Possibilities of identity identification during comprehensive examination of bone remains: A case report

Abstract

One of the most difficult types of research conducted in the forensic department of the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination is the identification of individuals by bone remains. When examining discovered bone remains, the first stage includes the tasks of determining the belonging of bones to a person and then determining the racial identity, sex, age, and growth of an individual. The set of established characteristics plays a decisive role in further search activities and identification of specific persons. This article presents an actual case. Human bone remains were found in the forest, which was established to belong to a white man. The victim was most likely 173–183.5 cm tall. The anatomical and morphological features of the bones correspond to the age of 49–56.5 years. Further, an identification examination was conducted with the study of radiological images of citizen N (52 years old) using graphic identification algorithms. The results established that the bone remains belong to citizen N. The above case demonstrates the possibilities of identity identification in a comprehensive study of bone remains and confirms the relevance of the problem of identifying unidentified corpses in forensic medicine. However, even today, no specific algorithm has been established for identifying the identity of a corpse in a particular situation, which creates additional difficulties in choosing the most correct method (s). Further modernization and improvement of methods for identifying the identity of unidentified corpses is required, and the search for new, simpler, more accessible and objective research methods has both scientific and significant practical interest.

Keywords

• forensic medicine
• bone remains
• identity identification
• case from practice