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Cited by 13Face recognition and analysisFace Recognition and PerceptionForensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 55 of the 55 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Finding Makhubu: A morphological forensic facial comparison

Houlton, T.M.R., Steyn, M.·2018·Forensic Science International
DOI 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.01.022
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Abstract

June 16, 1976, marks the Soweto Youth Student Uprising in South Africa. A harrowing image capturing police brutality from that day comprises of 18-year-old Mbuyisa Makhubu carrying a dying 12-year-old Hector Peterson. This circulated international press and contributed to world pressure against the apartheid government. This elevated Makhubu's profile with the national security police and forced him to flee to Botswana, then Nigeria, before disappearing in 1978. In 1988, Victor Vinnetou illegally entered Canada and was later arrested on immigration charges in 2004. Evasive of his true identity, the Canadian Border Services Agency and Makhubu's family believe Vinnetou is Makhubu, linking them by a characteristic moon-shaped birthmark on his left chest. A performed DNA test however, was inconclusive. Following the continued 40-year mystery, Eye Witness News in 2016 requested further investigation. Using a limited series of portrait images, a forensic facial comparison (FFC) was conducted utilising South African Police Service (SAPS) protocols and Facial Identification Scientific Working Group (FISWG) guidelines. The images provided, presented a substantial time-lapse and generally low resolution, while being taken from irregular angles and distances, with different subject poses, orientations and environments. This enforced the use of a morphological analysis; a primary method of FFC that develops conclusions based on subjective observations. The results were fundamentally inconclusive, but multiple similarities and valid explanations for visible differences were identified. To enhance the investigation, visual evidence of the moon-shaped birthmark and further DNA analysis is required.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.01.022

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55 of 55 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Sveikata, 2011, Factors influencing face aging. Literature review Stomatologija, Baltic Dent. Maxillofac. J., 13, 113

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Metadata

Authors
Houlton, T. M. R., & Steyn, M.
Affiliations
University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
Corresponding author
Houlton, T.M.R.
ORCID
Venue
Forensic Science International
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-04
Volume
285
Pages
13-20
ISSN
0379-0738 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.01.022
OpenAlex
W2790356666
Cited by
13
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2018: 3
FWCI
0.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Forensic Science International (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Research Foundation
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Face recognition and analysis
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
Keywords
Soweto uprising, missing persons, morphological analysis, face identification, police brutality, birthmarks, identity verification, South African Police Service
MeSH terms
Aging, Face, Humans, Male, Photography, South Africa, Forensic Sciences, Anatomic Landmarks

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