Mark Benecke

A brief history of forensic entomology

Apart from an early case report from China (13th century) and later artistic contributions, the first observations on insects and other arthropods as forensic indicators were documented in Germany and France during mass exhumations in the late 1880s by Reinhard and Hofmann, whom we propose recognizing as co-founders of the discipline. After the French publication of Mégnins popular book on the applied aspects of forensic entomology, the concept quickly spread to Canada and the US. At the time, researchers recognized that the lack of systematic observations of forensically important insects stood in the way of their use as indicators of postmortem interval. General advances in insect taxonomy, and ecology helped close this gap over the following decades. Many early case reports dealt with alleged child homicides, including the suspected use of sulphuric acid. In this context, it was shown that ants, cockroaches, and freshwater arthropods could produce postmortem artifacts suggestive of child abuse. After the World Wars, few forensic entomology cases entered the scientific literature. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Leclecq and Nuorteva were primarily responsible for maintaining the method in Central Europe, with a focus on case work. Since then, basic research in the US, Russia and Canada has opened the way to the routine use of entomology in forensic investigations. The following article gives a brief overview of historic developments in the field. A major focus is on the work done between 1850 and 1950. Since sources from that time remain difficult to track down, the article also includes a historic bibliographical overview on forensic entomology of that era.

Six Forensic Entomology Cases: Description and Commentary

Insects are known to be useful in estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). Here several cases are reported which show that a wide range of applications in medicolegal questions and hygiene together or apart from estimating the PMI can be answered by use of forensic entomology techniques, including close observation of larval development. Case 1 describes how blowfly larvae fell from a putrefied corpse, hid, and finally emerged from pupae three months after disinfection and renovation. In case 2, the entomological state of the decomposed corpse of a heroin user is described. Case 3 deals with a single adult Protophormia terranovae found in the skull of a partially mummified woman. Case 4 reports the finding of Serratia marcescens bacteria in red Muscina stabulans pupae which were found on a 5-day-old corpse. In case 5, blowfly eggs on the corpse of another heroin user are interpreted as an indication of the decedent being laid outside at night after his death in a flat. Case 6 deals with the finding of Parasarcophaga argyrostoma, which in Cologne might be an indicator species which tells if a corpse was lying outside at least for some time.

Child neglect and forensic entomology

Close co-operation between forensic scientists, medico-legal doctors, and police forces made it possible to estimate not only the post-mortem interval but also the time since a child was neglected. On the skin surface under the diaper (anal-genital area), third instar larvae of the false stable fly Muscina stabulans FALLEN, and the lesser house fly Fannia canicularis L. were found. F. canicularis adults are attracted to both feces and urine. From the face, larvae of the bluebottle fly Calliphora vomitoria L. were collected. C. vomitoria maggots are typical early inhabitants of corpses. From the developmental times of the flies, it was estimated that the anal-genital area of the child had not been cleaned for about 14 days (7-21 day range), and that death occurred only 6-8 days prior to discovery of the body. This is the first report where an examination of the maggot fauna on a person illustrated neglect that had occurred prior to death.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing of necrophageous insects (Diptera, Coleoptera) in criminal forensic studies: validation and use in practice.

To permit quick identification of arthropods, random amplified polymorphic DNA typing (RAPD) was used to support classical morphological and medico-legal analysis of maggots on a human corpse. The method was employed to determine if maggots which were found on the inside of a body bag were identical (a) with maggots found on the outside of the bag, and (b) pupae found on the floor under the corpse. Pre-mixed RAPD reaction beads together with semiautomatic computer aided analysis of the PCR products are shown to discriminate between closely related necrophageous insect species (flies and beetles) found on corpses. From the 11 RAPD primers used, one alone was sufficient in resolving a practical forensic situation. This is the first report of a forensic application of RAPD DNA typing.

Arthropods and Corpses

The determination of the colonization interval of a corpse (“postmortem interval”) has been the major topic of forensic entomologists since the 19th century. The method is based on the link of developmental stages of arthropods, especially of blowfly larvae, to their age. The major advantage against the standard methods for the determination of the early postmortem interval (by the classical forensic pathological methods such as body temperature, postmortem lividity and rigidity, and chemical investigations) is that arthropods can represent an accurate measure even in later stages of the postmortem interval when the classical forensic pathological methods fail. Apart from estimating the colonization interval, there are numerous other ways to use arthropods as forensic evidence. Recently, artifacts produced by arthropods as well as the proof of neglect of elderly persons and children have become a special focus of interest. This chapter deals with the broad range of possible applications of entomology, including case examples and practical guidelines that relate to history, classical applications, DNA typing, blood-spatter artifacts, estimation of the postmortem interval, cases of neglect, and entomotoxicology. Special reference is given to different arthropod species as an investigative and criminalistic tool.

Ungewollte Strangulation durch ein Fahrzeug: Der Tod von Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan, one of the world’s most famous dancers, died on 14, September 1927 by accidental strangulation caused by a vehicle. Sitting in the front passenger seat, Duncan’s scarf came into the spokes of the rear wheel of a Bugatti. The driver, Duncan’s friend Ivan Falchetto could not see Duncan while looking forward but stopped immediately after 20 m. Duncan died at the scene. In the hospital, fractures of the nose, the spinal column and the larynx were noted as well as torn carotid arteries. To our knowledge this is the first report of the accident in the forensic literature.ZusammenfassungIn die rechtsmedizinische Literatur hat unseres Wissens bislang ein Fall ungewollter Strangulation noch keinen Eingang gefunden, der 1927 eine der berühmtesten Tänzerinnen der Welt zum Opfer fiel. Isadora Duncan wurde von ihrem langen roten Schal. der sich beim Anfahren in den Speichen des Hinterrades eines Bugatti verfangen hatte, erdrosselt. Duncan starb sofort; im Krankenhaus wurden Frakturen der Nase, des Kehlkopfes und der Wirbelsäule sowie eine Zerreißung der Carotiden festgestellt.

Rechtsmedizinisch angewandte kerb- und spinnentierkundliche Begutachtungen in Europa Eine kurze Übersicht über Ursprünge und den aktuellen Stand der Forschung

Abstract The article gives a short review on the history of the field. First forensic cases were solved by the use of medicocriminal entomology in the thirteenth century but the method has only developed to a professional level over the last 100 years. In Europe, mainly French, Belgian, English and Scandinavian researchers have been responsible for maintaining the methods. In France, an entomological police laboratory has been set up in Rosny-sous-bois. In contrast to the United States of America where entomological evidence is accepted by the courts, the method has only just started to be accepted in Germany. Initially cooperation with the police and with judges might help to establish the analysis of arthropods as a routine tool in forensic science for Germany.Zusammenfassung Der Artikel gibt eine kurze Übersicht über die Geschichte der Methode. – Während insektenkundliche Beweise in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika bereits von Gerichten anerkannt werden, sind in Europa nur wenige Experten mit der rechtsmedizinisch-kriminalistischen Arthropodenkunde vertraut. Besonders im franko-belgischen Raum, England und Skandinavien wurde die Methode jedoch aufrechterhalten und in den letzten hundert Jahren zur praktischen Anwendung gebracht. Frankreich muß als in dieser Hinsicht fortschrittlichstes Land gelten, u. a., weil in Rosny-sous-bois ein polizeiliches Routinelabor für Insektenuntersuchungen besteht. Neuere Entwicklungen lassen nun auch im deutschsprachigen Raum darauf hoffen, daß die Untersuchung von Gliedertieren ihren festen Platz im Repertoire der rechtsmedizinischen Praxis findet.

Forensische Nutzbarkeit und Populationsdaten der beiden short tandem repeat-Systeme D8S306 und PKLR

The properties of the two short tandem repeat (STR) loci PKLR and D8S306 for forensic applications show that both are suitable for identification purposes and paternity cases. Due to its high sensitivity (lower detection limit) of down to 30 pg, D8S306 should be useful in stain analysis. The lower detection limit for PKLR is ≤250 pg. For both systems, population data of inhabitants of the Rhine area in and around Köln (western Germany) show minor differences to the data given in the original papers. Allele distribution conforms of D8S306 to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium as confirmed by the Exact Test. The discriminating power (stain analysis) is 0.96 for D8S306 and 0.94 for PKLR, the exclusion chance in paternity cases in 0.68 for D8S306 and 0.54 for PKLR. Combining DNA amplification in a Perkin Elmer 2400 PCR machine with the Pharmacia A.L.F. sequencer allowed DNA typing to be carried out in one day.ZusammenfassungUm die statistische Ausschlußwahrscheinlichkeit der PCR-gestützten DNA-Typisierung durch zusätzliche STR-Systeme weiter zu erhöhen, stellen wir die zwei Genorte D8S306 und PKLR vor. Besonders das hochsensitive System D8S306 sollte bei der Bearbeitung von geringen DNA-Mengen aus Spurenmaterial hilfreich sein. Die von uns gewonnenen Populationsdaten aus dem Rheinland in und um Köln stehen für beide Systeme weitgehend in Einklang mit den Daten der Originalveröffentlichungen; der Exact Test bestätigt, daß die Allelverteilung für. D8S306 im Hardy-Weinberg-Gleichgewicht ist. Die discriminating power liegt für D8S306 bei 0,96 und für PKLR bei 0,94, die exclusion chance für Vaterschaften bei 0,68 für D8S306 und 0,54 für PKLR. Folgt der DNA-Amplifikation mittels der Perkin Elmer 2400-Maschine eine Auftrennung der Produkte auf dem A.L.F.-Sequenziergerät (Pharmacia), ist die komplette DNA-Typisierung innerhalb eines Tages möglich.

Forensic Efficiency and German Population Data for the Tetrameric STR Polymorphism DHFRP2 (HUMFOLP23)

Hypervariability in short tandem repeated sequences of genomic DNA (STRs) is one of the most reliable ways of personal identification from biological samples. We examined the allelic distribution of the human dihydrofolate reductase psi-2 pseu-dogene (Polymeropoulos et al. 1991) in a Western German population (Rhine area). These were compared to population data first described by Polymeropoulos et al. and by Kimpton et al.. To reach highest possible detection sensitivity, separation and detection of PCR products were performed using an Automatic Laser Fluorescence Detection Unit (A.L.F. sequencer, Pharmacia) (Schmitt & Prinz, in press).

Murder most putrid

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