Identification of a decedent in a 103-year-old homicide case using forensic anthropology and genetic genealogy.

Anthropologists are often the custodians of long-term unidentified human remains though their positions as curators of university or museum skeletal collections. Various factors decrease the solvability of these legacy cases including the passage of time, the loss of provenience for specific cases, and lack of documentation or case records. While anthropologists can contribute important information toward identification, it is often necessary to explore novel and cross-disciplinary strategies to resolve difficult cold cases. In long cold cases, the postmortem interval, in particular, may be difficult to estimate leading to further challenges in achieving identification. Modern advances in radiocarbon bomb pulse dating, isotope analysis, and actualistic studies have contributed to positive identification of unidentified human remains in some legacy cases, but may not be available to all forensic practitioners and law enforcement from resource-poor agencies. Pooling resources, as well as collaborating with professionals outside of forensic anthropology, is a useful strategy to pursue when anthropological methods are exhausted.The case study presented here demonstrates a collaborative approach between forensic anthropologists, forensic genetic genealogists, and law enforcement in a century-old homicide. The dismembered and mummified parts of a male body were recovered in a remote cave in 1979 and again in 1991. Despite forensic anthropologists creating and updating the biological profile over the decades from recovery to present, no identification was made until the application of forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) to the case in 2019. New interpretations of bone microstructure and trauma analysis are presented for the case, alongside the historical documentation and "proof of life" evidence used by the genealogy team. A review of the FGG methods underscores the challenges in this case (e.g. significant endogamy, multiple aliases used by the victim) and the steps taken toward resolution. Ultimately, a combined anthropology and genealogy approach resulted in a confirmed identity for a man who was murdered in 1916.Key pointsForensic scientists should leverage a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach toward human identification.When combined with forensic anthropology methods, forensic genetic genealogy is a valuable tool linking biological and cultural-historical aspects of identity.Forensic anthropologists should review challenging cases in their labs as new methods are introduced and new resources become available.

To swaddle, or not to swaddle? Paleoepidemiology of developmental dysplasia of the hip and the swaddling dilemma among the indigenous populations of North America.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical prevalence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is high among modern indigenous populations of North America, yet no systematic study of the paleoepidemiology of this group exists. This study discusses the skeletal criteria, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and risk factors of DDH. A range of cases of DDH from an archaeological Native American population are described and the clinical and prehistoric prevalence of DDH among indigenous populations of North America are calculated and discussed within a biocultural perspective. METHODS: Pelves of 390 adults from the Late Prehistoric (1490 B.P. ± 70) Buffalo site, West Virginia, were examined for DDH. Morphology of true and false acetabula was classified and other changes of the pelvis, lower limb, and spine were noted along with cranial deformation, providing evidence of infant restriction. Prevalence of DDH among living and archaeological indigenous peoples of North America were calculated and compared. Cranial deformation was assessed as evidence for swaddling. RESULTS: DDH was identified in 18 adults from Buffalo, resulting in a minimum prevalence of 46.15 per 1,000, within the range reported in modern indigenous groups in North America. Most, but not all, of the DDH cases were associated with cranial deformation, but not all cases of cranial deformation were associated with DDH. CONCLUSIONS: The etiology of DDH suggests that components of both genetic predisposition and swaddling practices have combined to create a high-risk environment for the development of DDH, contributing to high prevalence within archaeological populations, like Buffalo, and modern Indigenous groups of North America.

Joined at the hip? A paleoepidemiological study of developmental dysplasia of the hip and its relation to swaddling practices among indigenous peoples of North America.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical prevalence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is the highest among modern indigenous populations of North America, yet no systematic study of the paleoepidemiology of this group exists. This study discusses the skeletal criteria, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and risk factors for DDH. A range of cases of DDH from an archaeological Native American population are described, and the clinical and prehistoric prevalence of DDH among indigenous populations of North America are calculated and discussed within a biocultural perspective. METHODS: Pelves of 390 adults from the Late Prehistoric (1490 BP ± 70) Buffalo site, West Virginia were examined for DDH. Morphology of true and false acetabula was classified and other changes of the pelvis, lower limb, and spine were noted along with cranial deformation, providing evidence of infant restriction. Prevalence of DDH among living and archaeological indigenous peoples of North America were calculated and compared. RESULTS: DDH was identified in eighteen adults from Buffalo, resulting in a prevalence of 46.15, within the range reported in modern indigenous groups in North America. However, there is a significant difference between the DDH prevalence in prehistory and today in the target population. CONCLUSIONS: Indigenous peoples of North America have the highest reported global prevalence of DDH today and in prehistory. The etiology of DDH suggests that components of both genetic predisposition and swaddling practices have combined to create a high-risk environment for the development of DDH, contributing to its high prevalence within archaeological populations, like Buffalo, and modern Native American/Aboriginal groups within North America.

Estimating body mass in subadult human skeletons.

Methods for estimating body mass from the human skeleton are often required for research in biological or forensic anthropology. There are currently only two methods for estimating body mass in subadults: the width of the distal femur metaphysis is useful for individuals 1-12 years of age and the femoral head is useful for older subadults. This article provides age-structured formulas for estimating subadult body mass using midshaft femur cross-sectional geometry (polar second moments of area). The formulas were developed using data from the Denver Growth Study and their accuracy was examined using an independent sample from Franklin County, Ohio. Body mass estimates from the midshaft were compared with estimates from the width of the distal metaphysis of the femur. Results indicate that accuracy and bias of estimates from the midshaft and the distal end of the femur are similar for this contemporary cadaver sample. While clinical research has demonstrated that body mass is one principle factor shaping cross-sectional geometry of the subadult midshaft femur, clearly other biomechanical forces, such as activity level, also play a role. Thus formulas for estimating body mass from femoral measurements should be tested on subadult populations from diverse ecological and cultural circumstances to better understand the relationship between body mass, activity, diet, and morphology during ontogeny.

Evaluation of juvenile stature and body mass prediction.

This investigation evaluates the performance of juvenile stature (from tibia and radius lengths) and body mass (from breadth of the femoral distal metaphysis) prediction equations based on the Denver Growth Study sample (Ruff C. 2007. Am J Phys Anthropol 133 698-716). The sample used here for evaluation is an independent sample of juveniles brought to the Franklin County (Ohio) Coroner in 1990-1991. The Ohio sample differs somewhat from the Denver reference sample: it includes approximately 25% African-Americans (rather than all European-Americans), a significant number of right limb bones were measured (rather than all left side), it includes a wider range of economic statuses and it includes individuals who died from disease and trauma. As such the composition and measures of the Ohio sample correspond more generally to that seen in skeletal samples so that the accuracy of the estimates from the present sample should approach those found in practical applications of these methods. Results indicate that both juvenile body mass and stature are estimated relatively accurately. Accuracy of body mass estimates for 1-13-year-old juveniles is similar for African-American and European-American males and females. The least accurate estimates are for individuals in the 8-13 years age class (excluding individuals with body mass indices greater than the age specific 95th percentile): n = 9, +/- 2.9 kg, 95% confidence interval 1.4-4.4 kg. Accuracy of stature estimates for 1-17-year-old juveniles is comparable for the tibia and radius and, as with body mass estimates, are similar for African-American and European-American males and females. For combined age, sex, and ancestry groups average accuracies are in the +/-3.5 to +/-6.5 cm range. Some limitations of the methods are discussed.