What is a Forensic Geologist?
Forensic geology connects earth science with criminology. By analyzing soil, forensic geologists can determine where a crime happened. The field is fairly new and was pioneered by Ray Murray, PhD, a geology professor at Rutgers University, beginning in 1973.
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Identification
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You can think of forensic geology as applied geology. It investigates soil to assist both civil and criminal investigations. Since its early successes, a whole industry has grown to provide laboratory tests, equipment, and analysis using the principles of forensic geology.
History
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In 1973 an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrived at Professor Murray's geology laboratory at Rutgers University asking if he could help him with a soil sample. He was able to identify the place where the soil came from. This gave the agent the clues he needed to solve the case.
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Significance
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Two years later Dr. Murray and a colleague had collaborated to write a textbook, "Forensic Geology," in which they described how the new field operated. They provided the fundamental theoretical principles which would give forensic geology students the background they would need to understand the analytic techniques. The text included case studies as well. The two professors wrote a second textbook that was published in 2004, "Evidence from the Earth - Forensic Geology and Criminal Investigation."
Features
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One important case that forensic geology was instrumental in solving was the 1960 murder of Adolph Coors III. The FBI discovered a burned up car in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that contained links to the crime, but they could not find the body. When soil from the underside of the car was analyzed by forensic geologists, they could tell that the soil came from an area near Denver. Soon the murdered man's body was found, near Denver, and the investigators were able to trace the crime to the murderer, Joseph Corbett Jr., who was convicted.
Expert Insight
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Now forensic geology is supported by private laboratories like Microtrace LLC in Elgin, Illinois. Laboratories like this one specialize in making soil comparisons. They are able to assess where soil samples originated using a technique called geographic sourcing. Their findings become soil evidence which is admissible in a court of law.
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