hi, im currently studying Biology in uni (final year) and we are doing a module called "forensic Biology, Archeaology and Geology". Anyway.....

 

we have been asked to answer this question as an essay title

 

ESSAY TITLE: A Nigerian man, newly arrived in the UK, was stabbed to death in a wood on the outskirts of Reading during August 2003. His body was moved immediately after death and was eventually recovered from a shallow grave on a moor close to Aberdeen in January 2004. Explain in detail the how the body would have been recovered from the soil and the nature of biological, geological etc analysis that would have enabled the above scenario to be established.

 

Note: References to plane tickets, confessions, divine intervention etc are not relevant.

 

Can anybody help or point me in the right direction?!?!

The "woods" part of the scenario could be determined from plant and vegetable DNA present on parts of the victim's clothing in the forms of seeds/leaf/flower/etc. The stabbing would be determined by the stab wounds on the body and an absence of other marks which would indicate some other type of death. (All determined from an autopsy). Knowing that the body was moved could be determined by how the blood pooled inside the corpse. The combination of all the other evidence in addition to how the blood had collected inside the body would give an indication on how the victim was positioned when he expired. There are a lot of ways you could go with this depending on what other details you've been given.

hi thanks for that! very useful

 

ive heard that there was a documentary called Torso in the Thames: The Search for Adam's Killers. Shown on CH4 in the UK...im looking for it now, its about a young boy who was found in the River Thames in London...was nigerian and only the torso was found

"A Nigerian man, newly arrived in the UK...."

 

This part could be determined by currency from Nigeria in the victim's possession, indicating country of origin and the fact that he hadn't time to convert to British currency yet. No thief/murderer from the EU would balk at taking foreign currency along with any pound notes the victim might have had.

Note: References to plane tickets, confessions, divine intervention etc are not relevant.

So everything non-biological is included in that "etc"? My mistake, never mind, I'll shut up now.

 

*edit* How about the contents of the stomach? Nigerian food, lack of anything comestible from the UK, could that help?

You need to hire a "palynologist".

 

http://www.geo.arizona.edu/palynology/ppalydef.html#fungspor

 

They specialize in analyzing microscopic items like pollen and fungal spores. The "Nigerian" would likely be carrying something on his body that is found only in his native country. You might also be able to determine his ethnicity via mitochondrial DNA.

 

The time at which the corpse was buried can be determined by various insect larva, although there probably no where near as many in Aberdeen, Scotland as there are in Yorktown, Virginia.

There may be differences in the make-up of the soil found in Reading and Aberdeen; possibly something unique to Reading.

Well you may be able to tell that the body was moved if there where scratch marks on his body from where twigs and such would have scratched him as he was dragged. Also for th etime since death you could analise decay and the type of bugs that are eating the corps. You may make note of tanning of the skin indaciting that he maay be from somewhere sunny but this depends on the state of decay. Geneaoligy woulden't help as he could have asain heritage but have still have arrived from nigeria. You could look at his lunds and may find indications ofthe air quality of where he was recently.

The process of decompostion begins the moment the heart stops. The eyes are the first to go. Insects attack the eyes and lay their eggs almost immediately. If larve are found that match the site of death but not the site of burial, that's a good clue.

Thanks, i handed the work in last week