3. Positive identification of a decomposed body using a trilogy of identification criteria: a case report

A case of roentgenographic identification of a decomposed, visually unidentifiable, edentulous deceased person is reported. Comparative evaluation of ante-mortem and post-mortem plain radiographs provided positive identification, confirming the presence of a transitional lumbar vertebra with concordance in dysmorphic features of a spinal dysraphism, and the configuration of sternotomy sutures used for surgical reconstruction of the sternum post-coronary artery bypass surgery. In addition, comparison of ante-mortem and post-mortem dental orthopantomograms confirmed the presence of iatrogenic dental evidence, in the form of amalgam tattooing. The use of amalgam tattooing in establishing identification has only been reported once previously in the literature (Slabbert et al., 1991). The stability in morphology and the location of the amalgam particle was sufficient to confirm the identification of the deceased as a single trait or as an adjunct to other identification criteria.