Skeletal reassociation from an illegal common grave of Argentina by using STR, miniSTR, and mtDNA analysis.

Abstract: In 2004, the investigation of an illegal, 30-year-old common grave in Avellaneda Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina was resumed. There, skeletal remains were found of people who “disappeared” for political reasons during the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976–1983). Bone remains were found mixed up, without anatomical order, and therefore it was necessary to determine the minimum number of individuals represented. Bones were grouped in 10 skeletons according to anthropological criteria and as there was no certainty that the reassembling was correct, genetic analysis was carried out on different bone samples to ascertain the correct re-association. Commercial kits and miniSTR systems were used to analyze autosomic STR markers. Mitochondrial DNA analysis was performed in those samples where STR and/or miniSTR failed. From each skeleton, teeth and a piece of femur diaphysis were analyzed, and it was also necessary to examine a vertebra in two of them. From the results of genetic analysis, it was determined that the minimum number of people represented in the grave was more than expected; the results also allowed for the confirmation of the gender of each one by Amelogenin. It was proven that six skeletons had been correctly reassociated by their morphological characteristics, while the assembly of the remaining four had been erroneous. Four of the re-associated skeletons were identified by kinship analysis comparing their genetic profiles with reference samples from relatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]