Oldson Murder Trial Continues on Day 5

As one of less than 90 forensic anthropologists in North America certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, and one of only two in Pennsylvania (Mercyhurst’s Dr. Dirkmaat, the other); Dr. Symes is a sought-after consultant in criminal cases. Note that he has been involved with hands-on forensic anthropology since 1979, when he became the graduate assistant of Dr. William M. Bass, founder of the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and opening the first known "Body Farm" outside of Knoxville TN in 1971. (http://science.howstuffworks.com/body-farm3.htm) His specialty in criminal dismemberment and mutilation has led him to consult on a number of serial homicides, notable among them Crown vs. Paul Bernardo (Symes 1998), a serial abduction/murder near Toronto. Further, he has provided analysis of cut marks in nearly 200 dismemberment and 400 knife wound cases. Back in November 2012, Valley County Sheriff Casey Hurlburt and Investigator Morrow from the State Patrol, flew Beard's remains out to Erie, PA., to be examined by Dr Symes. Throughout the remainder of the morning, Dr. Symes presented his findings concerning his two days of analysis of Catherine's remains. The court then recessed for lunch.

Deliberations continued Friday afternoon with Dr. Symes still testifying for the state. The jury, the entire courtroom and Defendant Oldson were focused on Dr. Symes and his explanations of his findings. Dr Syme continued his power point presentation of his findings on the remains of Catherine Beard. The Doctor did make a concessions his findings did slightly suffer from the facts the bones in the case are over 23 years old were exposed to the elements of the Nebraska prairie and also were exhumed a second time from a water and mud filled casket in Ord, NE in November of 2011. The Doctor. focused on perimortem and postmortem wounds or defects as he referred to them. His findings were conclusive that two blunt force traumas damaged two areas of the skull. One blow, to the top of the skull, and one, over the right eye. The Doctor also stated he found evidence of stab wounds to the vertebrae and ribs and also a sharp impact to the sacrum (In humans, the sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity). Dr. Symes concluded for the state by summing up Beard's manner of death as foul play and a violent death, not from a car/pedestrian accident. James Mowbray then cross examined the Dr. for the Defense. Mowbray asked the  Dr. if he felt Catherine had been buried. Dr Symes responded that no, according to the bleaching of the majority of the bones recovered being sun-bleached and weathered by the environment (wind, rain, snow and dust). Mowbray also asked if it was possible that a 4wheel drive pickup going at a high rate of speed could have caused the blunt force trauma to Beard. To which the doctor replied it is possible. But Corey O'Brien, in his redirect, heard the Dr. testify that in terms of a car/pedestrian accident, there would be no sharp instrument trauma which was sustained perimortem to Catherine. The Dr. also said he never observed that kind of trauma in any car accident case he analyzed.