The work of unearthing human remains is a delicate task requiring a keen awareness of the environment, such as variations in the colour of the soil.This week, a forensic dig near a home on Mallory Crescent, where alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur worked as a landscaper, yielded body parts.On Wednesday, police investigators, including a forensic anthropologist, began excavating behind the property.The dig was triggered weeks ago, when cadaver dogs picked up a scent there.Scott Fairgrieve, professor of forensic science at Laurentian University and a consultant forensic anthropologist for the province, has worked on similar cases.He provided the Star with a glimpse into what takes place during these digs.“They run (specially trained dogs) over a suspected area and typically they will do an indication where it finds a high concentration of decomposition scent. They can distinguish between human, and, say, (a) dead animal,” he said.Read more: Opinion | Six months after Bruce McArthur’s arrest, lead homicide cop wonders when it will end‘Extraordinary’ homicide cases push Toronto police budget into deficitHow alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur hid in plain sight for yearsThe area of interest is cordoned off and divided up into a grid.Then the excavation starts.“They’re going to work their way from the edges to the middle. What happens is they usually scrape down an area … and then any soil that is collected from that level, and screen it,” he said.Once something is found, it’s photographed in situ, then a preliminary identification is completed to determine where in the body the remains come from. “They will gently remove it from the soil and (it) typically will go into a paper bag,” said Fairgrieve. This prevents the bone from drying out quickly.Investigators found remains shortly after they began sifting through what police described as compost in a steep ravine directly behind the home. The ...
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