Research at the Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville helps law enforcement officers solve homicide cases and, essentially, catch the bad guys.

The facility studies the effects scavengers, insects, climate and other variables can have on human decomposition, primarily to help law enforcement officers identify critical information when investigating a case, STAFS lab manager Kevin Derr said.

Researchers also train law enforcement officers to find buried bodies and how to maximize evidence when recovering them.

"The research is based on human decomposition and skeletal remains because, sadly, a lot of people get murdered, and the police want to know who, why and where," Derr said. "This research helps answer those questions."

William Bass at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville established the country's first "Body Farm" facility, as they are often known in 1987. Today researchers are finding value in conducting similar research at different locations around the world, Derr said.

STAFS research, when compared to similar facilities, can provide a wide range of results. Derr said in Huntsville, for example, a body can take up to two years for skeletalization because of the high heat, compared to about two weeks in the temperate Tennessee climate.

"There was only one [facility] for a long time on the planet," Derr said. "People are beginning to see the value of this research, not just in one area, but a lot of them, and then compare notes. We are finding striking differences."

Law enforcement, researchers and even physicians also benefit from researching a modern skeletal collection that shows recent shifts in age, sex, ancestral and stature characteristics, rather than a historical collection, Derr said.

The facility also trains university students to conduct, publish and present research on various forums, said Elizabeth Kuhles, College of Criminal Justice publications officer.

"This is part of a bigger program in terms of forensic science and how it's used in the field," Kuhles said.

This summer, for example, students will learn how data and records are recovered from computers, and how to testify about research findings in court, Kuhles said.

People interested in donating their bodies for scientific research by STAFS can call 936-294-2310 or email

[email protected].