Journal of Forensic Research

In forensic entomology,fly data including maggot age are frequently used to help estimate the time since death.Accurate identification of the maggot to species is critical for time since death estimations. However, within a family, maggots are notoriously difficult to identify to species.In this study, we employ phylogenetic datafrom the mtDNAgenes COI and COII to identify an unknown maggot to species (member of the family Sarcophagidae) harvested from a cadaver in June 2009 in Harrison County, Texas. The most closely related species to our unknown maggot was SarcophagabullataParker 1916, a somewhat common carrion-feeding species in southeastern United States that is now gaininggreater recognition as a forensically significant species.

Protection of spot of occurrence is very important for the investigation purpose. In a suspicious death case requires the greatest efforts on the part of forensic expert who visits the crime scene. It is generally best to suspect the worst, a homicide. In an interesting case study, it was reported that a burnt dead body of a lady was laid inside her house when the doors of the room were bolted from inner side and windows were found opened. Some clay-tiles had been removed from the clay-tiled roof and it was alleged that her husband put her to fire and ran away from the roof way. Careful examination of spot revealed that the possibility of creating hole in the clay-tiled roof after incident of fire, from the outside not from the inside, which lead the direction of investigation in the other direction. In these types of cases the forensic expert must be thoroughly familiar with all aspects of homicide, suicide and accident investigation.