​Instructors: Melissa Torpey, MS,
                       & Mel Bishop, MSc.       
Course length: 24 hours

The Forensic Taphonomy Course provides students with an in-depth, hands-on workshop that focuses on the field investigative techniques of collecting, processing, and analyzing taphonomic evidence for the purposes of estimating time since death, interpreting the circumstances surrounding death, and the location of scattered or buried human remains.  Emphasis is placed on collecting, preserving, and interpreting insect evidence, plant and soil evidence, and the search and recovery of human skeletal remains. 

Students learn how to manage an outdoor crime scene, properly collect and preserve insect evidence, document and collect any associated physical evidence, strategically search for buried bodies, and properly exhume human skeletal remains. 

This course is taught by both a forensic anthropologist and a forensic entomologist.  It also involves hands-on group activities, mock outdoor death scenes, and mock burials.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to survey and process an outdoor death scene, identify taphonomic evidence of forensic importance, search and recover insect and human skeletal evidence, as well as display the ability to work as a team and properly collect and package evidence to be analyzed by a forensic entomologist or forensic anthropologist.  

DAY 1
  • Morning - (8am-11:30am) Classroom discussion/ PowerPoint presentations
  • Defining forensic taphonomy.  Students will learn insects of forensic importance, basics of forensic botany and environmental changes after death, and learn the importance of forensic anthropology at a death scene.

  • Afternoon - (12:30pm-4:30pm) Field training
  • Finish classroom introduction of forensic taphonomy topics.
  • View pigs for insect activity to estimate relative time since death and learn proper procedures for approaching, documenting, and processing an outdoor scene.

DAY 2
  • Morning - (8am-11:30am) Classroom discussion/ PowerPoint presentations
  • Overview of evidence collection procedures at the death scene and equipment needed.  Learn proper search and recovery techniques for surface and buried human remains.

  • Afternoon - (12:30pm-4:30pm) Field training
  • Students will demonstrate skills on insect evidence collection and practice insect collection procedures.
  • Students will practice search techniques for human remains; flag possible buried body sites.  Students will begin the exhumation of buried human remains.

DAY 3
  • Morning - (8am-11:30am) Classroom discussion/ Field Training
  • Case studies and class discussion on forensic entomology techniques.
  • Students will finish exhumation of buried human remains and discuss techniques and areas of importance.

  • Afternoon – (12:30pm-4:30pm) Final discussion/Finish field training
  • Finish any field training activities from Day 1 and 2.
  • Final Exercise- Student demonstrations on their ability to collect and secure insect evidence; student discussion on proper techniques for search and recovery of human remains.
Melissa Torpey, MS
Holding a M.S. in Forensic Science from Michigan State University and B.A. in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Melissa Torpey has worked as a forensic anthropologist in the field for over 12 years.

She currently teaches for the Anthropology department and for the Forensic Science: Crime Scene Investigation Certificate program at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Mel Bishop, MSc.
Holding a Master's degree from the University of Nebraska/Lincoln in the field of Entomology and receiving a diploma in crime scene technology from the 49th session of the Virginia Forensic Science Academy in Richmond, Virginia, Mel Bishop retired as a master police officer, detective, and forensic technician with the Charlottesville, Virginia, police department.

He has lectured at several Universities and Colleges in the field of entomology and blood spatter and been involved in nearly 100 death investigations involving insect evidence.

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