MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

Date: 09/21/2012 Time: 8:20 amSite Name: Buffalo Ridge Landfill Site #: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01Address: 11655 WCR 59

Keenesburg, CO 80643Site Datum: Wood pole at east corner of siteSite Datum GPS Coords: N 40° 11.338’ W 104° 31.630’

Weather: Temp Condition Dew

PointHumidity Visibility Wind

52° PartlyCloudy 35° 54% Clear on site, smoky

in distanceFrom W @8mph

Local Environment:

Landfill with workers present, use of large CAT machinery equipment (noted CAT equipment number 846092 – working w/in approximately 100 yards of staging area)

Observed Terrain:

Mostly soft sloping sand, some pebbles, appearance of hills (maybe manmade)

Observed Flora:

Various kinds of unknown small shrubbery, a few cacti plants, “littering” of dead or broken wood/plant

Observed Fauna:

Lizards and snakes

Lead Investigator:

Dr. Catherine Gaither

Investigative Interns:

Christiane BaigentNicholas Repka

Investigative Team:

Alanna Mayberry (Self)Josh HammerlingBrenda PrinceBetthany TaylorMartha CreazzoJessica HostrupCatherine ShieldsMarina SandovalAnna DuncanJeremiah CampEmilie ArndtBrandon TheigeKatelyn Holmes

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Google map of Buffalo Ridge Landfill

MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

8:20 am – 52°, Partly Cloudy Arrived on site

8:27 am – C. Gaither advised investigative team and interns of following:

o Keensburg police department (KPD) received a tip from an informant about strange activity occurring in the area. Noting several recent disappearances from the same area an officer was dispatched to investigate the tip when the remains of 2 bodies were discovered. Dueto the advanced state of decomposition of the bodies KPD contacted theMetropolitan State University of Denver’s Human Identification Laboratory (MSUD HIL) and requested a search of the area and the recovery of any and all remains. KPD also advised Dr. C. Gaither of at least 2 more missing people from the area.

8:40 am – C. Gaither assigned J. Camp as site photographer and Emilie Arndt to assist

with evidence photo log.8:51 am –

C. Sheilds, B. Taylor, M. Creazzo, and A. Mayberry (self) directed by C. Gaither to set up crime scene tape and establish a staging area to the west of the suspected site approximately 40-50 meter’s east of the closest accessroad.

9:01 am – J. Camp and E. Arndt take site photos from staging area to the west of the

crime scene tape.9:09 am – 58°, Partly Cloudy

C. Gaither establishes an entrance path into the site C. Gaither directs all investigative team members and interns to set up the

initial site search Team establishes B. Theige and A. Duncan as line ends and A. Mayberry (self)

as step caller A line search pattern was chosen and an approximate search area was

established9:18 am –

J. Camp and E. Arndt photograph search site from the established site entrance line (Figures 1 – 4).

9:21 am – Search for remains and possible grave sites initiated

o Line ends marked with white pin flags, by B. Theige and A. Duncan, approximately every 15 yds.

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MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

o Possible ground disturbances indicating a grave or remains to be marked with pink and orange pin flags

10:12 am – 63°, Partly Cloudy Search complete

o Several possible ground disturbances marked with pin flags; orange andpink

One marked site containing multiple exposed skeletal remains Additional pin flags marking the area of 2 known bodies

10:41 am – C. Gaither assigns investigative team members to smaller units for further

investigation of sites with the 2 known bodies as well as site with exposed skeletal remains; another unit was assigned to investigate the flags place during the search.

o Unit 1 – assigned to known remains found exposed on ground surface (sub-site 1)(Figure 5)

Unit 1 members: C. Sheilds, M. Sandoval, J.Hostrupo Unit 2 – assigned to known remains found in cage on ground surface

(sub-site 2) (Figure 6) Unit 2 members: B. Taylor, M. Creazzo, J. Hammerling

o Unit 3 – assigned to newly discovered, partially exposed, skeletal remains (sub-site3) (Figures 7 – 10)

Unit 3 members: B. Prince, A. Duncan, A. Mayberry (self)o Unit 4 – assigned to investigate all pink and orange flags placed

during search (sub-site 4) Unit 4 members: B. Theige, E. Arndt, J. Camp

E. Arndt and J. Camp continued to photograph site and new sub-sites as needed

10:47 am – Gathered equipment needed to survey and map sub-site 3 (exposed skeletal

remains)o Completed probing of area

Observations of area directly in and around sub-site 3 Two areas of obvious ground disturbance, appearance of possible skeletal

remainso Ground disturbance 1: shows as loose, darker in appearance, dirt that

gradually slopes to the east into a small pit like disturbance. The area of this ground disturbance as found is approx. 2.5 – 3 meters in length and approx. 2m in width.

o Ground disturbance 2: shows as loose, darker in appearance, dirt thatappears to have been scattered onto flora in the area. This area of disturbance goes from the east line of the pit from the first disturbance approx. 1.75 – 2 meters east.

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MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

o Skeletal remains that are present are scattered within the first ground depression described, multiple bone or bone fragments present on ground level w/in depression. There also appears to be the possibility of additional, non-skeletal, evidence present in, around, and with the remains of ground disturbance 1.

12:40 pm – 73°, Partly cloudy, Wind shift from NNE @ 3mph Chaining pins measured out with 5 point laser

1:13 pm – 75°, Mostly cloudy, No winds Completed measurement on grid and chaining pins Photographs of sub-site 3 taken Strung twine between chaining pins and used line level to ensure each side

was level

2:00 pm 77°, Winds have returned from the NE, approx. 10mph New team member arrived

o Katelyn Holmes Come together as a group to gain further instruction from C. Gaither Met with members of Unit 1 to be updated on sub-site 1 and to update them on

sub-site 3o Expected assignation (of A. Mayberry, B. Prince, A. Duncan) to sub-

site 1 on 9/28/2012 Clean up of sub-site 3, preservation of grid/chaining pins

2:59pm – Signed out of site for the day

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(Picture not to scale)

MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

Figure 1: Site Image before entrance made (Pre-disturbance)(Southeast view)

Figure 2: Site Image before entrance made, panned out(Pre-disturbance)(Southeast view)

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MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

Figure 3: Site Image before entrance made (Pre-disturbance)(North View)

Figure 4: Site Image before entrance made, panned out (Pre-disturbance)

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MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

(North view)

Figure 5: Exposed Remains (Unit 1; sub-site 1)(Cranial Aspect)

Figure 6: Caged Remains (Unit 2; sub-site 2)7

MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

(Posterior view)

Figure 7: Newly discovered skeletal remains (Unit 3; sub-site 3)(General overview)

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MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

Figure 8: Newly discovered skeletal remains (Unit 3; sub-site 3)(Southwest view)

Figure 9: Newly discovered skeletal remains, panned out (Unit 3; sub-site 3)(Southeast view – both ground disturbances)

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MSUD HILCase#: MSUD-HIL-FS 12-09-01

Figure 10: Newly discovered skeletal remains, up close(Unit 3; sub-site 3)(Southwest view – ground disturbance 1)

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