Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41809942›Full record

ArticleForensic sciences research2025

Silent witness: a moss provides important evidence in solving a cemetery crime.

Matt von Konrat, Llo Stark, Jenna Merkel, Anne Grauer, Wayne Jakalski, Paul Kiefer, Danny Kreider, Eric Leafblad, Alan Lichamer, Gary Merrill and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Forensic sciences research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Matt von KonratDepartment of Botany, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9579-5325
Llo StarkSchool of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Jenna MerkelDepartment of Forensic Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Anne GrauerDepartment of Anthropology, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Wayne JakalskiCook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, USA.
Paul KieferPublic Corruption & Financial Crimes Unit, Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, USA.
Danny KreiderDepartment of Botany, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA.
Eric LeafbladCook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, USA.
Alan LichamerDepartment of Botany, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA.
Gary MerrillDepartment of Botany, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA.
Jason MoranCommander Special Victims/Forensic Services Division, Cook County Sheriff's Police Department, Maywood, IL, USA.
Gavin QuinnInternet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, USA.
Doug SeccombeRetired Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Chicago Field Office, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kathryn SodetzCook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, USA.
Matthew ThrunCook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Forensic botany, particularly bryophyte analysis, is a potentially important but underutilized tool in criminal investigations. Bryophytes, including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, have the potential to offer crucial evidence in establishing crime scene timelines and possible connections between suspects, victims, and the scene of the crime. In this case study, a common moss,

Indexed as

biologybotanical evidencebotanical forensicsbryophytescemetery crimeforensic sciencesmossesprosecution

Identifiers

PMID41809942
PMCPMC12967056

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.