Thank you, @Tripod. They told my cousin that it takes almost a year to identify most males that have been left out in the elements. Plus they need a DNA sample from another male in the family- if only a female DNA is available, that takes even longer than a male relatives DNA for a positive identification.
I know- it's awful, what their family has gone through. Thanksfully, Susan has been identified- at least now they do know that she, sadly, will not be found alive. I am sure things are leaning heavy for Jerry to also be deceased- torture for the family, because deep in their hearts, they know it's him, but until that confirmation comes, there's this little itty bitty string of hope.
It sounds very strange to me that it should take up to a year to identify a male skeleton, especially a relatively fresh one. Here (in Sweden) it took about two months to identify what was left of a male skeleton found in 2017, it was found in June and identified in August. There were a list of about 20 suspected possible matches, and one of them have been missing since 1999, unfortunately it wasn't him. If the identification could be done in two months here, why should it take so much longer in the U.S.?
As you can see, the family is still waiting for identification of Jerry. I wasn't joking when I said it took over a year to identify my cousin.
7 June 2019
MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — More than half a year after two bodies were found a few miles south of St. George, the family of Jerry and Susan McFalls are still awaiting answers.
Jerry McFalls and Susan McFalls, shown in this undated photo, are the subject of an active homicide investigation | Photo courtesy of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
The McFalls, who were both 62 when they mysteriously went missing from their home early last year in Littlefield, Arizona, are the subject of a homicide investigation after one of the bodies was identified as Susan McFalls.
The other body, however, remains unidentified after being sent to the FBI crime lab for DNA analysis in October. The delay in identification has become a major source of frustration for the couple’s family as they seek closure and justice.
While the family “fully anticipates” the other body to be identified as Jerry McFalls, the couple’s daughter-in-law, Meridee McFalls, told St. George News the wait for confirmation has been “very frustrating.”
“They will not give us an answer as to how much longer we will be waiting,” she said Tuesday. “They were found 232 days ago and we do not think this is an acceptable amount of time to wait for answers in a double homicide or identification.”
Read more: 8 months after bodies found south of St. George, McFalls family still seeking answers
You do realize that our country is much bigger than Sweden and that we have over 50 states of missing people that need to be identified? We hear many times how backed up the labs are, and they truly are.
God bless the McFalls' family's patience and long-suffering! I'm glad they shared the above article and hope it can help them.
This is just awful for the family. While they can sincerely deduce that it is Jerry, the wait is still agonizing and cruel. I don't blame the labs or anyone working to identify his remains, they're doing the best that they can. Yet for the families waiting for such news, to be able to move on to the next stage of grief, it's an excruciating long wait. My thoughts and prayers are with the Mcfall's family and friends.
The elephant in the room is: how is the actual murder investigation going? I'm not even certain LE, or the coroner, has classified this case yet as a homicide, but there seems little to no doubt it was.
