The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) positively identified the human remains found in East Providence in November 2008 as those of Joseph “Joe Onions” Scanlon and the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.
The Office of the Medical Examiners (OSME) and the State Police collected skeletal remains from the site in November. The OSME then identified the remains and determined the cause of death. To identify the remains, the OSME used forensic anthropology and DNA analysis. Forensic anthropology helps to provide a cause of death, identity, any injury or trauma and approximate length of time the remains were in the ground.
“We hope that this information will bring closure for the family,” said Director of Health David R. Gifford, MD, MPH. “This death occurred 30 years ago. We hope this gives them peace. HEALTH is also pleased to be able to assist our law enforcement colleagues in closing a case.”
In addition to determining the cause of death, the OSME also had to positively identify the remains. Dental records, fingerprints or previous x-rays were not available, so the OSME needed to use DNA analysis to determine identity. “Investigators from OSME and State Police had to locate immediate family and collect a DNA sample for comparison,” said Chief Medical Examiner Thomas Gilson, MD. “Because the DNA analysis for this case was so highly specialized, the femur and DNA samples from the family were sent to the University of North Texas for analysis.”
The results from the DNA analysis determined that the skeletal remains were those of Joseph Scanlon.