Test for Carrion Fly Full Siblings: A Tool for Detecting Postmortem Relocation of a Corpse

• NCJ Number: 240858
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 57 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2012 Pages: 535-538
• Author(s): Christine J. Picard, Ph.D.; Jeffrey D. Wells, Ph.D.
• Date Published: March 2012
• Length: 4 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2001-RC-CX-K003
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Forensic ID Training and Research Resources at WVU

Annotation

The authors of this study proposed a genetic test for full sibship for a pair of carrion flies that could reveal the postmortem relocation of a corpse.

Abstract

The authors propose a genetic test for full sibship for a pair of carrion flies that could reveal the postmortem relocation of a corpse. A carrion fly larva is sometimes left behind when a corpse is moved. The discovery of full sibling larvae of approximately the same developmental stage at two locations would strongly suggest that a corpse was moved between those two sites. Distributions of pairwise comparisons of relatedness (R) coefficients were generated using amplified fragment length polymorphism profiles for nine samples of laboratory-generated full siblings as well as for a reference sample of nonfull sibling Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The mean relative R coefficient, a pairwise measure of the proportion of shared alleles, was 0.479 (+/- 0.289 SD) for full siblings, close to the theoretical expectation of 0.5. A likelihood ratio (LR) test was based on observed distributions of R. R greater than 0.55 corresponded to an LR greater than 1000 favoring full sibship for that pair of individuals. Abstract published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.