WA WA - Seattle, WhtFem 30-50, 159UFWA, UP12916, alias 'Mary Anderson', copper IUD, breast surgery scars, Oct'96

[GloSeattle]

I believe isotope testing is more useful in historical and ancient remains, from the times when most people ate food grown and drank water sourced from the place they lived.

In today's global market, your food and drink could be from anywhere. Just ate noodles from Indonesia. Never been anywhere near Indonesia in my life. Drinking mineral water with it. Where did that water come from? Who knows, could be anywhere in the country. Will probably have some chocolate before bed. Chocolate doesn't grow in my country at all. Neither does the coffee I had for breakfast. See the problem?

MOO

Yes, it's used in archaeology as well! We didn't have such a global market in people born from 1952-1960's (the date range this DOE was estimated to be) so, a strontium isotope, stable, and oxygen isotope testing can reveal much and we need anything at this point - we have nothing on where to even begin with her.

 

[GloSeattle]

She wore a dental plate and had a copper IUD. I would think one, if not both, would have a serial number of some sort (?)

Here are two articles written by journalist Carol Smith of the Seattle Post Intelligencer where the ME's at the time and Kathy Taylor were both interviewed as well as police, what was found in the room, what they did, etc.. The cipher in room 214 Who was Mary Anderson and why did she die?
and a very comprehensive article from Todd Matthews, co-founder of the DOE Network, on her with a real deep dive into the entire case.
https://www.wahmee.com/uploads/1/3/0/5/130585672/sam.pdf
This is also a more detailed photo of Mary (pay special attention to the night table where it looks like a pack of cigarettes and lighter as well as bracelets appear? The detail is blurry as the focus was on Mary and not on the table :-( As you can see she looks much thinner in the photo and that is due to the settling of the tissues in death. Those areas that are propped up her wrists to hand and her head look thinner than her actual body size as they're more on a flat surface. I think this will give people a prospective on how she appears and more questions on the nightstand contents.

 

[Blue-moon]

One example of a case where the isotope analysis was wrong is that of Evelyn Colon: Wikipedia article on her murder. I’m not sure what type of isotope testing was done in that case.

 

[summergirl1]

I've read about so many Doe cases I'm not sure of the type of isotope testing in those cases either. I had read of Evelyn's case.

 

[GloSeattle]

One example of a case where the isotope analysis was wrong is that of Evelyn Colon: Wikipedia article on her murder. I’m not sure what type of isotope testing was done in that case.

Yes, it does depend on the type of test and the controls used during the testing. There is not a uniform procedure or what is called "best practices" for the isotope tests: isotope, strontium, and oxygen. So results can vary with improper (inexperienced) handling of the tests. Same in any crime lab, but we have better controls now as time has gone on to assure the accuracy. It's a shame these things don't progress quicker but the science moves so fast it's hard to stay at the same pace. (My personal belief is that those who invent or utilize these things should be the one's to develop a protocol by which to test and handle the tests and handling of samples and results. I think the onus is on them.)