Operation UNITED (Unknown Names Identified through Exhumation and DNA)

A team of students participate in Operation UNITED which is a grassroots effort by the Detroit Office of the FBI and the Detroit Police Department to identify homicide victims from cases that have gone cold. These individuals are exhumed and bones are collected that can be sampled for DNA. The students assisted in the excavation of the decedents. A team of forensic anthropologists, including Carolyn Isaac, confirm that the correct decedent was found by estimating the age, sex, and ancestry, and looking for any unique identifying features.

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Project Contact:

Carolyn Isaac
Anthropology
College of Social Science
cvisaac@msu.edu

Partners

Detroit Police Department
FBI Evidence Response Team Detroit Office
DTE Energy
Detroit Police

Report of calendar year 2021 activity.