Summer Reading Guide – Forensic Detective, Dr. Robert Mann, Ph.D.
The questions that follow are based on the reading in the book. They are organized by the Chapter in which you should
be able to glean the answers. The actual test on the book will come from the points made in each question – the format
of the test will probably be multiple choice & or True/False.
Chap. 1 – Fragmentary Evidence
1. The ___ Institution has been helping the FBI solve crimes since the late 1930’s, just like the “Jeffersonian” does
on the TV show BONES©.
2. Dr. Laurence Angel was known as ___ of the Institution and worked in the physical anthropology lab there.
3. A set of bones was brought to the physical anthropology lab that belonged to a victim of Jeffrey Dahmer. The
victim’s name was ___.
4. Dahmer was working on his ___ victim (murder) when he was caught.
5. Although apprehended in Milwaukee, WI, his first trial took place in ___.
6. Most archeological dig sites utilize the ___ pattern of search.
7. Evidence was found in his backyard that he did what to his victims (list all possible answers) ___.
8. ___ is useful to remove tissue (meat) from the bones of animals.
9. Forensic anthropologists can distinguish between bone fragments and the part of the body that they come from
by using 3 characteristics. They are ___.
10. There are ___ bones in the human body. If none are missing or broken, a forensic anthropologist can put
together a disarticulated adult skeleton in about 20 minutes.
11. The difference between an adult and a child’s femur is that the ___.
12. Only 2 bones were able to identify the victim listed in #3 from among all those recovered. They were ___.
13. Tracy Edwards was ___.
14. Dahmer was convicted of murder in what 2 states? ___
15. Dahmer is now where? ___
16. In 1999, a NY Post Public opinion poll on the 25 most evil people of the millennium was taken. Dahmer made the
list. Who were deemed worst than him? ___
Chap. 2 – From the Cradle to the Funeral Home
17. What was the family history of Dr. Robert Mann, author of the book? ___
18. From his experience working in a funeral home as an assistant, Dr. Mann soon found out that when dead bodies
are moved this happens! ___.
Chap. 3 – The Body Farm
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The Body Farm is ___.
The strongest of the sensual (the senses) memories is the: ___.
The ARF is located where? ___
Human bones can tell us what characteristics of a person? ___
The rate of decay of animals vs. humans is most similar to what animal (other than a chimp) found on a farm or
in a home? ___
24. The rate at which a body decays depends on what factors? ___
25. Decomposition of a body is likely to occur the quickest where?
26. Bodies bloat how rapidly due to insect activity in winter vs. summer.___
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In most cases, it usually takes how long for a body to be stripped of flesh in an open air environment? ___
What are the predictable stages that a typical body usually goes through? ___
What happens to the skin and hair once a person dies? ___
Finding the hair mass of a corpse tells us what? ___
Maggots do/don’t like direct sunlight but prefer the darkness inside the body cavity.
Chap. 4 - The Cades Cove Murder
32. The sex of a set of bones, in particular, the skull (cranium) by what characteristics? ___
33. Race can be determined by skull and hair analysis. What are the skull characteristics for each major race:
Caucasian, Mongoloid, Negroid or Native American Indian ___?
34. Clues leading to the estimation of a person’s age from a set of bones are what? ___
35. Microscope examination of hair can tell what characteristics? ___
36. What is perimortem and postmortem trauma? ___
37. The hyoid bone is located where? ___ A broken one is indicative of what? ___
38. How is a dental identification for a set of remains done? ___
Chap. 5 – The Halloween Mummy
39. The 3” vertical cut found on the mummy was indicative of ___.
40. The carotid artery supplies blood to which part of the body? ___
41. The pattern of ossification of the cartilage of where the ribs attach to the breastplate is described how in a male
vs. female and young vs. old victim.___
42. Why do mummies have no breasts?___
Chap. 6 – A Man and his Car
43. Exposure to intense heat causes the muscles in the hands, forearms, feet and lower legs expand/contract
causing the corpse to have what pose? ___
44. The use of gasoline as an accelerant does what to a fire? ___
45. The cause of death of the man found in his car was? ___
Chap. 7 – A Florida Hanging
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___ is the person who examines the soft tissue remains of a victim.
Photographs and a ___ are used to provide documentation to reconstruct the events surrounding a death.
What items were found along with the body, at the Pinellas, FL crime scene? ___
A ___ is a scientist who specializes in studying plants and trees.
If a plant root is found growing out of skeletal remains, this can be helpful in establishing ___.
Death by hanging, can result from what? ___
Where is Death by Hanging, a state method of execution? ___
The ‘drop’ as hanging is referred to by can be a painless, humane form of execution. If done correctly, it must
deliver approximately how many pounds of force to the neck between the C-3 and C-4 vertebrae? ___
The small crescent – shaped bone resembling the moon that is part of the wrist is called the ___.
Bones show evidence of healing within about how many days, after the break? ___
There are how many vertebrae in a person’s neck? ___
In most suicidal hangings, the knot of the noose is usually to what position on the neck?
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Chap. 8 – A Question of Murder
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How long does it take bones to become bleached by the sun? ___
The frontal sinuses are part of which part of the body? ___
Nitrate cellulose is commonly known as ___.
The final manner of death of the male victim in this chapter was ___.
The buck shot entered into the victim and ___.
Chap. 9 - Searching for a Friends Grave
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“CAP” was a program during the Vietnam war. Its purpose was ___.
The function of the Central Identification Lab, CIL, is ___.
“Hundred-mile-an-hour” tape is more commonly known as what kind of tape? ___
The My Lai massacre of the Viet Nam War occurred in which location? Quang ___
A match made by submitting a DNA sequence from a bone or a tooth sample and comparing it against the entire
DNA database without knowledge of whom it belongs is known as a ___.
68. When a set of remains are finally returned to a family after identification, the process is known as ___.
Chap. 10 – The Last Unknown
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The chapter is about ___, a pilot who went MIA during a mission of the Vietnam War.
He went missing over (where) ___.
The victim went to and was a pilot in the ___.
The ‘unknown’ KIA/BNR (killed in action/body not recovered) pilot was the recipient of what military
awards?___
The humerus was a recovered bone of the pilot. It is from what part of the body?___
Initial analysis of the remains to the known medical records was ___.
Estimating a person’s age from a leg or arm bone can be affected by all of the following ___.
An inaccurate blood type can be the result of all of the following ___.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, VA contains remains from all of the following wars ___.
What is the name and number of the group that guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?___
All “Unknown” soldiers have been awarded what medals?___
The first step by the CIL in identifying the Unknown Soldier was to seal the casket. This was done in order to ___.
Since the remains of the Unknown Soldier came from the Vietnam War and were known as X-26, the remains
were taken to ___, where they finally identified.
Sample of bone were taken from each of the 6 bones collected. The samples had to be taken in a manner that
would preserve ___ of the victim.
The actual DNA testing was done at what lab and where? ___.
This part of each cell contains a double spiral of molecules of DNA. ___
What parts/organs of the body can be used to provide DNA samples to be tested? ___
DNA is very fragile and is easily destroyed or contaminated by ___.
mt-DNA is different from nuclear – DNA (n-DNA) in that it is found in the: ___.
mt-DNA is important because it is: ___.
There are how many steps to processing for mt-DNA? ___
Both n-DNA and mt-DNA utilize a process known as ___ for replication of the genetic sample.
mt-DNA as compared to n-DNA has ___ number of genes that can be matched.
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92. How many servicemen were found to be lost within the same time period and within a 25 mile radius of where
the remains of X-26 were found?___
93. Based upon age, blood type and height, X-26 was believed to be ___ who was among those who went missing at
that time.
Chap. 11 – House of Horrors/The Poughkeepsie Serial Killer
94. She was the first to disappear and attributed to the Poughkeepsie Serial Killer. ___
95. During the years 1996-1997, there were this many disappearance of white, small in stature, brunettes from the
Poughkeepsie, NY.___.
96. The head of a femur, as are most joints in the body are ___ in a man vs. woman.
97. The presence of maggots on a body indicates ___.
98. The fact that the body parts were in various states of decomposition was most likely the result of ___.
Chap. 12 – The Fate of a Skyknight
99. Insectivorous helicopters were another name for what insect that indicates that heavy rain was on its way to a
dig site? ___
100.
Reading the soil is a phrase anthropologist use to describe ___.
101.
Bones, after being cleaned, need to be ___.
Chap. 13 – A Leg in the Toilet Bowl
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The Toilet Bowl with a leg found in it was located ___.
A diener in the morgue is who? ___
From the leg specimen the CIL was expected to determine what information about the victim? ___
The pattern of cuts found on the leg indicated that the leg was ___.
The hardest thing to remove from bone is ___.
The color of one’s skin is carried in what layer of the skin? ___
Tiger sharks are one of how many shark species known to attack human beings? ___
Chap. 14 – A Pearl Harbor Sailor
109.
Seaman Apprentice Hembree was identified by the use of ___.
Chap. 15 – Out of the Blue – The Terrorists Strike on 9/11
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The CIL team was involved with the identification of bodies from which 9/11 site? ___
The term triage – separating victims into 3 categories of injury and life expectancy first originated when?
How many people remained unidentified at the Dover AFB Mortuary from the 9/11 attacks? ___
Chap. 16 – Ripley Would Be Proud
113.
It is illegal to knowingly sell the human remains from ___.
There are 4 more chapters to the book. Please enjoy the remainder of the book. You will not be quizzed on these
chapters.
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