Turning to a face of clay to solve a murder /TX
Turning to a face of clay to solve a murder 12:49 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 By Alex Sanz / 11 News Galveston police hope a skull reconstruction can help solve a murder mystery. GPD Officials say the remains of a white male were found in Galveston in January 2006 at the cemetery on 65th Street. A man riding his bicycle made the gruesome discovery. Officials say the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and mummification. They suspect the man may have been dead for about two months before he was found. All other attempts to establish identity have failed. To help identify the victim the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s office and the Houston Police Department joined forces to create a three-dimensional reconstruction in clay of the decedent’s face. “Knowing 90 percent of the person’s life and their death is knowing who they are. You know, where they hang out. Who their friends are, who their family is, what their habits are. If you can identify the story you have all the story of how they lived and died,” said Dr. Steven Puspilnik with the Galveston Co. M.E. Anthropological examination estimates the age of this individual as 45 to 55, and stood 5’7” to 5’10”. It’s believed the victim may have used dentures at one point. Officials say he may have worked in heavy labor and had multiple healed fractures on his ribs and left cheek bone. Anyone who may recognize the unidentified man should call the Galveston police department or the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s office. http://www.khou.com/sharedcontent/dws/txcn/houston/stories/khou070509_jj_galvmystery.5188675f.html