Articles that could pertain to potential evidence

[mu8shark]

Here is an article or part of an article regarding the extraction of dna from maggots. It could be relevant if this was what was tested from the trash bag from the trunk recovered from tow truck .trash ,
Title:
STR Typing of Human DNA From Fly Larvae Fed on Decomposing Bodies

Journal:
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume:49 Issue:2 Dated:March 2004 Pages:337 to 340



Author(s):
Richard Zehner Ph.D. ; Jens Amendt M.Sc. ; Roman Krettek M.Sc.

Publisher Url*:
http://www.astm.org

Publication Date:
03/2004

Pages:
4

Type:
Studies/research reports

Origin:
United States

Language:
English

Annotation:
This study examined whether it is possible to analyze human microsatellite DNA found in the digestive tract of necrophagous larvae that fed on decomposing bodies.

Abstract:
Insect larvae provide valuable forensic information about corpses, including postmortem interval (PMI) estimations. Larvae found on decomposing bodies is collected and analyzed for stage of growth, thereby allowing estimations for the likely time of death; information which is valuable in criminal investigations. In some cases, it may be necessary to prove the association of fly larvae to a particular corpse. The current study analyzed the crop contents of maggots found on 13 human corpses with varying PMI’s as estimated by police investigations. The crop contents were subjected to both STR typing and hypervariable region(HVR) genetic analysis to allow for comparisons. Tissue samples from all the corpses were also collected and analyzed. DNA extraction involved the standard phenolchloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation. Additionally, species-specific DNA analysis was tested using DNA samples from the crop contents of other maggots which had fed on pig carcass. Results revealed complete STR profiles on seven of the cases. Two of the cases obtained incomplete sets of alleles and in the additional four cases, STR typing was unsuccessful. HVR analysis provided successful results in 12 of the 13 cases. The species-specific DNA analysis showed that identification of the host species, in this case a pig, can be achieved through analysis of the cytochrome b gene. Length of time in storage and length of PMI up to 16 weeks appeared to have no impact on the results. Future research should focus on establishing the amount of time during which STR typing of crop extracts can be successful after the maggot has left the corpse. Tables, figures, references

Main Term(s):
Forensic sciences

Index Term(s):
Death investigations ; DNA fingerprinting



To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publication...aspx?ID=205145

[One2Snoop]

I think you should use maggots in the topic title. I can ask Deepwater to change it for you if you like?

Maggots that could pertain to potential evidence.

Sound ok?

[mu8shark]

Books & Journals/Journal of Forensic Sciences/Citation Page/



Volume 45, Issue 2 (March 2000)



ISSN: 0022-1198
Published Online: 1 March 2000
Page Count: 5





The use of microscopic postmortem changes in anagen hair roots to associate questioned hairs with known hairs and reconstruct events in two murder cases
Tafaro, JT
Criminalist II, New Orleans Police Department, Scientific Criminal Investigation Division, New Orleans, Louisiana.


Abstract
In two cases investigated by the New Orleans Police Department Crime Lab, hairs recovered from crime scenes were found to exhibit microscopic postmortem changes in anagen hair roots. These microscopic characteristics were used to associate these hairs with various victims in the cases. In addition to associating questioned hairs with known hairs, the fact that the victims were dead when the hairs were pulled helped investigators reconstruct events in both crimes and corroborate statements made by the arrested subjects in each case.

Keywords:
forensic hair comparision, forensic science, postmortem change

Paper ID: JFS45233

[One2Snoop]

Excellent, excellent articles/info! Thanks for posting.

[lorettalockhorn]

Thanks for posting, mu8shark!

[mu8shark]

Human Remains Detection
"Cadaver Dogs"
The latest Police Canine Detector Specialty
by Ofc. Allen Lowy
and Ofc. Pat McAlhany
Miami-Dade Police Department
Canine Unit


The working police canine has become an integral part of law enforcement. For centuries now, dogs have had a well established place in law enforcement. Working a loyal members of teams with their human partners, they have proved to be invaluable in such vital areas as explosive detection, narcotics detection, and searching for criminals as well as lost or missing persons. In many ways, dogs contribute more to achievement of law enforcement objectives than sophisticated law enforcement technology.

Despite the long and distinguished history of canines in law enforcement, their capabilities and applications are still emerging. One relatively new area of specialization, that is very promising, involves the use of canines to detect the presence of human remains. Resourceful canine handlers have found that dogs can be trained to detect human remains long after death., despite burial or attempted concealment. Trained dogs are able to distinguish between human remains, animal remains, and a wide range of other odors that would normally be expected to distract them. Thus, their ability to distinguish between sources of similar biological odors enhances their application in the area of Human Remains detection (HRD).

Canines that detect human remains, commonly referred to as cadaver dogs, have been minimally represented in the law enforcement canine population across the United States. For a variety of reasons this canine detector specialty has not been given the attention that is afforded both explosive and narcotics specialties. These departments continue the age old practice of assigning all aspects of death investigations to Crime Scene and Homicide units, without realizing the additional capabilities that a trained HRD canine team would bring to their scenes where a corpse or the remains thereof must be located. The remaining obstacle generally involves the complexity and type of required canine team training.
END OF PART ONE HAD TO POST IN TWO PARTS DUE TO LENGTH

[mu8shark]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

I think you should use maggots in the topic title. I can ask Deepwater to change it for you if you like?

Maggots that could pertain to potential evidence.

Sound ok?

Except that that will make it sound like only one article on one subject in this thread and there are several. I thought Articles about potential evidence covered whatever we find to put in here. the post mortem, the dogs , etc. Is that okay if we group all articles in here? Did not want to start a thread necesssarily for every one. Is that cool?

[mu8shark]

In the final analysis, for many agencies, it is not feasible to have an HRD program. Weighing the cost of training, canine purchase and care, as well as the cost of vehicles and equipment with the actual need, it becomes clear that the addition of another narcotics or explosive detection team is more practical. The probability that the HRD team from a nearby, larger department may be available to assist with the occasional search is further justification for not adding HRD specialist. On the other hand, departments that can see their way clear to add an HRD program gain valuable, readily available investigative tool.

A successful HRD program must begin with motivated personnel who readily accept the fact that they will be working and training under morbid scenarios. While the exciting prospect of locating an explosive device, a large cache of narcotics or apprehend a fleeing criminal easily attracts most police canine handlers, few have the requisite interest or motivation for dealing with all phases of human decomposition and disarticulation that will be encountered by the HRD team. The demands placed on the canine handler specializing in human remains detection go beyond dog training and include studies in Forensics. awareness of basic human anatomy and knowledge of the rate of decomposition of human bodies when subjected to varying disposal methods (i.e.: soil type, temperature, scavenger activity, presence of water) and how to conduct "field craft" (i.e.: assessment of a potential grave site or disposal area based on the knowledge that certain changes in the soil, plant life and insect population indicate the possible presence of human remains) must be demonstrated by HRD canine handlers desiring to be successful in the specialty. Once the prospective canine handlers have been chosen, it is necessary to identify suitable canine partners.

Selection of a canine for HRD involves testing (as required before selection for any detector specialty) of the animal's motivation and demeanor as well as its attraction or aversion to odor of human remains. As is the case with potential human team members, not all working police canines are well suited for human remains detection. Use of valid selection criteria for HRD teams is of paramount importance if a successful training experience is to occur and yield a qualified HRD canine team.

After recognizing the need for a HRD program and selecting team members, the focus turns to training, to prepare the teams for deployment during actual investigations. A review of an agency's needs that involve locating and recovering deceased persons will provide useful data which can be used to create training situations that will be similar to real death investigations that HRD teams will become involved in. Training must be designed to include scenarios that closely resemble cases that the HRD team might be expected to handle. Training situations must simulate searches for bodies or the disarticulated remains thereof that have been disposed of or concealed by burying, hanging, placing in water, in vehicles, in structures or under structures, in the environment in which the canine team will normally operate. Effective training must prepare HRD canine handlers to take into consideration the variables of temperature, soil types, terrain, surface and ground water movement and their impact on decomposition rate and availability of the odor of human remains. The variety of handler skills developed during training, combined with the olfactory abilities of a specialized canine partner produce a "team"....

.

Once the human and canine team members have completed the basics, its time to add variables such as those that will be encountered beyond the controlled training environment. Introduction of the potentially distracting odors of garbage, food, and deceased animals becomes part of the curriculum along with searches of areas where no "odors" have been placed. Initial and ongoing training must include these "proofing" exercises where the team is presented with search areas that contain animal carcasses as well as search areas that have neither dead animal nor human remains odors present. Preparation for real searches includes the realization that not all areas searched are going to yield human remains odors thereof. Thus, a successful training program constantly challenges both the human and the canine team members with reality based, learning experiences..

The completion of preliminary, intensive, HRD training equips the team for the responsibilities of their specialized, investigative assignments. During actual field work, the primary responsibility of the canine handler is to evaluate the circumstances surrounding a case; gather the necessary information and combining it with their specific training to define the search area and formulate a search plan to insure that the dog has the best opportunity to locate the odor of the human remains. If the handler fails to define the search area or make the odor available and the canine never gets near the area where the human remains odor is present, then the handler must accept the blame for the teams' failure. A search is not merely walking around and permitting the dog to randomly sniff an area, it involves careful fact gathering, analysis and appropriate use of tools that are employed to make existing odor available for detection by the dog. Some of the tools that might be employed to increase the availability of odor include venting rods, power tools, a machete or a boat, etc.. Precise identification of a search area is imperative and should include a written record of any procedure used during a search.

Each investigation must be handled as though the area(s) to be searched will be a crime scene. Not only must an accurate written record of the HRD team activities be made, but the team must conduct their search so as not to disturb or alter crime scene evidence. For example, some of the techniques used by conscientious HRD teams include use of canines that display a passive trained alert behavior when locating the odor of human remains. The passive response might consist of the dog assuming a supine position or sitting as close as it can get to the source of the odor. The passive alert involves no action on the part of either team member that would destroy evidence. It is also critical that the HRD team recognize the functions of other specialty units involved as a death investigation progresses. Not only must the team endeavor not to damage anything during their part of the investigation, they must utilize flags or other recognizable means of marking sites requiring further investigation and communicate their needs and methods clearly. A written record as well as a verbal explanation of the HRD teams methods or findings should be provided to the lead investigator(s) and crime scene specialist. Mutual respect must be practiced by all investigative counterparts if a search is going to be fruitful and evidence obtained therefrom be of value in future court proceedings.

To fully appreciate the HRD teams, it is necessary to learn as much as possible regarding the circumstances surrounding investigations in which they are asked to participate. Bodies buried, disarticulated bodies, bodies submerged in water, or hidden in vehicles or structures have been efficiently located by HRD teams. HRD teams are equally important in revealing that there was no odor of human remains present at a designated location, despite an informant's insistence to the contrary. "Clearing" an area by determining that no odor of human remains was available enables the investigation to move on to other venues. HRD teams do not work miracles and in some cases, foot searches have been conducted by the requesting agency following the HRD teams preliminary scan of an area. Use of credible HRD teams will contribute to the expeditious and through conclusion of most searches for human remains.

[mu8shark]

What is the difference between a search dog, cadaver dog, decomp dog and a forensic evidence dog?
We have found that there is no standard terminology for describing various disciplines, specific search tasks that canines are trained to perform. Therefore, we propose and use the following terminology:

Search Dog
A general term referring to a canine trained for searching based upon visual, olfactory, or auditory clues. This would include the disciplines of: area search dog, trailing search dog, cadaver search dog, decomp search dog, disaster search dog, water search dog, forensic evidence search dog and human remains detection dog.

Area Search Dog
This dog is trained to cover or grid large geographic areas by sampling the air currents for traces of human scent. The dog searches and samples the air currents by ranging/quartering back and forth through the area that is assigned to the team.
This dog is sometimes referred to as "Wilderness Search Dog or "Air Scent Dog" which is another general description of many search dogs. Some area search dogs are also scent specific. They work from a scent article to search for the person that matches the scent article, ignoring all other humans in the area.

Trailing Dog
A canine with the specific ability and training to track/ trail and locate a specific human on the basis of scent.

Cadaver Dog
A narrow term, used in a search-and-rescue context, to indicate a canine primarily trained as a trailing or area search dog that has also received cross training in the location of dead human bodies.

Decomp Dog
The term "decomposition dog" was started by the NecroSearch group. They felt it better describes how dogs will indicate decomposed human scent which includes blood, feces, urine or other material with human scent on it.

Forensic Evidence Dog
A general term that can describe several different kinds of specialties. Include but not limited to firearms, weapons, articles or scent discrimination. There are some people that describe Human Remains Detection Dogs as Forensic Evidence Dogs.

Water Search Dog
A dog trained to locate dead bodies under water. This can be done from a boat or as a shoreline search.

Human Remains Detection Dog
This Detection Dog is a specialist and has never been trained to look for live humans. They specialize in crime scenes, old cases, small scent sources and residual scent. These dogs have been trained to exclude fresh human scent along with all other animal scents.

Historical Human Remains Detection Dog
Using dogs to help locate historical or archaeological graves is a new concept. This kind of searching requires the dog to be slow and methodical and keep its nose just above the surface of the ground, any fast moves and the dog can miss the grave. It takes many years of slow and patient training to develop the skills needed to do this work.
In archaeology, an HHRD trained canine with impeccable manners, slow and methodical search style, properly trained and certified, may be the Remote Sensing Tool of the future. ICF canine trainers are "writing the book" in this field. Certification standards are high insuring that the ICF certified canines are reliable, non-invasive tools to be used in modern archaeology.

[One2Snoop]

Originally Posted by mu8shark

Except that that will make it sound like only one article on one subject in this thread and there are several. I thought Articles about potential evidence covered whatever we find to put in here. the post mortem, the dogs , etc. Is that okay if we group all articles in here? Did not want to start a thread necesssarily for every one. Is that cool?

Sounds Cool and Thanks for posting your findings/articles and info.

[mu8shark]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

Sounds Cool and Thanks for posting your findings/articles and info.

I hope to find a good concise article on cell phone pings and how they go about triangulating that, that is not too technical. The Journal of Forensic Science is the site that charges for full articles.

[odette]

January 2004 – Volume 6 – Number 1

Forensic Science Communications

Microscopy of Hair Part 1: A Practical Guide and Manual for Human Hairs

Introduction

During the course of a criminal investigation, many types of physical evidence are encountered. One of the most common is hair evidence. The identification and comparison of human and animal hairs can be helpful in demonstrating physical contact with a suspect, victim, and crime scene. Hairs can provide investigators with valuable information for potential leads.

Until recently, the comparison microscope was considered the only reliable tool for the identification and comparison of the microscopic characteristics found in hair. Today, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing can provide additional information that can influence the value of microscopic examinations. When the microscope is coupled with DNA technologies, the combination of these technologies profoundly affects the way forensic scientists, investigators, and prosecutors view hair evidence.

Although DNA technologies may add significant information to hair evidence recovered at a crime scene, the first step necessary in the analytical process is the identification and comparison of human and animal hairs. This revision of the 1977 Microscopy of Hairs: A Practical Guide and Manual by John W. Hicks is intended to introduce hair evidence to the forensic examiner and to provide a foundation for its proper identification and comparison.

Continued @ Link ...

. . . . .
. . . . . Figure 81. Photomicrograph of Postmortem Root Band

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backis...esearch01b.htm

[odette]

Hairs, Fibers, Crime, and Evidence

Part 1: Hair Evidence

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backis...0/deedric1.htm

[odette]

NANCY GRACE - Aired September 1, 2008

Investigators Confirm Belief Missing Florida Toddler Is Dead

Excerpt:

GRACE: To Dr. Michael Arnall, board-certified forensics pathologist, an expert in his field, joining us from Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Arnall, I want to talk to you about the hair. Many experts believe the key to this case is in the hair found in the trunk. We`ve got a lot of other evidence that they`re not releasing, a lot of -- other evidence we know about. But I have long maintained this hair could be the key to the case.

Explain to me how you can look at a human hair and determine whether it was shed pre or postmortem.

DR. MICHAEL ARNALL, BOARD CERTIFIED FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: The FBI has a publication on the Internet indicating that when a hair is shed from a decomposing body, there is a dark band, a dark coloration on the hair itself.

So when they examine that hair under the microscope, if they see that dark decomposition band, they`re going to conclude that this particular hair was shed from a decomposing body.

GRACE: So that`s the only way the dark ring can appear on the hair, Dr. Arnall, is after death?

ARNALL: That`s the only way that I know of.

GRACE: OK. And, Doctor, certainly you would know. You`re a forensic pathologist.

Dr. Arnall, explain to me in the most simple terms, how can a hair be confused as to identity, that the hair may be Casey`s or it may be Caylee`s?

ARNALL: They`re going to compare the length of the hair they found in the trunk as well as its shape and its coloration to pictures of Caylee and Caylee`s mother that were taken as close to the time of disappearance as is possible.

GRACE: What about DNA? What about DNA?

ARNALL: Well, the gold standard is going to be those little cells in the hair follicle. If the hair follicle is present.

GRACE: The root?

ARNALL: The hair root, that DNA will be a gold standard and that rule out.

GRACE: OK. What if we don`t have the root?

ARNALL: Well.

GRACE: Can you get mitochondrial DNA if there`s no root?

ARNALL: They can. Remember, these hairs are from -- are said to be from a decomposing body.

GRACE: Right.

ARNALL: And the hairs that fall out of a decomposing body fall out very easily and likely contain some cells. Now, whether the cells are so decomposed that it makes recovery of DNA impossible, we`ll wait to see.

GRACE: Well, wait it -- whoa, whoa, whoa. We`re missing the forest for the trees, Doctor. If we know the hair is from a dead body and we know the hair is either Caylee or Casey`s, then it`s got to be Caylee`s. Casey`s alive and with us.

ARNALL: That is correct.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIP.../01/ng.01.html

[Brainstorm]

odette, I swear you are awesome.JUST PLAIN AWESOME,girl.

[One2Snoop]

Sep 22, 2008 at 4:59pm Eastern by Chris Smith
Cell Phone Triangulation Accuracy Is All Over The Map

As more local apps are being built for wireless devices like cell phones and PDAs, one major factor that could impact continued advancement of local technology on these mobile devices is accuracy of their geolocation data. To be useful, these apps must be able to identify where the cell phone user is located in the physical world. In the case of hyper-local applications, the accuracy of this geolocation data is absolutely vital to the application.

So, how does the pinpointing of mobile users work, and just how accurate is it?

There are two methods for pinpointing the location of cell phone users. Cell phones equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) capability, use signals from satellites to pinpoint location very accurately. The second, and less-accurate method is often called “Cell Tower Triangulation”, referring to how the cell towers which receive a phone’s signal may be used to calculate its geophysical location.

According to some industry research estimates, only about 11% of phones manufactured this year will have the GPS capability, so the remaining 89% of phones without GPS would have to depend upon “Cell Tower Triangulation” in order to disclose geolocation data for applications.

Just what is Cell Tower Triangulation?

In a best-case-scenario, a cell phone’s signal may be picked up by three or more cell towers, enabling the “triangulation” to work. From a geometric/mathematical standpoint, if you have the distance to an item from each of three distinct points, you can compute the approximate location of that item in relation to the three reference points. This geometric calculation applies in the case of cell phones, since we know the locations of the cell towers which receive the phone’s signal, and we can estimate the distance of the phone from each of those antennae towers, based upon the lag time between when the tower sends a ping to the phone and receives the answering ping back.



In many cases, there may actually be more than three cell towers receiving a phone’s signal, allowing for even greater degrees of accuracy (although the pedantic side of me notes that the term “triangulation” isn’t really correct if you’re using more than three reference points). In densely developed, urban areas, the accuracy of cell phone pinpointing is considered to be very high because there are typically more cell towers with their signal coverage areas overlapping. In cases where a cell user is inside large structures or underground, cell tower triangulation may be the only location pinpointing method since GPS signal may not be available.

For many cell tower networks, the pinpointing accuracy may be even greater, since directional antennae may be used on the tower, and thus the direction of the cell phone’s signal might be identifiable. With the signal direction plus the distance of the phone from the cell tower, accuracy might be pretty good, even with only two towers.



However, there are many places where there are fewer cell towers available, such as in the fringes of the cities and out in the country. If you have fewer than three cell towers available, pinpointing a mobile device can become a lot less precise. In cities where there are a lot more vertical structures which can be barriers to cell phone broadcasting and receiving, there have to be many more cell towers distributed in order to have good service. In the countryside, there are relatively fewer cell towers and a phone’s signal may be picked up only by a single one at much greater distance.

Those areas where a phone is only getting picked up by a single tower, and if it’s equipped with only omnidirectional antennae, the accuracy becomes even less.



In rural areas, coverage of the cell tower can vary from about a quarter of a mile to several miles, depending upon how many obstacles could be blocking the tower’s signal.

Interestingly, Google’s Maps for mobile with My Location apparently is not using any form of calculated triangulation at all — they’re strictly using the last scenario I listed where the phone is pinpointed using only a single cell tower. Google displays a vague circle area representing the zone covered by the primary cell tower that’s in contact with the phone. Rural areas with fewer cell towers display larger locational circles while the urban areas show much smaller areas.



How Will Accuracy and Precision Affect Future Apps?

For many applications, the slight variations in different pinpointing methodologies may have only a relatively minor impact on the usefulness of the app. For instance, if you’re seeking coffee shops in near you, it may not matter quite as much if your location is pinpointed a little bit off.

But end-user expectations have been growing tremendously, and some applications are trending towards using much more specific, more granular and precise location data — these applications are being referred to as the “hyper-local” or “micro-local” — and they may need far more accuracy in pinpointing locations. For example, an application which tracks a user’s steps as he does orienteering, or maps which give you walking path instructions to the nearest subway station — may require a very high level of specificity.

Google Maps for mobile with My Location has had instances of users in large cities complaining that their location may flicker or shift rapidly from one pinpoint location to another — likely caused by them getting associated with a different cell tower as they walk near the edge of overlapping signal regions, or as cell signal fluctuates slightly. And, others have reported pinpoint inaccuracies of a number of blocks, anywhere from a quarter to half a mile. Although this My Location feature is in beta, and Google continues to improve their accuracy through heuristics and through learning more about the coverage area footprints of cell towers, one can still get a sense that user patience is short for application error.

Many mobile application providers consider the current, non-GPS pinpointing methods to be “good enough”, but for how long will that perception be shared by consumers? Cell phone triangulation is often not true triangulation as we can see, but this is perhaps mitigated by the fact that the higher-density areas of businesses and interesting locations also have the higher densities of cell towers with accompanying higher pinpointing accuracy. The percentage of phones installed with GPS chips is also increasing each year, so perhaps the issue of cell phone location accuracy will become a moot point.

http://searchengineland.com/cell-pho...-map-14790.php

[mu8shark]

You guys have really added some awesome stuff to this thread, This is going to be such a helpful thread come trial time. !!!!

[mu8shark]

I know I posted this in a opinion thread but I think it would be helpful here esp when the defense spouts this theory you can get these readings with accidental cleaning products. ORLANDO, Fla. -- Two sources close to the Casey Anthony investigation said a chemical possibly found in her car tested positive for an airborne, vaporized form of chloroform.


Video: Sources: Chloroform Found In Car





Sources first told WESH 2 that the level of chloroform that authorities said they found in Casey Anthony car was "suspiciously high." They also told WESH 2 that her computer confiscated within hours of her July arrest, show visits to Web sites with information on chloroform.

Chemist Jeff Flowers, who has testified in state and federal court as an expert, said positive tests for vaporized chloroform mean those results could not have come from anything else -- not cleaning products, not human body fluids or a mixture of anything else.

"I think it's as significant or more significant than finding decomposition products," Flowers said.

Flowers said it had to have been pure chloroform, WESH 2's Bob Kealing reported.

"It could not have come from a chemical reaction in the trunk. It's impossible," Flowers said.

Flowers said chloroform can be found in very small amounts in everyday liquid cleaning products. But, he said, chloroform cannot vaporize or get in to the air unless large amounts of it are present.

"That solvent could knock out the driver of the car. It's a very dangerous thing to have that material in your car," Flowers said.

Why would Chloroform show up in Casey Anthony's car? Her lawyer, Jose Baez, would not comment.

[mu8shark]

From Journal of Forensic Science. Odor analysis of decomposing buried human remains.
Journal of forensic sciences 2008;53(2):384-91.
This study, conducted at the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility (ARF), lists and ranks the primary chemical constituents which define the odor of decomposition of human remains as detected at the soil surface of shallow burial sites. Triple sorbent traps were used to collect air samples in the field and revealed eight major classes of chemicals which now contain 478 specific volatile compounds associated with burial decomposition. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were collected below and above the body, and at the soil surface of 1.5-3.5 ft. (0.46-1.07 m) deep burial sites of four individuals over a 4-year time span. New data were incorporated into the previously established Decompositional Odor Analysis (DOA) Database providing identification, chemical trends, and semi-quantitation of chemicals for evaluation. This research identifies the "odor signatures" unique to the decomposition of buried human remains with projected ramifications on human remains detection canine training procedures and in the development of field portable analytical instruments which can be used to locate human remains in shallow burial sites.Sign in free and see...
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[MistyMoppens]

I'm so impressed by all the scientific info on this thread. Endlessly fascinating...

My question / comment about potential evidence is much less scientific but I've been wondering about it for a while..

It's been reported that for quite some time Lee Anthony kept a large notebook full of who-knows-what pertaining to this case. It could be a wealth of info and / or clues. Does anyone know what's happened to it? Has it been taken into evidence or would it be considered "hearsay"?

[lorettalockhorn]

Misty, haven't seen that notebook itemized on any of the documents so far. But at some point it's going to come into play for one reason or another. If for no other reason that to examine the misuse of funds.