The following Patricia Cornwell books are currently on sale at Books From A Rose:

What happens to the human body after it dies? Well, after the TV program two nights ago about what happens to bodies when they are gifted to research, it’s been possible to get a visual insight into the ‘after life’. If your stomach’s not up to it or you can’t stand the smell, “Death’s Acre, Beyond the Legendary Body Farm” by Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson is an excellent read. It’s largely autobiographical in that it’s written by the man who founded the Body Farm (to whom and to which I have referred in an earlier post) and it’s an extremely insight book into the world of forensic anthropology.
Dr Bill Bass established the Body Farm in 1980 – it’s now a major research facility dealing with how the human body decomposes under different circumstances after death (locked in the boot of a car in hot weather or cold weather; how long bodies stay submerged in water; what happens if a body lies on a coin for twelve days…the possibilities are endless because the circumstances of casework are endless) – it’s the only facility of it’s kind in the world – probably because no-one else wants rotting corpses lying around in the open air. Fascinating reading and not gory at all (well, not my most forensic science book standards….).
He provides interesting case examples and hasn’t been afraid to admit where his knowledge was lacking in the early days and why, therefore, considerable research was required to bring the subject to the high level it now enjoys.
Dr Bass writes in a clear and enjoyable way – he’s one of those writers who can convey a difficult and somewhat morbid day job into a fascinating learning experience for the reader. I love reading books like this because I always come away having learnt something new – and doing that without having to read a dry text book is a plus as far as I’m concerned. Plus his story about being told off by his wife for boiling up bodies on the kitchen stove makes me feel less guilty about wrecking expensive household items during a recent research project…

November 11, 2009 will mark the first anniversary of the founding of the Gryphon’s Aerie.  In the run-up to that event I am presenting here the top fifteen view getters at the Aerie, and a sampling of photos associated with them.

As always,

We Thank You For Your Support.

Gryphon

p.s. this list is as of 10.27.09.  Give War A Chance has a bullet and I expect it to move into the top five very soon.

Batman and Robin	21,805	Batman and Robin
CLOSE THE DOOR!	16,090	Close The Door!
Cute Cats Theory 2	10,047	Cute Cats Theory 2
Taking a Page	9,962	Taking A Page
Old Woman/Young Woman	8,433	Old Woman/Young Woman
Ahmnodt Heare for President	6,193	Ahmnodt Heare For President
Give War A Chance	5,965	Give War A Chance
Favorite Duck	4,763	Favorite Duck
More Mountain Lions	4,441	More Mountain Lions
Not Such a Bad Guy	3,312	Not Such A Bad Guy
Body Farm	3,130	Body Farm
Two Philosophers in a Bar	2,779	Two Philosophers In A Bar
Rodeos	2,747	Rodeos
Best Supporting Actor	2,564	Best Supporting Actor
The Tet Offensive	2,406	The Tet Offensive

It’s Mystery Series Week (October 4th – 10th) which happens to be my favorite genre to read and write. In honor of all the mystery series writers, I’d like to share with you some of my favorite series.

As a child, like most girls my age, I devoured the Nancy Drew series, although to this date cannot attest to the plot of any of them; that’s how long ago it’s been. However, this was my first introduction to the mystery genre and, more specifically, the mystery series. I eventually veered away from mysteries and into gothics, followed by horror and science fiction, and didn’t come full circle back to mysteries until I was a young adult.

The first mystery I remember reading as an adult, which sealed my love for the genre, was The First Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders, the first outing in his Deadly Sins series featuring New York City Police Captain Edward X. Delaney. (You may have seen the movie starring Frank Sinatra.) With these books, Sanders focused on characterization almost as equally as plot and I found it fascinating taking a peek inside the mind of a demented killer. The first time I read the term “serial killer” was in The First Deadly Sin and I’ve been interested in this ever since. Sanders subsequently wrote another series, McNally’s Files, which is very popular, but I favor his first series.

 Next came Ed McBain’s 87^th Precinct mystery series with Detective Steve Carella and the gang from the homicide department in a fictional city greatly resembling New York City. (As an aside, one of the books in this series was made into a movie but it didn’t do the book justice simply because they could not capture McBain’s witty narrative.) McBain’s sense of humor, adept characterization, and realistic dialogue were part of what made these books outstanding. In each one, there was always the quintessential “joke”. I would recommend writers read Fat Ollie’s Book in which McBain pokes fun at writers of detective novels via Ollie Weeks, a bigoted cop who thinks he has written the next bestseller although his manuscript is only 36 pages long. I loved Ollie’s mental debates over was vs. were.

Once I heard about John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGhee series, I devoured every one. I believe this series, along with Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct series, helped get the ball rolling for mystery writers by drawing in a large fan base for the mystery genre.

Along came Sue Grafton with her Alphabet series (she’s almost reached the end of the alphabet!) starring private investigator Kinsey Milhone and Linda Barnes with her Boston PI Carlotta Carlyle series. Both series offer smart writing with appealing protagonists.

Janet Evanovich raised the comedic bar with the Plum series, featuring New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. These books are filled with laugh-out-loud scenes and dialogue and this is easily one of the top bestselling series today

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series is another favorite. Reacher is one of the most confident guys out there, to the point of arrogance, but it works for him and is something I really like about him. He travels around the country with the clothes on his back and a toothbrush in his pocket. He has no real agenda and is a loner who always seems to land in the middle of mystery and trouble.

Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series. Rhyme is a quadriplegic forensic scientist teamed up with NYC police officer Amelia Sachs, who does the footwork for him when investigating. The forensics in this series is excellent and I appreciate the fact that I learn something with each book. The movie The Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie is based on the book by the same name.

Tess Gerritsen’s Jane Rizzoli series features Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli. Both are strong women characters and Gerritsen manages to keep them fresh and interesting. This is another series that involves forensics, which Gerritsen delivers with finesse.

The futuristic In Death series by J.D. Robb, with NY homicide detective Eve Dallas, a woman with a traumatic past and a sharp tongue married to one of the richest men in the world.  I don’t know the exact number of books in this series, but there are many, and Robb excels at keeping the series fresh and alive.

Closer to home, there’s the Body Farm series by Jefferson Bass (Jon Jefferson and Dr. Bill Bass), which takes place in my hometown, Knoxville, TN. Dr. Bass is a renowned forensic anthropologist and the person behind the real Body Farm. His books are filled with forensics and are always interesting. An added bonus to me is knowing the areas he describes in the books.

The Prey series by John Sandford. Lucas Davenport is a millionaire but that doesn’t stop him from working for the State of Minnesota as an investigator. As the series has matured, he’s mellowed somewhat, which I personally find disconcerting. I liked Lucas with an edge and miss his cynicism.

And now to toot some horns:

Our own Dame Maggie Bishop writes an outstanding series, the Appalachian Adventure Mystery series, with Detective Tucker and Jemma Chase. Set against the gorgeous backdrop of the mountains of North Carolina, these books are compelling whodunits. Each book Maggie writes (including her romance) offers a look at a different venue, such as running a dude ranch, being a member of a ski patrol, hiking the Appalachian Mountains, cabinet making and photography.

And last of all, my own Bodyguard series. My bodyguard: Natasha Chamberlain, a young Southern woman with a chip on her shoulder who is a bit overzealous in guarding her clients. She’s a fun character to write and I enjoy placing her in wacky situations with zany characters orbiting around her. The clients I can place her with are endless and I enjoy introducing new characters with each book. 

I think the draw for readers to mystery series lies with the characters. They become almost like family members and, with each book, the reader learns something new about them and gets to spend time with them while trying to solve the puzzle of the mystery.

 But these series go beyond the mystery, as well. It’s a given there is going to be suspense and action and even adventure, but romance and family dynamics often play an integral part. Some primary characters are married, some in relationships, some, like Jack Reacher and Kinsey Milhone, still searching. Family and friends are identifiable with our own family and friends. Don’t we all have a relative somewhere who is a bit like Stephanie Plum’s Grandma Mazur? We root for the good guys and boo the bad ones. We hold our breath during suspenseful moments, laugh at the humorous ones, and cry over sad ones. We wonder which guy Stephanie Plum is going to pick and will Lincoln Rhyme walk one day. We become adept at filtering out the red herrings and honing in on the suspect. We follow along as our favorite characters mature and go through changes in life much like we ourselves do. We lose ourselves in their lives and their investigation and enjoy spending time with them.

So, now, it’s your turn. What’s your favorite mystery series?

Leichenblässe von David Hunter

Heute mal was ganz anderes. Die viele Zeit, die ich im Moment zur Verfügung habe, nutze ich dazu, Bücher zu verschlingen. Und weil ich ja sowieso immer denke, dass ich was zu sagen habe . Möchte ich die Bücher kurz vorstellen.

Heute gelesen: Leichenblässe von Simon Beckett

Es ist mittlerweile schon der dritte Fall des britischen forensischen Anthropologen David Hunter. Und ich bin immer noch geschockt und begeistert von den sich überschlagenden Ereignissen am Ende des Buches.
Simon Beckett ist sich mit diesem Roman treu geblieben und die detailgenauen Beschreibungen von diversen Verwesungsszenarien erschaffen vor dem inneren Auge des Lesers ein Bild des Grauens. Meiner Ansicht nach noch mehr als bei den Vorgängern Die Chemie des Todes und Kalte Asche. Doch mehr zum Geschehen.
David Hunter befindet sich auf einer Art Selbstfindungsreise, um sich von einer schweren Verletzung zu erholen, die ihm am Ende des letzten Romans zugefügt worden ist. Er assistiert dort seinem ehemaligen Mentor Dr. Tom Lieberman in dessen Institut für forensische Anthropologie in Tennessee – der Body Farm.
Es dauert nicht lange und Hunter wird in die Ermittlungen um einen Leichenfund in den Wäldern von Knoxville miteinbezogen und gerät schließlich auch in den Fokus des Mörders.
Simon Beckett fügt erstmalig in die Ich-Erzähler-Sichtweise auch die abgründigen Gedanken des Täters ein und verrät dennoch nicht dessen Identität. Mit Hilfe eines Profilers und den TBI-Agenten vor Ort entschlüsselt Hunter die Hintergründe des Täters und kann doch nur in letzter Sekunde dessen schrecklichen Plan vereiteln.

Meine Leseerfahrung:
Der Leser taucht ein in die undurchdringbaren Wälder von dem schwülwarmen Tennessee und spürt förmlich die Kleidung auf seiner Haut kleben, wenn er mit David Hunter durch das Dickicht zu einem Tatort kriecht. Die erst scheinbar wahllos eingefügten Gedanken verwirren zunächst und ergänzen letztendlich das Grauen perfekt.
Einzige Kritik an dem Buch ist, dass jede Geschichte auch mal ein Ende hat und dass dieses hier soviel Lust auf mehr macht, dass man die Erscheinung des nächsten David-Hunter-Romans kaum abwarten kann.

Wer sich auch mal wieder richtig schocken lassen will, der liest das Buch am besten selbst. Und hier die Daten:
Leichenblässe von Simon Beckett ist als Hardcover im Wunderlich Verlag erschienen und für 19,90 € im Handel erhältlich.
ISBN 978-3-8052-0866-6
Näheres dazu auch hier.

Und jetzt viel Spaß beim Lesen!

„Nichts ist so, wie es auf den ersten Blick aussieht“, so ist es nun mal im Leben von Dr. David Hunter, der in LEICHENBLÄSSE zum dritten Mal von Simon Beckett zu schwierigen Ermittlung mit Hilfe der forensischen Anthropologie geschickt wird.

„Nichts ist so, wie es auf den ersten Blick aussieht“, ist offensichtlich eine Maxime aller bisher erschienen Kriminalromanen mit der Hauptfigur des britischen Mediziners, der sich auch dieses Mal wieder mit verwesenden Leichen beschäftigt..

Während in DIE CHEMIE DES TODES die Wende eintritt, bei der dem Bösewicht noch ein Oberbösewicht übergeordnet wird, war es bei KALTE ASCHE die Wende, in Richtung Aufteilung in zwei Verbrecher/Verbrechensstränge, nachdem zuvor die Wende vom verdächtig agierenden hin zu einem der Täter vollzogen wurde.

Bei LEICHENBLÄSSE wird Simon Beckett seiner Maxime wiederum gerecht, indem nach etwa 250 Seiten zwar ein Verdächtiger ausgemacht wird, es sich schließlich aber herauszustellen scheint, dass auch dieser nur ein Opfer wie Dutzende, nicht mehr zählbarer Ermordeter, ist  - oder nicht oder doch?

Zum Schluss geht es jedenfalls recht turbulent zu, so dass der Leser froh ist, dass Hunter diese Story relativ gering verletzt übersteht.

In den vorliegenden Besprechungen wurde der Roman recht unterschiedlich bewertet – bejubelt und verrissen.

Meine Euphorie gegenüber der Hunter-Serie ist inzwischen auch sehr geschrumpft. Eingesetzt hat bei mir dieser Wandel, seitdem ich die letzten Seiten von KALTE ASCHE gelesen habe, mit dem meines Erachtens völlig überflüssigen Attentat auf Hunter – sowohl bezogen auf die Tat selbst, es sei denn in einem der folgenden Bände würde das Thema außer der Traumatisierung des Betroffenen wieder aufgegriffen, als auch auf die Sinnhaftigkeit bezogen auf die Story.

Der Inhalt von LEICHENBLÄSSE sei noch kurz erzählt:

Hunter, der sich von dem Attentat auf der Body Farm – richtiger Name Anthropology Research Facility – in Tennessee anlenken will, Abstand von der in die Brüche gegangenen Beziehung mit Jenny gewinnen möchte, ein Update über den Stand der forensischen Anthropologie erarbeitet, wird in die Ermittlungen zu einem mysteriösen Verbrechen in den Smoky Mountains einbezogen. Alle tapsen dabei im Dunkeln, nur der arrogante Profiler lässt sich zu Erklärungen hinreißen, die sich weitgehend als falsch erweisen – zur Strafe wird er entführt. Im Laufe der Ermittlungen übernimmt die toughe Agentin des lokalen Tennessee Bearau of Investigation (TBI) die Profiler-Rolle. Während Hunters Freund und Förderer, der Chef der Body Farm, eines – für dieses Buch- ungewöhnlichen Todes stirbt, eines natürlichen Todes, verschwindet der schmierige Bestatter und wird zum Verdächtigen.

Hier sei noch ein kleiner Einschub erlaubt: Die Bezeichnung der Charaktere: arrogant, tough, schmierig, die an die derzeit beliebte Doku-Soap „Bauer sucht Frau“ erinnert, ist bewusst gewählt und kann fortgesetzt werden mit der Bezeichnung  „vergrätzt und  vereinsamt“ für den Pathologen, „grantig“ für den Leiter der Ermittlungen vom TBI oder „vertrottelt wirkend“ für den Libellenspezialisten. All diese Charaktere werden mit einem minimalen Aufwand von Simon Beckett gezeichnet außer einer bestimmten Libelle, deren Form, Farbe und Auftreten liebevoll und detailliert beschrieben wurde. Schade, dass sich der Autor nicht mehr Zeit genommen hat für die Beschreibung der Nebendarsteller und er diese so flach und klischeehaft dargestellt hat.

Es kommt zu einer weiteren Entführung, jedoch nicht der, die Hunter und TBI voraussehen, nämlich der Entführung Hunters selbst. Damit entwickelt sich die Geschichte nicht weniger dramatisch. Da aber bekanntlich „nichts so ist, wie es aussieht“, ist alles ganz anders und zwischen zahllosen Leichen in und um ein verlassenes Sanatorium in den Smoky Mountains klärt sich die Geschichte unter Einbeziehung oben beschriebener Wendungen auf, wobei die letzte als I-Tüpfelchen angelegte mir fast wie ein Stück Fliegendreck vorkommt – überflüssig für die bis zu diesem Punkt knapp 400 Seiten langen Story. Glücklicherweise gibt es aber doch noch neben den vielen Wermutstropfen in Form etlicher Toter aus dem Umfeld von David Hunter den Grund zum Champustrinken, da zumindest ein Entführungsopfer das Drama überlebt.

Den Lesern werden den Roman so erleben wie die Rezensenten: ein Teil wird jubeln, der anderer enttäuscht sein. Vermutlich wird LEICHENBLÄSSE weniger Leser fesseln als die CHEMIE DES TODES. Damit ist nichts so, wie es Beckett und dessen Verleger nach den Erfolgen der ersten beiden Büchern der Hunter-Reihe sich möglicherweise erhofft haben.

This post is inspired by my friend Phoebe, from Greenberry’s Coffee Shop

Phoebe is a rising graduate student at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville.  Her field is Anthropology/Archeology.  Please give her full credit for the inspiration for this post

Drink coffee at Greenberry’s! 

WARNING:  PHOTOS MAY BE GRAPHIC

From Wikipedia

A body farm is a research facility where human decomposition after death can be scientifically studied in a variety of settings. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the decomposition process, permitting the development of techniques for extracting information (such as the timing and circumstances of death) from human remains. Body farm research is particularly important within forensic anthropology and related disciplines, and has applications in the fields of law enforcement, medical examination and crime scene investigation. There are currently three such facilities in the United States with the farm at Texas State University being the largest.

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

The original “Body Farm” (started by William Bass) is the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility located a few miles from downtown off of Alcoa Highway in Knoxville, Tennessee, behind the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Anthropologist Dr. William M. Bass became head of the university’s anthropology department in 1971, and as official state forensic anthropologist for Tennessee he was frequently consulted in police cases involving decomposed human remains. Since no facilities existed that specifically studied decomposition, in 1981 he opened the department’s first body farm.

It consists of a 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) wooded plot, surrounded by a razor wire fence. At any one time there will be a number of bodies placed in different settings throughout the facility and left to decompose. The bodies are exposed in a number of ways in order to provide insights into decomposition under varying conditions: for example, some are left out in the open or in the woods, some get buried in shallow graves or entombed in vaults, some have been left in car trunks or submerged in water. Detailed observations and records of the decomposition process are kept, including the sequence and speed of decomposition and the effects of insect activity, and afterward the skeletonized bones are removed from the plot and added to the Dr. William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection, to be used for research and teaching.

Bodies are obtained from various sources. Some have lain unclaimed at the medical examiner’s office, while over 300 people have voluntarily donated their bodies to the Body Farm. Appx. 120 bodies are donated to the facility every year. Perhaps the most famous person to donate his body for study was the anthropologist Grover Krantz, as described by his colleague David Hunt at the Smithsonian.

The University of Tennessee Body Farm is also used in the training of law enforcement officers in scene-of-crime skills and techniques.

You never get used to the smell.  Human decomposition has a very unique smell to it…not an identifiable odor, like a flower or a fruit. It’s a sort of combination of sulfur, ammonia, and rotting meat.

says Rebecca Wilson, Assistant Coordinator of the University of Tennessee’s Forensic Anthropology Center.  Wilson should know. Because of the nature of her job, she is very familiar with the Anthropological Research Facility, also known as the Body Farm.

From Encyclopedia Britannica

No Cows Here

The Body Farm is a unique outdoor classroom. It is designed to teach forensic anthropology students, as well as professionals in the medical and legal fields, how the human body decays and the role the natural world plays in the process. Located on approximately two acres in Knoxville, Tennessee, it is the dream-come-true of Dr. William Bass and the first research facility of its kind on the planet. The Body Farm may sound like a scene out of a horror movie, but the information gathered there has helped advance the field of forensic science all over the world.

The first time I went to the farm it certainly was not what I had expected.  I had an image of bodies strewn out everywhere. But it’s really not so bad. It doesn’t hit you in the face. The bodies are covered, so it’s not like you arrive and immediately see 15 just thrown out there.

Says Wilson.

But How Do the Bodies Get There?

Currently, there are 175 deceased people (or cadavers) contributing to the research at the facility. There is also a waiting list of interested people who, at their death, wish to become test subjects and help the research continue. According to Wilson, when a body, or “subject,” is received, it is given an identification number and placed on the grounds of the facility. Some are placed in the shade under shrubs or trees and others are left to bask in the Sun. Some bodies have been set on fire and others have been placed in a pool of water. Still others are placed at the request of medical and legal professionals to imitate situations that they have experienced or are currently investigating.

The most recent study involves a subject placed in a large garbage bin

says Wilson.

In the Limelight After Death

Research assistants pay close attention to all the bodies and take notes throughout the entire decomposition process. They post their observations and discoveries to a database that can be accessed by anyone in the medical or legal field. Police officers, death investigators, and crime lab specialists rely on the database for information that might help them with their investigations.

Information is gathered long after the researchers have gone home. A camera with night vision and a motion detector has been set up to monitor the role nocturnal mammals play in the decomposition process.

Our facility has been very influential in studying animal activity in relation to time since death.  Prior to our work there were no studies showing animals in real-time situations.

Luke Watson, a University of Tennessee Veterinary School student, says

animal marks on a bone can actually help a crime lab specialist solve a case. For instance, if a hiker finds a skeleton in the woods, and the shaft of the bones have been gnawed by squirrels, it can be determined that the bones are not recent and have been there for some time.

Wilson agrees.

Small rodents like rats or field mice like to gnaw on tissue, but a squirrel won’t touch a bone until it’s completely dry.  That means that a pathologist or medical examiner can look at a bone that has been gnawed on by squirrels and know that the bone has been in the woods for at least a year.”

Insects are crime solvers as well. Researchers at the facility have discovered that certain insects are present at different stages of decomposition. Because of this, a forensic entomologist (a person who studies bugs to help solve crimes) can determine the time of a person’s death, sometimes as close as to within an hour, simply by studying the various insect and animal activity that has occurred.

The Anthropological Research Facility may not look like your average classroom, and the subject that is studied is certainly not typical. However, the work done there is an innovative, hands-on approach to learning that has produced numerous advancements in the field of forensic science. Besides, no other classroom in the world can boast a waiting list of people who are dying to get in!

By Beth Drinnen

Beth Drinnen lives in Tennessee and visited the Forensic Anthropology Center to write this article. It is her first for ODYSSEY.

THE FIVE STAGES OF DECOMPOSITION

1. Fresh – Usually the stage when a police officer or medical examiner sees a body for the first time. During this stage, the body loses color due to cell death. Lividity, the pooling of blood inside the body, occurs and rigor mortis, the stiffening of muscles after death (from Latin for “stiffness” + “death”), sets in.
2. Discoloration – The skin takes on a greenish tinge from bacterial activity, and from molds and fungi growing on the body.
3. Bloating – All the gasses released from the dying cells cause swelling in the body.
4. Advanced Decomposition/Initial Skeletonization – All the fluids that were building up in the body begin to exit. They exit through the same places that they would if the body were still alive – the pores and other body openings, such as the mouth, nose, and anus. “One common misconception is that a body can burst in this phase,” says Wilson, “but that’s not true. A body, if left alone in this state, will not burst. It will simply deflate like an empty vacuum cleaner bag.”
5. Skeletonization – Very little soft tissue is left on the bones. Only the skeleton remains. B.D.

The Birth of the Body Farm

The Body Farm is the idea of Dr. William Bass, a former Forensic Anthropology professor at the University of Tennessee. Bass was frustrated about how little was known about decomposition of the human body. But it wasn’t until the descendants of Colonel William Shy, a Confederate war veteran, contacted him in 1977 and asked for his help in identifying some bones found on their land that Bass decided it was time to find out.

He examined the bones and figured out the person’s race, sex, and age at death. Since the bones still had tissue and skin on them, he estimated that they belonged to a body that had been dead about a year. He concluded the subject was a white male in his mid- to late-twenties. He got most of the information right.

What Bass got wrong, though, was the time of death. It turns out that the bones were actually those of Colonel Shy himself – and were 113 years old! “That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me,” Bass told www.crimelibrary.com. “I realized that there was something here about decomposition that we didn’t know.”

In order to learn more, Bass asked the trustees of the University of Tennessee for a little land in which to conduct his research. They agreed and in 1980 the Anthropological Research Facility, or Body Farm, was born. B.D.

That’s right! There are reports that the bounty hunter who helped free the mother of missing Caylee Anthony wants his associates to withdraw her bail. Hopefully, they will put her right back where she belongs shortly!

From the Associated Press:

Anthony was freed last Thursday. Her family said that would help find missing 3-year-old Caylee Anthony.

But bounty hunter Leonard Padilla says the 22-year-old mother hasn’t cooperated with authorities.

Caylee hasn’t been seen since June but wasn’t reported missing until a month later. Prosecutors say Casey Anthony is a person of interest in her disappearance but she only faces charges of child neglect, obstruction and making false statements.

Detectives were meeting with prosecutors Thursday to discuss FBI lab tests in the case.

From Fox News:

Celebrity bounty hunter Leonard Padilla told FOX that discussions are under way as to whether to take back the $500,000 he and his nephew put up to bail 22-year-old Casey Anthony out of jail last week.

A decision will be made later Thursday.

The star of the National Geographic reality show “Bounty Hunters” flew in from California with his bail bondsman nephew Tony Padilla to post the hefty bond.

He told FOX that the primary reason to revoke it would be for Anthony’s safety. Threats against her and her family have spiked since some preliminary test results reportedly showed evidence of a body in her car, he said.

Anthony hasn’t been communicating since her release, he said — which was also factoring in to the talks.

Noted forensic anthropologist and author, Dr. Bill Bass, takes us on a tour of the world-famous Body Farm in Knoxville, TN

This is an older video and not so much related to their air sampling but it is an intriguing look at the body farm.

Now, forensic experts at the University of Tennessee’s Anthropology Research Facility — known on campus as the “body farm” (pictured) — have become involved in the investigation.

Air samples from the car’s trunk are currently being tested, samples from  the same white Pontiac which detectives say Casey abandoned at a local AMSCOT check-cashing store.  It’s also the same car in which investigators found stains, dirt and hair matching that of little Caylee.

The tests could prove whether a body was ever in the trunk for an extended period of time.  Experts at the body farm know how to test for chemicals released by a decomposing body.  Researchers at UT Knoxville could not say how long it would take to test the samples, but results will be turned over to Orange County detectives once complete.

In the meantime, lab technicians at the Federal Bureau of Investigations continue to process DNA sample collected from the car during the early days of the investigation.

I’m sure at least Afarensis will be happy to know that his undergraduate advisor, Bill Bass and the body farm he has built has debuted on Boing Boing today. It is not everyday that anthropology makes it on that site.

Boing Boing ultimately links to an article by Allan Bellows of Damn Interesting, who followed Bill Bass around and documented his research. For anyone interesting in part of the dirty work behind forensic anthropology, do check out Allan’s descriptive and entertaining post.