UNT CENTER FOR HUMAN IDENTIFICATION LABORATORY OF FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY Forensic Anthropology Report 4 December 2015 Harlan County Coroner's Office HAKY01 P.O. Box 148 202 South Cumberland Avenue Harlan, Kentucky 40831 NamUs UP13150 UNTCH114-3263 Backgrou nd According to the submission request, these remains were exhumed under the direction of the Harlan County Coroner's Office (HCCO) from a burial in the Harlan Gas Cemetery in Harlon, Kentucky, on 11/26/2014. These remains are believed to be those of an unidentified deceased female who was found near the Little Shepard Trail on 6/2/1969 in Harlan County in an advanced state of decomposition. The reported biological profile for that decedent is as follows: • Approximately 20 years of age • 63 inches in stature, medium build, red-blond hair The exhumation was conducted in order to procure samples for DNA sequencing. An HCCO report written on 11/28/2014 suggests that these exhumed remains do not represent the aforementioned female based on biological profile and burial content inconsistencies . The HCCO shipped these remains via UPS to the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. The remains were received by Evidence Control on 12/12/2014 and were accessioned as UNTCHI 14-3263.1. The remains were transferred to the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology (LFA) on 1/15/2015. The HCCO has requested that the LFA: 1. Determine the likelihood that these remains represent the unidentified female discovered on 6/2/1969 2. Provide a biological profile for the remains and report any unique features, antemortem trauma, or pathology which may aid in the identification of the remains 3. Examine the remains for any indications of peri mortem trauma 4. Submit an appropriate sample to the Center for Human Identification's Laboratory for Molecular Identification, to be sequenced and uploaded to the Unidentified Human Remains Index of the CODIS Missing Persons DNA Database, if necessary Description These are the partial skeletal remains of an adult human, including some cranial vault and facial bone fragments, a partial mandible, fragmentary vertebrae, left os coxa fragments, four rib fragments, incomplete limb bones, and some elements of both feet (please refer to the Inventory Image). The tibiae, fibulae, and remaining foot elements are enclosed in fragmentary dark-colored dress socks. The remains are extremely degraded, exhibiting marked exfoliation of the outer cortex and erosion of the long bone epiphyses. The material is primarily dark brown in color. Tan and grey colored silty soil adheres to many surfaces. Extensive microotlet invasion is noted on most of the elements. The remains are relatively light-weight, have lost much organic content, are non-greasy, and express no decompositional odor. The following cranial vault defects are noted : • A small circularly-shaped opening (approximately 3mm in diameter) and two larger, irregularly-shaped openings through an occipital squamosal fragment, just inferior to the external occipital protuberance (Image 2). Each of these defects has smooth, darkly stained margins. These openings do not appear to be traumatic in origin and may have occurred relatively early in the postmortem interval • An additional opening through the same occipital squamosal fragment with roughened, lighter-colored margins Page 1 of 5 • • 1155 Union Circl e # 305220. Den t on, Texas 76203-5017. (940) 565-4335 . (800) 279-1339. Fax (940) 565-382 1 There are no indications of perimortem trauma, although it must be noted that these remains are both fragmentary and degraded. Biological Profile Due to the fragmentary condition of these remains, the biological profile is limited. • Sex: Notable cranial nonmetric traits include 1) a relatively thick and blunted left superior orbital margin, 2) moderate projection at glabella, and 3) a moderately developed nuchal line and external occipital protuberance. Additionally, the diameter of the incomplete right femoral head is a minimum of 44mm. These nonmetric and metric observations suggest that the individual is male; however, due to the fragmentary condition of the remains, sex is best described as indeterminate morphologically • Ancestry: Ancestry is indeterminate • Age: Lacking many of the reliable age indicators, the decedent is best described as "skeletally mature." Observable fused epiphyses include the di stal left humerus, both femoral heads, the right femoral trochanters, the distal left femur, and the distal left tibia. The following traits suggest that this individual may be of "middle to later" years : • • The mandible is edentulous and the alveolar bone shows significant resorption (Image 3) • Evidence of arthritic lipping on the left glenoid fossa and the articular surfaces of a right cervical vertebral arch fragment Stature: Stature estimation cannot be calculated . No complete long bones were recovered. Comparison with the Reported Profile for the Harlan County "U nidentified Female" The female found on 6/2/1969 in Harlan County, Kentucky ("Unidentified Female") wa s originally described as follows: age approximately 20 years, 63 inches in stature, medium build, red-blond hair, advanced state of decomposition. Significant dental decay is described although multiple teeth were noted as present in the mandible. Additionally, the Unidentified Female was reportedly buried in a metal casket. The remains submitted as CHI 14-3263 likely represent an individual of "middle to later" years and indeterminate ancestry and stature; some cranial nonmetric and postcranial metric features suggest that these may be the remains of a male. The mandible is edentulous with resorbed tooth sockets. The mandibular body shows significant remodeling as well . Additionally, the HCCO reports that there was no indication of a metal cas ket in the exhumed burial and that a trocar button was recovered with the remains. The biological profile for the skeletal remains is not consistent with the reported profile for the Unidentified Female . Additional inconsistencies include the absence of a metal casket upon exhumation and the presence of a trocar button, which indicates that these remains were embalmed before burial. Based on these inconsistenci es, we concur with HCCO and recommend that these remains should be excluded as being those of the Unidentified Female . Forensic Significance These remains were likely disinterred from an improperly marked cemetery burial and therefore of no forensic significance, based upon the following: • Degraded condition with significant exfoliation of the outer cortex • Ab sence of ti ssue remnants, odor, and grease • • • Microrootlet invasion Relatively light-weight Diminished, mottled fluore scence of sectioned right femoral diaphyseal cortex under ultraviolet light (indicates collagen loss) Trocar button (not submitted) recovered with the remains as described in the coroner's documents • DNA Database Submission Because these remains are of no forensic significance, no samples have been removed for sequencing . Disposition of Evidence The remains have been repackaged in the original shipping container. The remains will be returned to the Center for Human Identification's Evidence Control Section and will be returned to the HCCO. Harlan County Coroner's Office HAKY01, Page 2 of 5 Summary Opinion for Harlan County Coroner's Office HAKY01: 1. Biological profile: skeletally mature (likely "middle to later years" ); indeterminate sex, ancestry and stature 2. Inconsistent with the reported profile and burial conditions of the "Unidentified Female" 3. Non-forensically significant Recommendations: These remains do not represent the "U nidentified Female" discovered on 6/2/1969. The associated NamUs profile should be deleted. Please feel free to contact me to discuss the findings presented in this report or to address any questions that you may have. For inquiries regarding this case, please reference case number: Harlan County Coroner's Office HAYK01. Respectfully submitted, /)~ / ',tY John A. Servello, MS UNT Center for Human Identification Forensic Anthropologist Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology Dept. of Biological Sciences University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle, #305220 Denton, TX 76203 (940) 565-4335 jservello@unt.edu Case material, findings, and report have been peer reviewed by: UNT Cent r for Human Identification Senior Forensic Anthropologist Harlan County Coroner's Office HAKY01, Page 3 of 5 Inventor lma lma e1 {r5 Harlan County Coroner?s Of?ce Page 4 of 5 12 3 2015 4 'l 1 WW . I- Occipltal lr?agruerrl (axlernal View]. in. [ll-H and openings willr smooth, darkly stained margins, likely in the early postn?rortem interval. There is an additional with rr?mghE-rred, lighter stained margins. lTl'l I. . La The mandible ederrlulous. [he bone shows signiliram resorption. 12/3/2015 5 Harlan County Coroner?s Office Page 5 of 5