Forensic Facial Reconstruction: Finding Mr X

In this video, we talk to three people experienced in forensic facial reconstruction to find out how they go about reconstructing a face.

First, we’ll hear from the Mr. X case pathologist Professor Martin Evison and Forensic Anatomy graduate Daheen Lee, as they describe the process of conducting a reconstruction using clay. Professor Caroline Wilkinson then introduces us to a 3D computerised facial reconstruction system that she has developed for use in forensic and archaeological depiction.

Facial reconstruction is currently used in two principal contexts: forensic science and archaeology. In this video, Professor Caroline Wilkinson explains the circumstances where she has been asked to conduct a facial reconstruction.

Caroline is Director of Face Lab, where she conducts research in many fields including facial identification, craniofacial reconstruction and facial animation. Caroline collaborates with museums, the police and the media to create and advise on craniofacial depictions.

In this video, we hear from Senior Forensic Scientist, Nikki Taylor, who conducted the original facial reconstruction of Mr. X whilst working as an intern at the Medico-Legal Centre in 2000. Professor Martin Evison and Chief Investigating Officer Robert Varey had made the decision to reconstruct the face of Mr. X in order to launch a public appeal that would hopefully lead to a positive identification.

At this time, Martin worked at the Medico-Legal Centre in Sheffield, where post-mortem examinations and other pathology work was undertaken on behalf of South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield City Council. Martin had studied and worked for a number of years in the Biomedical Science Department (BMS) at Sheffield and had recently taken on a graduate intern from BMS; Nikki Taylor.

Due to her experience and interest in forensic work, he gave the task of creating the reconstruction to Nikki.

How do you become an expert in Forensic Anatomy?

In this video, we’ll hear from our course experts as they tell us how they came to be involved in forensic work.

Continue learning
If you’re interested in a career involving forensic work, anatomy or biomedical science, why not take your interest further and study with us.

Our undergraduate and postgraduate Biomedical Science degrees are designed for those with a strong general interest in modern biology who want to study at the forefront of the discipline. They provide a thorough background to the subject from the level of the gene up to the integration of whole body systems, and our anatomy module is one of the only courses in the UK to offer a full dissection of a human cadaver. There’s also the opportunity to work with world-class scientists doing research into the development and function of various cells, systems and individuals, in both health and disease.

The University of Sheffield has launched a new postgraduate degree which offers participants practical and theoretical training in both topographical Human Anatomy and the pedagogy associated with teaching the discipline. On our MSc. Human Anatomy with Education participants will develop an in-depth knowledge of the human body through comprehensive cadaveric dissection whilst also training to become accredited Anatomy Teachers. On completion of the course, students will acquire the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, the professional accreditation required of education practitioners in Higher Education in the UK.

Our BSc in Biomedical Science can be taken as a three-year BSc course, or a four-year MBiomedSci course with either a year in industry or a year abroad. There are also a range of taught Masters courses to choose from, which provide a broad learning experience concerned with the understanding of human disease mechanisms and their therapeutic potential.

For more information please click here http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/bms/prospective_ug/courses

Daheen Lee, Anatomy Demonstrator at the School of Biomedical Science at the University of Sheffield, builds a full facial reconstruction from a skull in clay.

'Mr X' was a badly decomposed body found in a holdall in Sheffield in January 2000. Before his murder could be solved police had to first identify who he was. To assist in that they turned to academics and students at the University of Sheffield who built a facial reconstruction. His story is told in the free open online course Forensic Facial Reconstruction: Finding Mr X.

futurelearn.com/courses/forensic-facial-reconstruction/

Here our story ends with the identification of Mr. X and the closure of the ‘body in the bag’ case for South Yorkshire Police.

Firstly, we’ll hear from Nicola, as she recounts how they were able to match all of the information and close the case. We’ll then hear how satisfying it was for Nikki to know that she had managed to recreate an accurate depiction of Mr. X.

A knowledge of facial anatomy is vital to be able to reconstruct a face from a skull. In this video, we’ll explain the key muscle groups of the face and the order in which they are applied during a reconstruction.

We filmed our anatomy demonstrator and course mentor, Daheen Lee, recreating the facial reconstruction of Mr X. Katherine has narrated this process, describing each muscle as it is applied to the skull. There is a lot of new terminology introduced in this video, but don’t worry about having to remember it all - we’ll revise these muscle names in the next step.

As part of their Biomedical Science undergraduate degree, students here at Sheffield undertake a Forensic Anatomy module where they are given a box of ‘anatomical evidence’ relating to an unidentified person. This evidence includes a skull, long bones, dental information and a post mortem report.

Students apply forensic techniques to this evidence, including a facial reconstruction, to determine the identity and cause of death. One of the first tasks they are faced with is to analyse the bones in order to determine age, sex, ethnicity and pathology.

Here, we’ll watch three recent graduates from the course undertake an initial investigation of two skulls as they try to determine their ethnicity.

As part of their Biomedical Science undergraduate degree, students here at Sheffield undertake a Forensic Anatomy module where they are given a box of ‘anatomical evidence’ relating to an unidentified person. This evidence includes a skull, long bones, dental information and a post mortem report.

Students apply forensic techniques to this evidence, including a facial reconstruction, to determine the identity and cause of death. One of the first tasks they are faced with is to analyse the bones in order to determine age, sex, ethnicity and pathology.

Here, we’ll watch three recent graduates from the course undertake an initial investigation of two skulls as they try to determine their sex. As you watch the video, pay close attention to the characteristics that distinguish the male and female skulls...

Our story starts with an accidental discovery. Two men walking through an industrial estate in Sheffield find a large sports bag containing a badly decomposed body.

The men contacted South Yorkshire Police, who began to investigate the mystery. The case was taken by then Senior Investigating Officer and Chief Superintendent Robert Varey.

In this video, Nicola Moyle, a Senior Crime Scene Investigator on Robert Varey’s team, introduces us to the case and the team of specialists that they enlisted in the beginning to investigate ‘the body in the bag’.