any pathologists or links asailable to ask questions of

[marcie dean]

tou often see on tv when they find bodies of people who have been missing for years how long is or before degradation makes it impossible to state that they are who you were looking for and how can you tell, by dna samples or what?

[jim1]

DNA is the usual way today but at one time facial reconstruction was quite common.
Personal items/clothing found on the body may also indicate who it might be.

[groom]

Dental records are also used.

[pharmaT]

There isn't a set time that it takes. There are lots of variables including temperature, pH of soil the person is in if buried, available oxygen.

[marcie dean]

There isn't a set time that it takes. There are lots of variables including temperature, pH of soil the person is in if buried, available oxygen.sorry I do not want to upset anyone but , my uncle was murdered, they mistakenly took his head off of his shouldiers thinking that he  would not be identified, but because of his past he used to get abcessess on his archeles tendon, and that was how my grandads brother managed to identify his remains, the only one who could have done this and who knew, was the nurse that used to have to treat his wounds,he moved in with her and for whatever reason,  she wanted rid of him, and i think that she employed the services of her cousin and uncle, I know it and they know it but without evidence, such as DNA we can't prove anything, the other thing I wanted to do is use my uncles dna to prove our connection to the duke of sutherland,  because otherwise,  would have to exhume? my grt grandads body and it may too degraded to get anything from, same with robert smith laidlaw if he had still been alive he would be 87 by now approx he was born in 1930 died almost a  year later. alec was murdered in 1995. and only if we can get a dog who is capable of searching for him like our charlie, whose my cousins' dog, and he has been used for search and rescue etc. my grandad was cremated, so no use there, there is my mum but dont know if she would, but  she is not talking to anyone!

[marcie dean]

and after have his remains cremated and placed in the lair with his older brother give him the burial he deserves, with reverence.already spoken to rev johgnstone? st. cuthberts  yjry nolongrt do butials there but we can have a service and after cremation he can be put in thr grave there, my nan would like that. maybe she will be there in spirit.