Forensic and Investigative Sciences

In episode two of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification Season, Just Science sat down with Bryan Johnson, the Major Incident Program Manager in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Latent Print Unit, to discuss how postmortem prints can be used to help identify unknown decedents. One of the cheapest, easiest and fastest methods of identifying individuals is through friction ridge prints. However, challenges can arise in cases where trauma or decomposition affect quality of a decedent's hands.

In episode three of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification season, Just Science sat down with Lori Bruski and Amy Jenkinson, two research public health analysts at RTI International to discuss inter-agency efforts to compile crime, missing persons and decedent information and comprehensive databases. In the digital age, criminal justice information can be uploaded into databases and organized in a searchable, centralized location, making it more accessible than ever.

In episode one of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Heather McKiernan, a Research Forensic Scientist at RTI International, and Ashley Rodriguez, a Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, to discuss the use of forensic genetic genealogy in identifying human remains. Oftentimes unknown human remains are recovered fully or partially skeletonized, with no close biological relatives in CODIS to facilitate identification.

In episode four of our Case Studies: Part 1 mini season, Just Science sat down with Leighton D'Antoni, the Assistant District Attorney in Dallas County, Texas, to discuss how forensic genetic genealogy was used as an investigative tool to help solve a series of violent cold cases. In the 1980s, several violent sexual assaults occurred in Dallas County, Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana. These cases were all linked by a foreign DNA profile; however, no suspect was found and the cases went cold.

In episode three of our Case Studies Part one mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Sharon Moses, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University, to discuss forensic archeology and locating victims of no-body homicides. Forensic archeologists can play a critical role in body recovery and search strategies for locating human remains because homicide offender’s choices and body disposal sites are influenced by various social and environmental factors.

In episode two of our Case Studies Part 1 mini season Just Science sat down with Stacey Chepren, member of a trial team for prosecuting federal criminal misconduct cases to discuss a fatal pedestrian hit and run involving trace and digital evidence. On a quiet morning in the city limits of Las Vegas, a pedestrian in a well-lit crosswalk was struck by an impaired driver who left the scene. There were no witnesses, but authorities quickly pieced together the case through a vehicle's aftermarket paint job and neighborhood video footage.

In episode one of our Case Studies Part 1 mini season, Just Science sat down with Michael Fagert, a certified latent print examiner at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, to discuss a latent print phenomenon that is not often seen in casework. There are very few instances of identifiable fingerprints on cartridge cases recovered from crime scenes, as the firing process introduces adverse physical and thermal stressors to fingerprint residues.