Remains Found in 2005 Identified

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The Wood County Sheriff's Department recently received notification of the DMA results from test performed on the remains which were found by a surveying crew on July 1st, 2005.

The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification notified lead investigator, Sgt. Reginald Frost of the results. Sgt. Frost said that the primary reason for the two-year period it took for identification was the fact that the remains had probably had been at the point of recovery for over a year.

The remains were originally sent to the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for identification. However, due to the state of the remains, standard nuclear DNA tests were inconclusive.

A laboratory that performed mitochondrial DNA analysis then had to be located to attempt this type of test. This kind of test is better suited for identification from bone mater as opposed to tissue matter.

The University of North Texas at Ft. Worth agreed to attempt an identification and a court order was obtained in March of 2006 to transfer the remains to this facility.

The cause of death in this case has been ruled as a suicide, due to the lack of evidence indicating otherwise.

Last Updated on Friday, 17 April 2009 16:08