removal of bone 3 inches per side from cut marks for analysi
• Molds and casts can be taken of the cut marks to give clear idea about the “floors”

Question 4

DISMEMBERMENT: SAWS

Answer 4

• Two types of saws:
  -crosscut: blades at 70 deg to long axis
  more teeth per inch
  create finer striations, often machine powered
  -rip: blades at 90 deg to long axis
  less teeth per inch
  create larger striations, often hand held

Question 5

SAWS: KERFING

Answer 5

• blades are bent away from long axis, this causes cut to be wider than distance between teeth

Question 6

SAWS: TYPES OF MARKS LEFT AND ANALYSIS

Answer 6

• Superficial false start scratches, as well as false start kerfs due to sawblade bouncing around
• Deep kerf cuts: helpful in determining weapon
• Breakaway spurs: fragments of kerf floors

Analysis:

• Precise location of sawmarks on bone: includes number of false starts and real cuts
• Direction of cuts: -false starts
• breakaway spurs
• chipping on exit side of push
• Tool type: -Blade width, kerf size
• circular vs. straight striations
• Source of energy: -Machine: finer striae, straight kerf walls
• Hand: rougher and uneven kerf walls
• However, analysis can’t tell us about actual # of teeth on saws

Question 7

ANIMAL SCAVENGING