AAFS 2026
What is a Case Break?
Case Break Sessions are modified sessions where interesting case presentations — typically of entertainment value — are made during a time when attendees can sit in on a session during what would normally be their breakfast time while learning at the same time.
Tuesday, February 10
7:15 am – 8:15 amMichele Vaira, JD
Vaira Law Office
Foggia, Puglia, ItalyLuciano Garofano, PhD
Italian Academy of Forensic Science
Parma, Emilia-Romagna, ItalyThe case centers on the 2010 murder of 13-year-old Yara Gambirasio in Brembate di Sopra, Italy. Her body was discovered three months later, showing multiple stab wounds, though the cause of death was exposure and starvation. Investigators found foreign DNA on her underwear and launched an extensive genetic screening, collecting over 20,000 DNA samples from local residents. This process led to Massimo Bossetti, whose DNA matched the sample from Yara's clothing.
After a lengthy investigation and trial, Bossetti was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2016, a verdict upheld on appeal and by the Italian Supreme Court.
A subsequent Netflix docuseries questioned the judicial outcome, portraying Bossetti as possibly innocent and criticizing the prosecution. The series was accused of downplaying the decisive DNA evidence and promoting unfounded alternative theories, potentially misleading viewers.
The presentation aims to review the facts, address the criticisms raised by the series, and highlight the risks of biased media coverage, which can distort public perception of justice and, in jury-based systems, influence verdicts and undermine trust in the legal process.
Tuesday, February 10
7:15 am – 8:15 amLore George, MSc
NICC, Brussel
Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, BelgiumThis case examines a double homicide in Brussels (March 24, 2022) that marked a critical shift from uncertain witness accounts and limited evidence to a strategically coordinated forensic investigation. Police found a mother and daughter dead from sharp force trauma in their home, with extensive blood traces.
The partner of the older victim initially reported discovering the scene, but inconsistencies in his story led to further scrutiny. After his temporary release, a forensic advisor was brought in to direct the forensic strategy. The partner later admitted to giving the victims Oxycodone, allegedly on another person's suggestion, before leaving the house.
Toxicology confirmed Oxycodone in both victims, and surveillance footage showed someone abandoning the victim's car nearby. Forensic examination — including microscopic trace evidence and hair analysis — identified a suspected contract killer, whose role remained under investigation.
The forensic advisor was instrumental in:
- Prioritizing trace evidence by relevance and feasibility,
- Coordinating multidisciplinary teams,
- Guiding magistrates on forensic strategy, and
- Maintaining coherence from scene processing to result interpretation.
The case illustrates the forensic advisor's role, as described by Bitzer et al. (2017), as a scientifically trained mediator linking investigators, magistrates, and forensic experts. It highlights the complex, multidisciplinary nature of modern forensic work, integrating toxicology, trace analysis, DNA, and digital evidence.
Wednesday, February 11
7:15 am – 8:15 amLauryn C. Alexander, PhD
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WVSarah E. Wagner, JD
West Virginia University College of Law
Morgantown, WVMelissa Giggenbach, JD
West Virginia Innocence Project Clinic
Morgantown, WVThis case break addresses the communication gap between forensic scientists and criminal lawyers, a key issue that often leads to misunderstanding or misinterpretation of forensic evidence in court. While lawyers may struggle to grasp the significance of technical findings, scientists often find it difficult to express their conclusions in clear, accessible language.
Topics include:
- An overview of the relationship between forensic science and criminal law,
- Background information on trace evidence and glass analysis,
- Discussion of communication barriers and their impact on legal proceedings,
- Emphasis on pre-trial preparation and clear verbal reporting scales (including the NIST-OSAC verbal scale for glass and paint associations),
- Guidance on conducting direct and cross-examinations of forensic experts, and
- A mock transcript based on simulated case studies.
Ultimately, the goal is to bridge the gap between law and science, ensuring both sides can collaborate effectively to strengthen the justice process through clearer understanding and communication.
Wednesday, February 11
7:15 am – 8:15 amNathan Shaller, MD
Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner
Las Vegas, NVThis case involves the homicide of a 5-month-old infant initially thought to have died from co-sleeping. Early investigation by the Coroner's Office and Abuse and Neglect Department — including a doll reenactment — raised concerns about the circumstances of death.
The autopsy revealed subtle external injuries (frontal hemorrhages and abrasions) and significant internal bleeding in the brain and spinal cord. Toxicology testing found lethal levels of diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) in multiple samples. Further coordinated testing and investigation confirmed that the infant had been intentionally administered diphenhydramine, leading to the classification of the death as homicide. The defendant later accepted a plea deal and was incarcerated.
The case highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration among forensic pathologists, toxicologists, investigators, and law enforcement in solving complex pediatric deaths. The presentation also reviews related topics such as co-sleeping assessments, pediatric intracranial hemorrhage, recent N.A.M.E. guidelines on undetermined pediatric deaths, and expert court testimony.
Ultimately, the case demonstrates how comprehensive forensic investigation and interagency cooperation can clarify ambiguous child death cases and secure justice for vulnerable victims.
Thursday, February 12
7:15 am – 8:15 amJohn P. Kenney, DDS, MS
Davidson County Medical Examiner's Office
Nashville, TNThis presentation reflects on the evolution of disaster response in commercial air carrier accidents, which often strike suddenly and with devastating national or global impact. Before the establishment of Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team (DMORT) and its portable morgues, fire, police, coroners, and medical examiners had to improvise morgue and identification facilities from scratch.
Through the pioneering efforts of Tom Shepardson and the National Foundation for Mortuary Care, these fragmented responses were unified into a coordinated system — DMORT — streamlining victim recovery, identification, and return to families.
The presentation reviews several major air disasters — including Tenerife, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington D.C., and Roselawn, Indiana — and honors the forensic professionals in anthropology, odontology, and pathology who led these challenging efforts.
It pays tribute to AAFS members who played key roles in these operations — some across multiple incidents — acknowledging both those who have passed and those still active. Ultimately, the presentation serves as a tribute to past and present responders, recognizing their enduring contributions to forensic science, disaster management, and compassionate victim identification.
Thursday, February 12
7:15 am – 8:15 amMarie E. Lasater, MSN
Texas County Government
Licking, MOThis presentation examines the deaths of three healthy men in their 30s who died within one year in the same county after inhaling Air Duster (1,1-Difluoroethane). Despite differing personal backgrounds, the cases share the same fatal outcome from inhalant abuse.
The study reviews the cause, mechanism, and manner of death, noting chronic use in two of the victims. It explores risk factors, scene findings, and autopsy and toxicology results, supported by photographic documentation from the Medicolegal Death Investigator.
Attention is given to how the victims obtained the product, the toxic effects of 1,1-Difluoroethane, and the lack of public awareness about its extreme danger despite its everyday availability.
The presentation also highlights the collaboration among EMS, law enforcement, and coroners, offering best-practice insights from each case, and concludes with a discussion of current laws governing inhalant substances and the need for stronger prevention and education efforts.
Friday, February 13
7:15 am – 8:15 amCynthia Cale, MSc
DNA Mavens LLC
Cleveland, TXIn State of Minnesota v. Porter, DNA evidence from a firearm and its magazine was central to the prosecution. The DNA from the firearm was a complex mixture interpreted as coming from five contributors, though the true number likely exceeded that — beyond the validated range for the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix™.
Despite this, the laboratory proceeded with STRmix™ analysis and reported a likelihood ratio suggesting the defendant was a contributor. The absence of software errors was mistakenly taken as confirmation that the five-person assumption was valid, raising concerns about the reliability and potential overstatement of the DNA evidence in court.
The magazine sample contained about 180 pg of DNA, an amount consistent with either direct or indirect transfer, making it impossible to determine handling based on quantity alone. Presenting this result without proper context risked misleading the jury into equating DNA presence with direct contact.
This case underscores the need to:
- Stay within validated parameters of probabilistic genotyping software,
- Disclose limitations and assumptions transparently, and
- Provide scientifically cautious interpretations to avoid overstating conclusions.
Ultimately, it highlights the importance of adhering to foundational forensic DNA principles to ensure results are reliable, defensible, and ethically communicated.
Friday, February 13
7:15 am – 8:15 amJagmahender Singh Singh Sehrawat, PhD
Panjab University
Chandigarh, IndiaThis study highlights the forensic significance of dental evidence in identifying unknown human remains recovered from an abandoned well beneath a religious building in Ajnala (Amritsar, India). Thousands of fragmented and commingled remains were unearthed non-scientifically, believed to belong either to 282 Indian soldiers killed in 1857 or to victims of the 1947 Partition.
Due to the poor condition of the skeletal remains, teeth were the only viable material for biological profiling. Researchers analyzed 2,339 teeth for morphological features, 55 samples for ancient DNA, and 53 molars for stable isotope ratios (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium) to determine ancestry, diet, and geographic origin.
The dental morphology, assessed using the ASU Dental Anthropology System, showed patterns consistent with South Asian populations, and mitochondrial DNA confirmed the remains were of Indian origin, not British. Isotopic analysis further indicated that the individuals were non-local to Ajnala, originating from regions such as eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and northeastern India.
Distinctive features — like notched incisors and canines — were likely related to the soldiers' use of greased cartridge strings during military operations. The findings underscore the durability and evidentiary value of teeth in forensic contexts, especially where remains are degraded or improperly excavated.
Comprehensive results will be presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the AAFS (New Orleans, February 2026), emphasizing the multi-method approach that combined dental anthropology, genetics, and isotope geochemistry to resolve a historically and forensically significant mass grave.