Geophysical monitoring of simulated clandestine burials of murder victims to aid forensic investigators

Davenward, Ben; Mirosch, Natalie; Spencer, Francesca; Jervis, Jon R.; Pringle, Jamie K.; Stimpson, Ian G.; Wisniewski, Kristopher D.; Heaton, Vivienne

Abstract

Locating murder victims buried within clandestine graves is one of the most important and difficult challenges for forensic search teams. This article details how applied geoscientists have been geophysically monitoring simulated clandestine burials, using pig cadavers as human proxies, for over 10 years, in order to discover the best geophysical methods to detect cadavers and how this might change over time. Low frequency ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity methods could both locate the burials throughout the survey period, with winter/spring surveys producing better data and the style of burial also found to be important.

Citation

Davenward, B., Mirosch, N., Spencer, F., Jervis, J. R., Pringle, J. K., Stimpson, I. G., …Heaton, V. (2021). Geophysical monitoring of simulated clandestine burials of murder victims to aid forensic investigators. Geology Today, 37(2), 63-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/gto.12344

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 25, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Mar 31, 2021
• Publication Date: Mar 31, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 31, 2021
• Journal: Geology Today
• Print ISSN: 0266-6979
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 37
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 63-65
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gto.12344
• Keywords: clandestine burial, geophysics, GPR, resistivity, forensic
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/419265
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652451