Authorities are still trying to identify a woman who was horrifically burned beyond recognition in a subway attack earlier this week. Investigators are considering facial reconstruction techniques and DNA analysis as potential methods to solve the case, sources told The New York Post
The woman, who was reportedly asleep when set alight, suffered catastrophic burns that affected every layer of her skin and deeper structures, including potential thermal damage to her respiratory tract.
The severity of the injuries has led authorities to explore a range of options, including the use of anthropological facial reconstruction. This method, which helps create an approximation of a person’s face from the shape of their bones, is often used when DNA or other traditional identification methods fail.
Nathan Lents, a biology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, explained that facial reconstruction is typically employed when a case has gone cold.
“That’s when you’re getting into what we call the ‘dragnet’ stage — when the case is kind of getting cold and there’s not a lot of leads,” he said
He further elaborated that facial recognition or approximation comes in when all kinds of databases lead to a dead end, “nothing’s showing up database, days and weeks have gone by and you want to call in the public to say, ‘Does anybody know who this person is?’”
Investigators have been focused on DNA extraction, a challenging task given the severity of the burns.
“Getting DNA from a badly burned body can be challenging, but a lot of times ‘badly burned’ just means badly on the outside and beyond visual recognition.”
However, Lents suggested that even with extensive damage, DNA can often still be recovered from bones or internal soft tissue that may not have been affected by the fire. He noted that bones like the pelvis, shoulder blade, and femur are particularly rich in DNA, which could provide crucial evidence for identifying the victim.
“There may be plenty of bones and internal soft tissue that is accessible for DNA extraction, unless the body has been completely incinerated, as in a cremation,” Lents told The Post.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez confirmed that authorities have made progress in extracting DNA but are not yet in a position to identify the woman.
“The body was badly burned, and so advanced fingerprinting efforts are being made, as well as advanced DNA evidence to identify her. We have made some progress in that area, but I’m not at liberty to get into specifics now,” Gonzalez said at a press conference.
The authorities have yet to disclose specifics on the DNA findings, but experts suggest the next step will likely involve comparing the recovered DNA with databases of missing persons and previous criminal records. However, Lents pointed out that the odds of finding a match remain slim, as most people are not included in such databases.
The case is further complicated by the victim’s status, as she has only been described as homeless. Authorities have yet to release any further details on her identity, and no family members have come forward to help with the identification.
The woman’s suspected attacker, 34-year-old Guatemalan migrant Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, has been arrested and charged with the brutal crime.
Facial reconstruction and genetic genealogy using databases such as 23andMe to trace the victim’s family history are both on the table, but are lengthy and may not yield immediate results. Facial reconstruction, while sometimes successful, has been known to offer only approximate likenesses and doesn’t always lead to positive identification.
As investigators continue their search for answers, the case remains one of both profound tragedy and complex forensic challenges.