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Growing body farm helps link cold casesTexas State students study natural decompositionMay 19, 2010
SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) - On the outskirts of San Marcos, where cactus and wildflowers are in full bloom, the Smith family paid a visit to their son's final resting place.
"Just enjoy the beauty here, to get close to Matt," said Dennis Smith as he walked down the windy hiking path, hand-in-hand with his wife and son-in-law. His sister and brother-in-law from Dallas trailed close behind.
It is the second time Smith and his wife, Lynn, have made the 1700-mile trip to the Freeman Ranch from their home in Brentwood, Calif., since their son, Matt Smith, took his own life in February of 2009 at the age of 30. The police dispatcher could not live with chronic back pain anymore.
"There was always a smile or laugh on his face," said Tony Castro, Matt's partner of 10 years who was visiting the ranch for the first time.
The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State University helped the family fulfill Matt's final wish by donating his body to science.
"He liked to learn and he liked to teach, so he's doing a little bit of both," said Castro. Matt's body was flown to San Marcos and buried on the 26-acre piece of land known as the "body farm" for a few months.
Now his skeleton is one of 20 being studied by graduate students at the center. During various labs, they have learned how to estimate age, gender and ancestry based on the bones left behind. Creating a biological profile comes in handy when the scientists are called on to identify human remains at crime scenes.
In 2008, the team assisted investigators at a home near Kerrville where a murder victim was buried in his backyard . Based on their own decomposition studies in Central Texas soil, the students were able to determine how long the body had been there.
"They can see what happens to bodies in shade, for example, or in sun, buried or (on the) surface," said Michelle Hamilton, director of the TSU Forensic Anthropology Center.
The center has also spent the last year analyzing more than 25 skeletons from unsolved cold cases across the state. Students have been entering DNA into a national missing person database.
"It may take us another few years, but what we're hoping to do is eventually identify all these people who are sitting on shelves and bring them home to their loved ones," said Hamilton.
Many of the remains found in the last five years were picked up in illegal crossing corridors on the Texas-Mexico border. Others were obvious murder victims, but the cause of some deaths remain a mystery.
It is the living donors who keep the program moving forward.
"I'm a donor myself, I've donated to this program as well, and it's kind of what I see myself doing after I'm gone - still being able to contribute and still being able to teach," said Hamilton.
There are around 60 living donors on the list right now, but the university is always hopeful for more. The Willed Body Donation Program is also open to organ donors and those who are cremated. The application form can be accessed online.
The Smith's daughter and son-in-law have also signed up after the family's first donation. Matt's parents plan on singing up soon so they can become a Texas State Bobcat someday, too. Though their son never attended classes at the university, they are proud of the fact his legacy will live on forever.
"I bought Lynn a 'Proud to be a Texas State University Mom' T-shirt," said Dennis. "And she wears it."
