What does the Medical Examiner’s Office do when a body is unidentified?
A body is recorded as unidentified if the person does not have photo identification
when he or she is found in a location outside of their residence. Also, when someone
is disfigured by injuries or fire, very decomposed, or skeletal, he or she may be
recorded as unidentified.
In most cases, police are able to check fingerprint records to make an identification
within days. Often, if there are belongings or other leads to who the person might be,
a dental record comparison will confirm an identification. Other times, police might
have a family provide a photograph of someone, and then the police can confirm the
identification visually.
After an identification is made, a family can usually arrange to view the decedent at
the funeral home.
Can I come to the Medical Examiner’s Office to view the unidentified bodies to see if it is my loved one?
The Medical Examiner’s Office is a secure facility and does not allow viewing of
decedents. You may call our office to inquire about our most recent unidentified cases,
but you can also review our unidentified cases (and photos, when available) from past
months and years on our website,
https://unidentified.maricopa.gov
What if someone is identified but police cannot find the family to let them know?
After police identify someone, they use various methods to attempt to find and notify
the family. If family cannot be found within a few days, the body is released to a
local funeral home for burial.
The Maricopa County Public Fiduciary then becomes the guardian for the decedent. Often,
the Public Fiduciary office or funeral home can pursue additional methods for finding
family, such as placing an obituary in the newspaper.
You may call the Medical Examiner’s Office to ask us to check someone’s name in our
database. You can also reach the
Public Fiduciary
at (602) 506-8040.
What happens to the bodies that are never identified?
If a body cannot be identified by fingerprints, the Medical Examiner’s Office records
scientific details about the body and submits the information to the National Crime
Information Center (NCIC).
Before burial, dental X-rays and full-body X-rays are obtained to assist with future
comparisons. A DNA sample, when available, is also entered into the CODIS national DNA
database.
Case information (and photos, when available) is published on the Unidentified Persons
section of the Maricopa County Medical Examiner website,
https://unidentified.maricopa.gov
What should I do if my friend or family member is missing?
Always contact the police department if you believe someone is missing and in danger.
Each department has its own guidelines for reporting missing persons.
You may also want to contact local hospitals or jails. Police often fingerprint
unidentified unconscious patients, so ask hospitals to check both unidentified
patients and their databases by name.
You may call the Medical Examiner’s Office to ask about a missing person, but we cannot
take an official missing person report or conduct investigations beyond checking our
own database.