This document discusses the use of geophysics in forensic science to locate burial sites. It covers various search and survey methods used including mapping, ground penetrating radar, resistivity, magnetometry and fluorescence. It provides details on excavating individual graves and recovering forensic evidence. A case study is presented on the multiple burials discovered at the home of serial killers Fred and Rose West in Gloucester, UK, where remains of over 10 victims were found buried on the property using various geophysical techniques.

2. CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• LOCATION AND SEARCHING
• SEARCH METHODS AND DESIGN
• MAPPING
• FORENSIC GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
• THE RECOVERY OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE FROM INDIVIDUAL GRAVES
• COLLECTION
• MULTIPLE BURIALS IN A TERRACED HOUSE AND ELSEWHERE : A CASE STUDY

3. INTRODUCTION
• USE OF GEOPHYSICS IN THE FIELD OF FORENSIC SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY TO LOCATE BURIAL SITES AND
OTHER SUBSURFACE ANOMALIES.
• IN GEOPHYSICS, NON-INVASIVE TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO OBSERVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARTH’S
SUBSURFACE.

4. • IN MOST CASES, CHARACTERISTICS OF BURIED MATERIALS CAN BE RECOGNIZED BASED ON THE
BEHAVIOR OF VIBRATIONS (E.G. RADIO WAVES, SEISMIC WAVES, OR LIGHT WAVES), AS THEY INTERACT
WITH THE MATERIAL IN QUESTION.
• SINCE 1988 WHEN ARCHAEOLOGICAL ENDEAVORS BEGAN TO BE ABSORBED SERIOUSLY BY POLICE
FORCES IN THE UK, AND WITH THE FIRST REVIEWPUBLISHED SOME SIX YEARS LATER (HUNTER 1994),
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARCHAEOLOGY ANDCRIMINAL INVESTIGATION HAS SLOWLY DEVELOPED.
• SEVERAL STEPS ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHILE THE SURVEY I.E.LOCATING & SEARCHING,
MAPPING, EXCAVATING AND LASTLY COLLECTION.

5. LOCATION AND SEARCHING
• LOCATING BURIALS FALLS WITHIN THE WIDERREMIT OF SEARCH PER SE, AND HENCE WITHIN A WIDER
METHODOLOGICAL LITERATURE WHICH EMBRACES, FOR EXAMPLE, SEARCH AND RESCUE, LOST PERSONS,
MOUNTAIN ACCIDENTS, AND RUNAWAYCHILDREN.
• THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN SEARCH FORINDIVIDUALS WHO MAY STILL BE ALIVE AND
THOSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN DISPOSED OF AND BURIED.
• THERE ARE NOW NUMEROUS TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE FOR IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL GRAVES, SOME ARE
LESS WIDELY USED THAN OTHERS,BUT WHILE ALL OFFER VERY SPECIFIC ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS
ACCORDING TO TARGET, TERRAIN AND CONTEXT OF DEPLOYMENT, THERE IS NO SINGLE PERFECT METHOD.

6. CONTINUE…
• ALL SEARCHES, REQUIRE A STARTING POINT EITHER DERIVED FROM ‘LAST SIGHTING’, INTELLIGENCE,
OFFENDER PROFILE, OR THE MISSING PERSON’S PERSONALBACKGROUND.
• SEARCH TENDS TO FOLLOW A SERIES OF FORMALIZED STAGES. INITIAL SEARCH METHODS TEND TO BE
THOSE WHICH CAN NARROW DOWN A LARGER SEARCH AREAINTO SMALLER DEFINED UNITS. THESE
SMALLER UNITS CAN THEN BE EXAMINED MORE CLOSELY,USUALLY USING A DIFFERENT SET OF
TECHNIQUES.
• FIELD SEARCHES CAN ONLY BE UNDERTAKEN WITHIN DEFINED BOUNDARIES.

7. A garden search being carried out by removal of topsoil and by
looking for disturbances in natural substrates
Disturbing the ground
creates a number of effects
which can facilitate
detection. These can be most
conveniently grouped as
surface characteristics
(vegetation,
topographical and soil), and
sub-surface characteristics
(geophysical i.e. colour,
density).

8. SEARCH METHODS AND DESIGN
DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES, TYPICAL SEARCH METHODS MIGHT DRAW UPON ALL OR ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING TECHNIQUES IN ROUGHLY THE ORDER LISTED:
• CARTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS: ORDNANCE SURVEY, GEOLOGICAL, LAND USE AND HISTORIC MAP SOURCES
(INCLUDING LOCAL SITES AND MONUMENTS RECORDS)
• AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY: VERTICAL, OBLIQUE AND SATELLITE
• FIELD OBSERVATION: VEGETATION, TOPOGRAPHICAL OR GEOLOGICAL FEATURES
• GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY: TYPICALLY RESISTIVITY, MAGNETOMETRY AND GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR
• MANUAL EVALUATION: AUGERING, PROBING (VENTING FOR DOGS), TRIAL TRENCHING OR STRIPPING.

9. MAPPING
• PRECISION OF WORK IS IMPORTANT.
• FIRST A DATUM POINT IS FIXED.
• AFTER THAT SQUARE GRID METHOD IS USED FOR MAPPING.
• A HAND DRAWN MAP IS ALSO MADE.

10. FORENSIC GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
EARTH RESISTIVITY
• EARTH RESISTIVITY SURVEY USES AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE GROUND TO
MEASURE THE ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSURFACE. MOIST SOIL WILL CONDUCT ELECTRICITY
MORE EASILY THAN DRY SOIL OR SOLID ROCK AND, BY TAKING A NUMBER OF READINGS ACROSS THE
SURFACE OF AN AREA, IT IS POSSIBLE MAP SUBSURFACE STRUCTURES THAT ARE MORE CONDUCTING OR
LESS CONDUCTING THAN THE MATERIAL IN WHICH THEY LIE. IN PRACTICAL SYSTEMS TWO ELECTRODES
INSERTED INTO THE GROUND PROVIDE A KNOWN ELECTRIC CURRENT WHILE TWO OTHERS ARE INSERTED
TO MEASURE ANY VOLTAGE CHANGES. THE ARRANGEMENT OF THESE ELECTRODES IS TERMED THE ARRAY
CONFIGURATION. IT IS BOTH THE SPATIAL ORDERING AND RELATIVE SEPARATIONS OF THE ELECTRODES
THAT DEFINE A PARTICULAR ARRAY, AND THERE ARE MANY VARIANTS.

11. MAGNETOMETERS
• MAGNETOMETERSMEASURE MINOR DIFFERENCES IN THE STRENGTH OF THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD.
• MOST SEDIMENTARY ROCKS ARE NEARLY NON-MAGNETIC (ALTHOUGH SOME SEDIMENTARY ROCKS SUCH
AS SANDSTONES CAN HAVE LOCAL CONCENTRATIONS OF MAGNETIC MINERALSSUCH AS MAGNETITE).
• IGNEOUS ROCKS GENERALLY HAVE A STRONGER MAGNETIC EFFECT.
• BECAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON THE MAGNETIC FIELD, MEASUREMENTS CAN BE MADE TO
WORK OUT THE VERTICAL THICKNESSES AND LATERAL DISTRIBUTION OF ROCK UNITS.
GRAVE DETECTION WITH MAGNETOMETRY
• THE HUMAN BODY HAS A LOW MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY AND SO THE DIRECT DETECTION OF THE
REMAINS BY MAGNETOMETRY IS NOT POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, ASSOCIATED ITEMS MAY EXHIBIT AN EFFECT.

12. Top: this extract from a larger
survey clearly delineates the
position of a training grave cut
into chalk which is showing as a
negative magnetic anomaly. The
negative response results from a
reduction in the volume magnetic
susceptibility in the topsoil over
the grave caused by the lack of
compaction together with the
dilution due to the mixing with the
chalk fragments.
Bottom: Forensic archaeology
students excavating the grave.

13. GROUND PENETRATING RADAR
• GROUND PENETRATING RADAR (GPR) IS ANOTHER COMMON GEOPHYSICAL TECHNIQUE.
• THE SYSTEM INCLUDES A RADIO TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER.
• THE TRANSMITTED RADIO SIGNAL PENETRATES A SHORT DISTANCE INTO THE GROUND, AND IS REFLECTED
BACK UP TO THE RECEIVER.
• SOME OF THE SIGNAL REFLECTS OFF ANY OBJECT WITH DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES THAN THE HOST
MATERIAL.
• PILOT STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE FEASIBILITY OF USING GPR IN FORENSIC WORK.
• STUDIES HAVE INCLUDED PROJECTS IN WHICH PIG CARCASSES WERE BURIED.
• INVESTIGATORS FOLLOWED UP FROM TIME TO TIME WITH AN INSTRUMENTALSEARCH TO SEE WHAT PATTERN
COULD BE DETECTED AS THE BODIES DECOMPOSED.

15. FLUORESCENCE
• IN ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, SOME MINERALS (AND CERTAIN FORMS OF ORGANIC MATTER) GLOW WITH A
COLOUR DIFFERENT FROM THEIR COLOUR IN WHITE LIGHT.
• WHEN A FLUORESCENT MINERAL IS EXPOSED TO UV LIGHT, THE ATOMS INTHE CRYSTAL LATTICE BECOME
EXCITED AND ELECTRONS JUMP TO A MORE DISTANT SHELL AROUND THE ATOMIC NUCLEUS. WHEN THE
ELECTRONS FALL BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL SHELL, ENERGY IS RELEASEDAS LIGHT.
• UV LIGHT HAS LONG BEEN USED TO IDENTIFY MINERALS THAT FLUORESCE.
• THE FLUORESCENCE MAY APPEAR AS SHADES OF BLUE, BROWN, GREEN, ORANGE, YELLOW OR RED (THE
COLOUR DEPENDING ON THE MATERIAL).

16. OTHER GEOPHYSICAL DETECTORS
• METAL DETECTORS: CAN BE USED TO DETECT BURIED METAL OBJECTS (BASICALLY DETECTING CHANGES
IN AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT RUN THROUGH A COIL THE DETECTOR IS PASSED OVER A METALLIC OBJECT)
• METHANE SNIFFERS: INSTRUMENTS THAT CAN DETECT SMALL AMOUNTS OF METHANE THAT MIGHT BE
EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED FROM A DECOMPOSINGCORPSE
• THERMAL IMAGERY: INFRARED (HEAT) RADIATION MAY BE RELEASED FROMA DECOMPOSING CORPSE
(PILOTS STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON ANIMAL CORPSES BURIED UNDER CONTROLLED
CONDITIONS).

17. THE RECOVERY OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE FROM
INDIVIDUAL GRAVES
• THE KEY POINT IN THE INVESTIGATION OF A GRAVE, AS WITH ANY FORENSIC SCENE, IS TO ADOPT A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IN WHICH EXPERTS INTEGRATE WITH CRIMESCENE PERSONNEL IN A
WELL-MANAGED TEAM FRAMEWORK.
EXCAVATION
• THE PROCEDURE ADOPTED IN THE EXCAVATION OF A GRAVESITE WILL BE DICTATED TO SOME EXTENT BY
WHAT IS KNOWN OF THE CASE IN QUESTION.
• GRAVES SHOULD ONLY BE EXCAVATED BY EXPERIENCED ARCHAEOLOGISTS USING APPROPRIATE
EQUIPMENT SUCH AS METAL TROWELS, PLASTERERS’ LEAVES AND BRUSHES, ALTHOUGH OFTEN THE
UPPER FILLS OR A HALF-SECTION CAN BE REMOVED MORE RIGOROUSLY DURING INITIAL TESTING.

18. CONTINUE…
• IN EITHER EVENT, EXCAVATION CONTINUES TO BE
CONDUCTED ACCORDING TO ANY LAYERING OR
ARBITARY SPITS WHICH ARE STORED AS SEPARATE
CONTEXTS.
• EACH CONTEXT NEEDS TO BE UNIQUELY NUMBERED
IN ORDER THAT ALL MATERIALS, EXHIBITS AND
SAMPLES SEIZED CAN BE RECORDED IN TERMS OF
PRECISE CONTEXTUAL LOCATION.
• THE EVIDENCE ONCE ESCAVATED NEEDS TO BE
RECORDED CAREFULLY THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS,
VIDEO, DOCUMENTATION, ETC.
The fully
excavated
grave ready
for planning
and
photography

19. COLLECTION
• AFTER EXCAVATION EVIDENCE IS COLLECTED AND TRANSPORTED TO LABORATORY.
3 ADDITIONAL STEPS MUST BE DONE:
• OFFICIAL RECORD SHOULD BE ENTERED OD EVERY EVIDENCE.
• A LOG OF CHAIN OF CUSTODY SHOULD BE MAINTAINED.
• RECORD SHOULD CONTAIN A RECOVERY PROCESS AND THE NAMES OF THEPARTICIPANTS INVOLVED.

20. MULTIPLE BURIALS IN A TERRACED HOUSE AND
ELSEWHERE : A CASE STUDY
This case is well known and one of the most horrific examples of serial killing and
burial ever to be reported in the UK and occurred at a time when forensic
archaeology was beginning to gain impetus (1994). A married couple in
Gloucester, Fred and Rose West, had, it seems, systematically abducted young
women (including one of their own daughters), abused, tortured and killed them
and ultimately buried them in the cellars, gardens and the locality until their
crimes came to light. Many of these girls were pregnant at the time of their deaths.
The number of victims recovered slowly moved into double figures against a
background of sustained media tension. The majority of the investigation took
place at the family home, a terraced dwelling in the city. This was a location where
recovery was significantly impeded due to instability of buildings and the fact that
Fred West, a builder, had allowed domestic sewage to infiltrate the garden soils.

21. Ground-penetrating radar was used to help find the victims, and remains were recovered from
both the garden and from the cellar, from the cellar of a previous dwelling used by the Wests, and
from a rural site some distance away. This case was probably the most high-profile and media-
intensive recovery of buried remains of the twentieth century.
The individuals, as recovered from the house, were partly disarticulated and incomplete largely
as a result of the nature of the substrates which provided an unstable physical environment
through the infiltration of sewage. This resulted in several of the remains lying not in defined
‘grave cuts’ as such, but in an amorphous soil environment.
The case emphasises the extreme conditions in which clandestine humans burials may be
found, and illustrates an unusual process by which partial disarticulation can occur, not to
mention problems of taphonomy. Fred West committed suicide in his cell before the trial, but
Rose was later convicted of murder.
CONTINUE…

22. REFERENCES
• WWW.HORIBA.COM
• WWW.DETECTORINDIA.IN
• WWW.SENSOFT.CA

23. THANK YOU