A case where a 'fragment of moss' led to the capture of a grave robber.
A large-scale illegal excavation case occurred at Burr Oak Cemetery in Illinois, USA, where bodies were dug up, dumped elsewhere, and the vacant burial plots were resold. The decisive evidence that solved this case was a small fragment of moss buried with the bodies.
Silent witness: a moss provides important evidence in solving a cemetery crime | Forensic Sciences Research | Oxford Academic
A Piece of Moss Helped Investigators Prosecute a Grave-Robbing Ring : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-piece-of-moss-helped-investigators-prosecute-a-grave-robbing-ring
In 2009, Burr Oak Cemetery, a suburb of Chicago, was designated a crime scene, and a large-scale excavation was launched by the FBI and local authorities. The cemetery is a historically significant site for the African American community and is the resting place of Emmett Till, who was instrumental in the civil rights movement.
The investigation revealed that approximately 1,500 bones, equivalent to at least 29 people's remains, had been illegally dumped in an unused area of the cemetery. Four cemetery employees were arrested as suspects, but they claimed that the disposal of the bodies occurred before they were employed, and they clashed with the prosecution over the timing of the crime.
Forensic anthropologist Anne Grauer focused on plant specimens found alongside the human remains, particularly a moss designated 'Evidence Number 59.' Analysis by botanist Dr. Matt von Konrad and his colleagues at the Field Museum of Natural History identified the moss as *Fissidens taxifolius*, a species of the genus *Fissidens*.
The following is moss, 'Evidence Number 59,' that was actually found in a cemetery.
Importantly, this moss did not grow naturally around the dumping site where the bodies were found, but was found to be abundant in another area where the defendants were suspected of having previously conducted illegal excavations, providing geographical evidence linking the two locations.
Furthermore, scientists attempted to estimate the burial period by utilizing the physiological characteristics of the moss. While moss quickly dies and decomposes when buried in lightless, humid soil, the moss in the evidence remained green, and in culture experiments, some cells even showed signs of regeneration.
Furthermore, analysis of photosynthetic efficiency using chlorophyll a fluorescence measurement revealed that the specimen showed vitality similar to that of a fresh specimen collected in 2009, and clearly different values from a 14-year-old specimen. By comparing this data with precipitation data for the past 12 months, it was concluded that the moss was buried within the last 24 months, possibly less than a year.
Grauer et al.'s report was formally accepted in an Illinois court after a fly hearing to assess the reliability of the evidence. This marked the first time in the state that moss analysis was used to establish the timeline of a case. In 2015, the suspects were found guilty.
Science Alert, a science-focused media outlet, commented, 'This case demonstrates the immense potential of microscopic plant materials that have often been overlooked in criminal investigations, and marks an important milestone for the future development of forensic botany.'
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