Using STR Analysis To Detect Human DNA From Exploded Pipe Bomb Devices

• NCJ Number: 206372
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 49 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2004 Pages: 481-484
• Author(s): Kelly J. Esslinger M.S.; Jay A. Siegel Ph.D.; Heather Spillane B.S.; Shawn Stallworth
• Date Published: May 2004
• Length: 4 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Michigan State University; Michigan State Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Presented at the Annual Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists meeting in Milwaukee, WI, September 20, 2002.

Annotation

This study examined whether a bomb assembler’s DNA could be recovered from an exploded pipe bomb device.

Abstract

The study subjected 14 metal and 13 PVC pipe bombs to low explosions (using smokeless powder) to determine what effect, if any, an explosion would have on the successful recovery of human DNA of persons who had handled the bomb prior to the explosion. Each of 10 Caucasian volunteers was given decontaminated components for 1 metal and 1 PVC bomb and asked to handle the pipe, caps, and fuse for approximately 10 seconds each. Bomb components were later assembled by the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad, using latex gloves. The components of the remaining three PVC bombs and three of the four remaining steel bombs were not handled by the volunteers, but rather served as negative controls to ensure the decontamination procedure worked properly. The remaining metal pipe bomb was handled by a randomly selected volunteer and then assembled in the same manner as the other bombs, but it was not exploded. This bomb acted as a positive control to ensure skin cells were being deposited as the subjects handled the bombs. After the bombs were exploded, fragments were collected and swabbed with the double-swab technique. The samples were extracted, quantified, amplified, and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction/short tandem repeat (PCR/STR). Of the 20 bombs handled by the volunteers, 4 bombs yielded reportable results that matched the subject’s known DNA profiles. An additional eight profiles that matched the subject’s known DNA profiles were generated; however, they were below the reportable threshold. There was no difference in the success rate of obtaining DNA profiles related to either PVC and metal in the construction of the pipe bomb. The variables that apparently had the greatest influence on the success of generating a DNA profile were the amount of fragmentation and subsequent recovery of the bomb fragments. The researchers also suspected that successful DNA profiling could depend on the bomb assembler’s propensity to transfer skin cells to objects he/she handles. 2 tables and 16 references