Prioritized Sampling of Bone and Teeth for DNA Analysis in Commingled Cases

Due to the large number of fragmented and commingled bodies recovered from mass graves related to the war in the former Yugoslavia, DNA typing has become an essential tool for the identification of missing persons from these conflicts. The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) has identified more than 18,500 individuals using DNA analysis of tooth and bone. This wide body of experience permitted an empirical evaluation of the relative preservation of DNA in different skeletal elements. In this chapter, we present the ICMP’s experiences in sampling skeletal remains for DNA analysis, and a resulting detailed protocol for cost-effective DNA-based reassociation in commingled cases.