The Forensic Investigation

What is everyone's idea on AJ's phone? Have they found it yet? What's your opinion? I think, yes, they have, as they don't seem to be doing more searches. But when and where?

sallye818 said:

What is everyone's idea on AJ's phone? Have they found it yet? What's your opinion? I think, yes, they have, as they don't seem to be doing more searches. But when and where?

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Most likely right by the gun that nobody will find.

sallye818 said:

What is everyone's idea on AJ's phone? Have they found it yet? What's your opinion? I think, yes, they have, as they don't seem to be doing more searches. But when and where?

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I think they found it at the pond, and that's why they only searched 1/4 of it before leaving.

Mountain_Kat said:

I think they found it at the pond, and that's why they only searched 1/4 of it before leaving.

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I've thought this as well. I also have felt that maybe that is what lead them to the house where she was found. The FBI have some pretty
impressive resources that can narrow gps and coordinates down to almost an exact.

I don't know where to post know since there is like 20 different forums... But anyway, I passed by AJ's home last night and notice the carpet was put to the road for pick up this morning. It appeared to be enough carpet that would have covered the whole house. It raises some suspicion imo... and I wonder if it was JH or Bear boys idea to strip the carpet...I hope forensics got what they needed out of that house....

I'm sure LE knows everything that goes on in that house...including the remodeling.

vice82 said:

I don't know where to post know since there is like 20 different forums... But anyway, I passed by AJ's home last night and notice the carpet was put to the road for pick up this morning. It appeared to be enough carpet that would have covered the whole house. It raises some suspicion imo... and I wonder if it was JH or Bear boys idea to strip the carpet...I hope forensics got what they needed out of that house....

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Anything put out for pick up is considered fair game IIRC.

Damarna said:

Anything put out for pick up is considered fair game IIRC.

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Huh-good catch. Was the pickup for today,and now likely gone?

Phoebeb said:

From twitter about the cremation/ forensic anthropologist, for those who don't use twitter:


Jemie Lee 13News @13JemieLee · 3h 3 hours ago

Medical Examiner's Office says it is bringing in forensic anthropologist to examine remains of AJ Hadsell

zam ‏@zampack 55m55 minutes ago

@13JemieLee @13NewsNow It was reported she was cremated? Is this something they did before? I'm puzzled. Thank you.

Jemie Lee 13News ‏@13JemieLee 23m23 minutes ago

@zampack No prob! I should have been more precise in saying they *are using an anthropologist, instead of *will... thank you!
4 retweets 1 favorite

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I found this. Her bio says she is a forensic anthropologist and head of autopsies for Norfolk medical examiner's office. Assuming this is current, then they have an FA already on staff.

http://www.burnedbone.com/my-bio

Hoosgirl said:

I found this. Her bio says she is a forensic anthropologist and head of autopsies for Norfolk medical examiner's office. Assuming this is current, then they have an FA already on staff.

http://www.burnedbone.com/my-bio

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Thank you , again Hoosgirl! Neat find.

From the OME website, so hopefully we will hear MOD/COD once investigation is complete:

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner recognizes the important role of the news media in reporting homicides, suicides and other deaths occurring in Virginia. We are happy to provide you with as much information as we can within the framework of the laws that govern our activities.

The Code of Virginia classifies any information regarding a medical examiner case as confidential and allows the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to release only the cause and manner of death after the medical examiner’s office has completed its investigation of the case. This information may be obtained from the Medical Examiner District Office that handled the case.

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/medExam/InfoNewsMedia.htm

It's all about burned bodies?!


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Hoosgirl said:

I found this. Her bio says she is a forensic anthropologist and head of autopsies for Norfolk medical examiner's office. Assuming this is current, then they have an FA already on staff.

http://www.burnedbone.com/my-bio

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Assuming this is the only FA who worked this case, and that another FA wasn't called in for a consult, yes, Dr. Pope specializes in burned bone, but that is not the only thing she does. Just don't want everyone to start making assumptions that AJ's body was burned.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/elayne-j-pope-ph-d/9/944/a4a

Autopsy Supervisor and Forensic Anthropologist
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Tidewater District
January 2011 – Present (4 years 5 months)Norfolk Virginia
As the Autopsy Supervisor, I oversee the Autopsy Services at the Tidewater Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and conduct forensic anthropology of traumatized bone consults during and following autopsy. I consult on forensic anthropology casework at the Tidewater and Central Districts of the Virginia State Medical Examiner system. Below are links to my professional website that details more information about my research; and a link to my current curriculum vitae.

Warning: Graphic Photographs

We do NOT know AJ's cause of death, so please understand that I am posting this only for general purposes. Yesterday, we were having a discussion about the hyoid bone sometimes being broken in victims of manual strangulation. Someone asked if there were other ways a Medical Examiner could identify a victim of manual strangulation. I found this interesting, so I'm going to drop it here.

(Mods, please remove if it crosses a line or is against TOS.)

http://www.forensicpathologyonline.com/e-book/asphyxia/throttling

1. Cutaneous bruising and abrasions.
2. Extensive bruising with or without rupture of the neck muscles.
3. Engorgement of the tissues at or above the level of compression
4. Fracture of the larynx, thyroid cartilage, or hyoid bone.
5. Cricoid cartilage is almost exclusively fractured in throttling.
6. General signs of asphyxia.

When thinking about a forensic anthropologist being brought into the case, I found this information which is interesting, especially the part that they may be able to determine if the body has been moved, how long it may have been buried,

http://www.sfu.museum/forensics/eng/

Forensic anthropologists are also trained to examine evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of an individual. This involves analyzing skeletal trauma and differentiating between injuries caused by bullets, sharp objects, blunt objects, or other instruments. Sharp force trauma results when a narrow or pointed object hits a very small area. The stabs, slashes, and cuts typical of sharp force often penetrate deep enough to leave cut marks on the bone. In contrast, blunt force trauma results from a larger implement hitting a much broader area. Blunt force trauma can cause fractures of the arm and leg bones or crush and shatter the flat bones of the skull. Projectile trauma involves a high force applied over a very small area. Projectile trauma can involve bullets, arrows, spears, or any other small object delivered at high velocity. The damage caused by projectile trauma can often be used to indicate the direction of travel of the projectile. Other forms of trauma that an anthropologist may find evidence of include strangulation, electrocution, chemical or heat related trauma, or explosions.Position of bonesIn addition to the injuries themselves, the patterns of injuries present on a body can be very important to the case. Multiple, severe blunt injuries over the whole body may suggest a fall from a great height or a car accident. Sharp force injuries to the hands and lower arms are indicative of defence wounds. The direction of projectile wounds can also be used to support or refute a suspect's story. It is the anthropologist's task to carefully record all traumata according to type, location, and number to reconstruct the overall picture of what happened to a person at the time of their death. And although they are not legally responsible for determining cause of death, the information anthropologists collect can help the coroner or medical examiner make their official judgement on the case.
When did it happen?

Whether it relates to an accident or a crime, the timing of an incident is an important aspect of any investigation. To address the question of elapsed time since death, anthropologists use taphonomy to understand the context and conditions which alter human remains. This includes all the biological and non-biological processes that contribute to the decomposition, skeletonization, and depositional changes associated with a set of remains. Biological factors include human agents, animals, plants, insects, and invertebrates. Carnivore scavenging of fresh remains and rodent gnawing of dried remains are common. Plant roots can etch into bone surfaces while insects and worms can move remains during tunnelling and nest-building. Low soil pH, wind, water, and sand are all capable of abrading bone surfaces. Repeated freeze and thaw cycles can reduce a bone to fragments while intense heat and sun can cause the surface of bones to crack and peel away. Using their knowledge of taphonomic processes, anthropologists can estimate the length of time a body has been buried or exposed, or determine whether a set of remains has been moved.

skinnycat said:

When thinking about a forensic anthropologist being brought into the case, I found this information which is interesting, especially the part that they may be able to determine if the body has been moved, how long it may have been buried,

http://www.sfu.museum/forensics/eng/



Whether it relates to an accident or a crime, the timing of an incident is an important aspect of any investigation. To address the question of elapsed time since death, anthropologists use taphonomy to understand the context and conditions which alter human remains. This includes all the biological and non-biological processes that contribute to the decomposition, skeletonization, and depositional changes associated with a set of remains. Biological factors include human agents, animals, plants, insects, and invertebrates. Carnivore scavenging of fresh remains and rodent gnawing of dried remains are common. Plant roots can etch into bone surfaces while insects and worms can move remains during tunnelling and nest-building. Low soil pH, wind, water, and sand are all capable of abrading bone surfaces. Repeated freeze and thaw cycles can reduce a bone to fragments while intense heat and sun can cause the surface of bones to crack and peel away. Using their knowledge of taphonomic processes, anthropologists can estimate the length of time a body has been buried or exposed, or determine whether a set of remains has been moved.

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<respectfully snipped and bolded by me>

Wow, now that is interesting. Thanks, Skinnycat!

A little more reading on the subject.

http://www.forensicmag.com/articles/2014/12/dirty-world-body-farm-microbes

One in the major goals of criminal death investigations is to determine the PMI of the deceased. Therefore, there is a need for an alternative that provides a more precise, molecular means for estimating PMI.

The Construction of Microbial-rich Grave Soil
Several processes work in concert to make microbial-rich grave soil. Initially after death, human cells become hypoxic because blood circulation ceases when the heart stops pumping. Hypoxia triggers the release of intracellular factors that cause the organized breakdown of cells and tissues by autolytic enzymes. Intrinsic microbes effuse into the soil from the decaying body&#8217;s orifices and distended tissues as the cadaveric fluid effluxes from the dead body. Endogenous gut-associated bacteria initially dominate cadaver decomposition and mediate the production of gases that bloat the decaying flesh. Bloating and autolysis lead to tissue distention and skin rupture. After rupture, endogenous and soil microbes join together to make a mass of nutrient- and microbial-rich soil.

<snip>

Studies of this kind have been conducted using grave soil of decomposing replicate mice and pig models, but not of decomposing human remains. Jessica Metcalf of Colorado University-Boulder&#8217;s BioFrontiers Institute, and a team of scientists used the mouse model system to study the body cavities and associated grave soil of 40 decaying mice over a 48-day period, and a &#8220;microbial clock&#8221; was demonstrated. The PMI estimates from that study correlate to actual PMIs within approximately three days. These results are quite informative and promising.

Somewhat O/T, but there is new "compelling" forensic evidence in the Hannah Graham case that resulted in an upgrade today to capital murder for Jesse Matthew.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...de5b46-f33f-11e4-84a6-6d7c67c50db0_story.html

Hannah and AJ were missing/deceased for a similar amount of time. This gives me hope that, despite the level of decomposition, compelling evidence will also be had in AJ's case!

According to this, as of 2003, those arrested for violent felonies/property crimes must automatically give a DNA sample upon arrest:

http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/about-dfs/

I wonder if AJ would have answered the door to Wes? Sure would like to know if he went to work that morning, then came back on his lunch hour? How much longer do we have to wait on the toxicology reports?