The Forensic Investigation

[runninglowonbananas]

I have a degree in physical anthropology. Imo, because it took over a month to find her in ever changing weather, her skin may not be as telling and so examining her bones for further trauma will help determine the manner in which she died. Very rarely can fornesic anthros determine COD. They can, however help in.a big way when it comes to MANNER of death. I believe they are needing one to get a story/time line of trauma to her body. Jmo

 

[wunderngwhy]

Just throwing this out there.... could the cremation have occurred before the body was found ? Like maybe it was burned in attempt to hide evidence ? Did the house in Southampton county have a fireplace ? JMO

 

[Lilibet]

Just throwing this out there.... could the cremation have occurred before the body was found ? Like maybe it was burned in attempt to hide evidence ? Did the house in Southampton county have a fireplace ? JMO

News report by Joe Fisher of WAVY the day after her remains were found stated/clarified specifically that the remains were a body (presumably as opposed to bones).

 

[FindHG]

Ya know!
I do not think they would release a body unless ALL of it was there.
I do not think its right to keep a body part.
That haunts me!

Another point of confusion, whether AJ was cremated or not, may have made it out to, again, put LE in a position to say something about where things stand.

Perhaps a more subtle but none-the-less another attempt at using the media to influence public impressions and garner information by the family spokespeople, who knows?

Sounds like that to my ear, more tasteless manipulative stuff emanating from a party to the case that makes them yet again look more suspicious, nefarious and cagey.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

Would the investigators have the family told that AJ was cremated when in fact they still had the remains? Sounds unethical,

but this is a murder case and I think that they need to do whatever it is that they have to do to get the guilty party

Absolutely not, imo. Investigators can not determine what is to be done with the remains once they release it. That is left to the discretion of family members.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

Please bear in mind that the ME would have taken many samples from the remains. So even if they have released AJ's remains to the family for burial or cremation, there would still be samples (evidence) available for other professionals to examine.

 

[Eileen730]

Please bear in mind that the ME would have taken many samples from the remains. So even if they have released AJ's remains to the family for burial or cremation, there would still be samples (evidence) available for other professionals to examine.

I would think they need the bones!
JMO

 

[Mountain_Kat]

I would think they need the bones!
JMO

http://fac.utk.edu/forensic.html

 

[Eileen730]

http://fac.utk.edu/forensic.html

LOL this pretty much tells me the bones.

where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic physical anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated or otherwise unrecognizable.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

LOL this pretty much tells me the bones.

where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic physical anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated or otherwise unrecognizable.

I believe there are many different fields in forensic anthropology. It is not just the study of bones, from what I understand.

http://www.itsgov.com/forensic-anthropology.html

Forensic anthropology includes archaeological excavation, as well as examination of hair, insects, facial reproduction, medicine,

 

[kaen]

My speculation here----- would an anthropologist be helpful in determining soil likeness, original location of dirt from under nails, original location based on leaves, buds found on the body, or clothing decomposition based on weather or exposure? Or, the kind of changes in body position or movement that might have occurred based on body placement and exposure? Or, rough timeline of previous broken bones, scars, pregnancies? This is the first time I have read that an anthropologist would aid in the investigation. I am curious to know what the professional would bring to the case. Forensic anthropology, kind of cool to think about

In my limited experience, once a body has been released and signed for by the next of kin, it is the sole discretion of the kin to determine what happens next. Remains that are unclaimed often have to sit for a period of time before the state will choose a method of internment. I don't think we know if the body has been released. One MSM source said there was going to be a private service later with the cremains.

 

[FindHG]

LOL this pretty much tells me the bones.

where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic physical anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated or otherwise unrecognizable.

I know when I first heard the news of AJ possibly being cremated, it did cause me to react with sadness and confusion as the investigation seems far from complete, but I trust LE's judgement.

Thinking about it since, it makes complete sense to me, that if there are those worried about what's coming, that this is the way they would act, fishing for information from LE through the media, and not cooperating, thus more of the same.

Going from that thought, then one may be safe in assuming that the investigations dynamic has not changed in terms of LE's approach too?

Not sure if anyone has been back to the page but Ms. Lee clarifies her statement a bit in the comments below..
https://twitter.com/13jemielee/status/590164434015911936

Thank you for the heads up on this, JenaToason. It helps.

 

[Just K]

Here is ALL of what we know from LE re: the recovery of AJ
LE went to a house in Southhampton County.
A body was recovered somewhere between a shed and the house.
After an initial exam, the remains were ID'd as those of Anjelica Marie Hadsell.
No further official statements were made as to COD, MOD, TOD nor even whether this has been determined to be a homicide.
In addition: LE did not announce that they had released the body/remains to a funeral home or to the family.

 

[runninglowonbananas]

Just letting everyone know, as as a graduate of anthropology, they can still be using a physical anthropologist to examine soils and may have misreported jmo

 

[spamelope]

AJ was identified very quickly. IMO this couldn't have been done if she were skeletonized or very badly decomposed. Here's some info from another link.

Forensic anthropologists can assess the age, sex, and unique features of a decedent and are invaluable in documenting trauma to the body and estimating how long a corpse has been decomposing. Forensic anthropologists work closely with individuals in law enforcement and medical science—and especially with specialists in ballistics, explosives, pathology, serology (the study of blood and bodily fluids), and toxicology—and are often expert witnesses in murder trials.
sbm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/690837/forensic-anthropology

 

[wunderngwhy]

Another point of confusion, whether AJ was cremated or not, may have made it out to, again, put LE in a position to say something about where things stand.

Perhaps a more subtle but none-the-less another attempt at using the media to influence public impressions and garner information by the family spokespeople, who knows?

Sounds like that to my ear, more tasteless manipulative stuff emanating from a party to the case that makes them yet again look more suspicious, nefarious and cagey.

JMO....Absolutely in agreement....IMO

 

[Phoebeb]

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

 

[Mountain_Kat]

My speculation here----- would an anthropologist be helpful in determining soil likeness, original location of dirt from under nails, original location based on leaves, buds found on the body, or clothing decomposition based on weather or exposure? Or, the kind of changes in body position or movement that might have occurred based on body placement and exposure? Or, rough timeline of previous broken bones, scars, pregnancies? This is the first time I have read that an anthropologist would aid in the investigation. I am curious to know what the professional would bring to the case. Forensic anthropology, kind of cool to think about

In my limited experience, once a body has been released and signed for by the next of kin, it is the sole discretion of the kin to determine what happens next. Remains that are unclaimed often have to sit for a period of time before the state will choose a method of internment. I don't think we know if the body has been released. One MSM source said there was going to be a private service later with the cremains.

Google the University Of Tennessee "Body Farm" when you have a chance. Fascinating reading. There is ALOT of online info about the work they do there, but "Death's Acre" is a must read if you are interested in the subject.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

AJ was identified very quickly. IMO this couldn't have been done if she were skeletonized or very badly decomposed. Here's some info from another link.

Forensic anthropologists can assess the age, sex, and unique features of a decedent and are invaluable in documenting trauma to the body and estimating how long a corpse has been decomposing. Forensic anthropologists work closely with individuals in law enforcement and medical science—and especially with specialists in ballistics, explosives, pathology, serology (the study of blood and bodily fluids), and toxicology—and are often expert witnesses in murder trials.
sbm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/690837/forensic-anthropology

BBM

Not necessarily true, Spam. Shannan Gilbert's body was very bady decomposed. She was identified by a metal plate in her jaw. There could have been any number of things that made AJ's identification easy, despite the fact that she was badly decomposed. Clothing, unique piercings, unique tattoos, unique bone breaks or scars, any number of things.

JMO

 

[runninglowonbananas]

It's possible they want a forensic anthropologist to just look at hair samples.
"Hair can yield DNA evidence, if hair is pulled out by the root, as in some violent struggles, it will contain root pulp which is a good source of nuclear DNA (nDNA), the type of DNA most often used in forensics.*"
Via crimemuseum