Forensic Sciences Research, Volume. 9, Issue 3, owae053(2024)

Human identification through forensic skeletal analysis: three case reviews

Joe Adserias-Garriga*, Shelby Feirstein, Dakota Bell, Hannah Skropits, and Dennis C. Dirkmaat
Author Affiliations
  • Department of Applied Forensic Sciences, Mercyhurst University, PA, USA
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    Figures & Tables(7)
    Radiographic images used for comparison in Case #1. (A) Antemortem panoramic radiograph, postmortem periapical radiographs. (B) Postmortem skull radiograph. (C) Detail of the skull radiograph showing the surgical wires (FDI/ISO dental numbering system).
    Postmortem radiographs of left distal lower limb, where the surgical plate fixed with screws and surgical ligament anchors can be observed (A). Detail photograph of the superior part of the surgical plate that showed the identification numbers indicated with “X” (B).
    Antemortem radiographs (A, D), postmortem radiographs (B, E), and postmortem photographs (C, F) of the right distal lower limb including the tibia and fibula (A, B, C) and the calcaneus and talus (D, E, F). Fracture callus on the right distal fibula (a in A, B, and C), entheses on the right distal tibia (b and c in A, B, and C), and morphological traits of the calcaneus including entheses and trabecular pattern (a, b, c, d in D, E, and F).
    Antemortem radiographs (A, D), postmortem radiographs (B, E), and postmortem photographs (C, F) of the left distal lower limb including the tibia and fibula (A, B, C) and the calcaneus and talus (D, E, F). Harris lines in the distal tibia (a in A and B) as well as the overall trabecular pattern of the tibia and fibula (b in A and B). Overall trabecular pattern of the left calcaneus (a, b, c in D and E).
    Antemortem CT scans reconstructions (A, D), postmortem 3D surface scans (B, E), and postmortem photographs (C, F) of the cranium and mandible. Highlighted skeletal morphology includes a frontal groove (a), supraorbital notch (b) and supraorbital foramen (c), two right zygomatic foramen (d) and one left zygomatic foramen (e), deviated septum (f), and overall maxillary dentition alignment and morphology (g). Mandible is shown in D, E, and F where yellow arrow highlights the presence of an accessory mental foramen and the yellow box shows overall mental morphology, additionally consistent mandibular dental crowding is noted in the antemortem and postmortem images.
    Antemortem CT scan reconstruction (A), postmortem 3D surface scan (B), and postmortem photography (C) of the left craniofacial structures. Highlighted in the yellow boxes are a nasal bone fracture (a) and a left maxillary fracture (b). The fractures appear unhealed in the antemortem CT scan (A) and healed in the postmortem images (B, C).
    Antemortem radiographs (A, C) and postmortem radiographs (B, D) of the frontal sinus and lambdoidal suture. The frontal sinus is outlined in yellow and the lambdoidal suture is indicated by yellow arrows (C, D).
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    Joe Adserias-Garriga, Shelby Feirstein, Dakota Bell, Hannah Skropits, Dennis C. Dirkmaat. Human identification through forensic skeletal analysis: three case reviews[J]. Forensic Sciences Research, 2024, 9(3): owae053

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: May. 7, 2024

    Accepted: Aug. 28, 2024

    Published Online: Sep. 22, 2025

    The Author Email: Joe Adserias-Garriga (jadseriasgarriga@mercyhurst.edu)

    DOI:10.1093/fsr/owae053

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