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Splitting hairs: differentiating between entomological activity, taphonomy, and sharp force trauma on hair
Debora Mazzarelli1, Stefano Vanin, Daniele Gibelli
1LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, V. Mangiagalli, 37, Milan, Italy, debora.mazzarelli@unimi.it.
Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology
|December 21, 2014
Summary
Distinguishing sharp force trauma from insect activity on hair is crucial in forensic analysis. Sharp force creates regular edges, while insects leave concave gnaw marks, easily identifiable with scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Entomology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Hair analysis is vital in forensic investigations, yet studies on hair trauma are scarce.
- Differentiating between sharp force lesions and insect activity on hair is critical for reconstructing events.
- A specific judicial case highlighted the need to distinguish these two types of hair damage.
Observation:
- Experiments involved subjecting hair samples to sharp and blunt force trauma.
- Hair samples were also exposed to common clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) and carpet beetles (Anthrenus sp.).
- Macroscopic and microscopic examinations, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were performed.
Findings:
- Sharp force trauma results in lesions with regular, distinct edges.
- Insect activity, characterized by gnawing, produces concave lesions on the hair shaft.
- SEM clearly differentiates between the regular edges of trauma and the concave marks left by insects.
Implications:
- Insect activity leaves unique, identifiable traces on hair.
- This research aids in accurately interpreting diverse hair lesions encountered in forensic casework.
- The findings enhance the ability to distinguish between mechanical damage and biological activity on hair evidence.
