U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Special Case in Three-dimensional Bone Reconstruction of the Human Skull

NCJ Number
186168
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 50 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2000 Pages: 549-562
Author(s)
Anne Coy; John W Ohlson
Editor(s)
David L Grieve
Date Published
December 2000
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Skeletal remains discovered almost three decades later are removed from evidence with the intention of forming a clay facial reconstruction to aid in determining the identity of the victim.
Abstract
In 1973, human skeletal remains were discovered in a Florida landfill. Anthropologist William R. Maples examined the remains and determined them to be those of a caucasian female whose identity remained unknown. Forensic sculptor, Betty Pat Gatliff taught a technique used throughout the U.S. that forms a clay facial reconstruction directly on the skull. In October 1999, this technique was performed on the homicide victim’s skull. The reconstruction process is explained in detail. Figures, references