Skeletal remains of Dr. Eugenio Antonio Berrios Sagredo

It is often noted that even a well-designed osteological technique may not provide accurate results when applied to single forensic cases. Case studie s are ideal to test if this concern is valid, and forensic anthropology is a testing ground for applying a population based standard to individual ske letal remains. Secondly, the increasing role anthropologists have played in forensic sciences has aided the medicolegal disciplines in a number of way s. For example, identification of skeletal remains is now more accurate tha n ever before. Many of these cases have brought perpetrators to court for j ustice. The purpose of this paper is to use osteological techniques to analyze skel etal remains and make a positive identification. The victim was found parti ally buried in the sand near Fl Pinar, Uruguay in 1995. The analysis indica ted that the victim was a 45-year old, white, male who was about 170 cm tai l. Based on preliminary evidence that the victim might be Dr. Eugenio Anton io Berries Sagredo, a digital superimposition was made using the victim's p hotograph and the unknown skull. This examination revealed that the skull c orresponded consistently with the individual in the photograph. Results wer e supported by the fact that personal belongings, such as a medal and wrist watch, also pointed to the same individual. Dental records and radiographs when made available later also indicated the same identity. Dc Berries was accused of making nerve gas during the dictatorial regime of former Chilea n President General Augusto Pinochet. It was also alleged that he made bomb s that killed a Spanish diplomat in his laboratory and a Chilean diplomat i n Washington, DC. Many complex techniques are often needed to make a positi ve identification and such was the case for this study. Because of the natu re of anthropology as a holistic discipline, such complexity is an integral part of human biology and behavior and can be used successfully in the for ensic sciences and medicolegal investigations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ir eland Ltd. All rights reserved.