The Central California Missing and Deceased Unidentified Persons Cold Case Initiative

The Fresno State Forensic Anthropology Laboratory (FSFAL) is a university forensic anthropology laboratory that serves the Central Valley of California. At the time of this grant, the FSFAL, in collaboration with their cold case partners Madera and Fresno County sheriff, is in possession of 56 cases of deceased unidentified human remains. Most of these individuals are victims of homicide or indeterminate deaths. In addition to these 56 cases, there are 16 additional unidentified decedents in Madera County cemeteries (victims of homicide or indeterminate deaths) that are awaiting exhumation through the Central California Missing and Unidentified Deceased Persons Cold Case Initiative. These 72 Madera and Fresno County cases are the foundation for this grant. FSFAL will utilize this funding to close cold, unidentified persons cases through a combination of anthropological examination (including provenance analysis and facial reconstruction) and forensic genetic genealogy. The work FSFAL proposes will address these long-term unidentified cases in Fresno and Madera Counties. FSFAL seeks funds to: exhume unidentified cold cases from Madera County cemeteries; re-analyze skeletal cases with new anthropological methods; conduct necessary forensic analysis, such as provenance analysis and/or facial reconstruction; and conduct forensic genetic genealogical analyses on a subset of cases.