Each body received by OCME must be identified. A body which has not been personally identified will be fingerprinted and photographed by detectives assigned to OCME’s unit of the Police Department’s Missing Persons Squad. Fingerprints are sent to State and federal law enforcement agencies for comparison with their records.

If a decedent’s fingerprints cannot be taken due to the condition of the body, or if no matching fingerprint record can be located, an OCME Forensic Odontologist (Dentist) will compare dental X-rays taken by OCME with records and X-rays from the decedent’s personal dentist. Where there are no dental records available for the decedent, X-rays of the body may be compared by an OCME radiologist with X-rays taken during hospitalization or other circumstances.

When a complete or partial skeleton is recovered, a Forensic Anthropologist will be consulted to determine whether the remains are human; if so, further analysis may help determine the age, race, sex, and other characteristics of the skeletal remains. All of this information will be utilized to attempt to identify the decedent.

If suitable comparison samples are available (such as personal effects containing the decedent’s DNA, or first degree relatives), DNA testing can be used for identification purposes.