Wan Lihua
Chongqing Medical University, China
Title: A new technique of photographic superimposition for broken and incomplete skull: A case report
Biography
Biography: Wan Lihua
Abstract
During autumn in 1980, a heavy rain caused landslide in a city in southwestern China. Hundred pieces of bone were found in the fallen mud by a local citizen. In those bones, the police found that human bones were fragmentized and mixed with other animal’s bones. After all the fragment of human bones has been screened out, the police were not able to extract any DNA from those bones for personal identification. The skull of the victim had been fragmentized and only half of the fragments have been found. The photographic superimposition is a mature technology in personal individual and the result of photographic superimposition is an evidence of personal identity in China. The 36 bony landmarks on the skull and the 36 facial features on photo would match with each other if they belong to the same person. It is generally accepted that a broken or incomplete skull cannot be used in photographic superimposition. But according to a previous study, we found that some of the landmarks on the skull were extremely symmetry. The skull defects were fixed with reference to the complete part and the number of landmarks on skull was reduced to 23 in photographic superimposition. According to the data of previous study, the location of the landmarks on the skull was revised after fragments of the skull had been joined together and the defect had been fixed. Finally, the victim had been identified, and the murder has been involved.