Sarah asks:
If you have
identical twins who are both suspects in a murder, how could you tell them
apart?
Amryn says:
Strictly from a DNA perspective, research is showing
that even twins have small minute differences in their DNA called SNPs (single
nucleotide polymorphisms.) These aren’t routinely tested for in forensics
because they’re pretty cutting edge, but such testing could be done (likely by
a private lab) if the need arose.
Another option would be generating an antibody
profile. When we’re born, we have an antibody profile like our mother. But
beginning at birth and until the age of two, our antibody profile is evolving.
It’s pretty much set in stone by the age of two and (as far as we know) doesn’t
change throughout life. These antibodies are slightly different than the ones
you make to fight off disease, but the important part is that they’re unique.
Even identical twins will have different antibody profiles. This testing is new
and is beginning to be used in conjunction with DNA testing.
Of course, this all depends on what type of evidence
is found at a crime scene. Antibody profiling might be useful if some type of
body fluid is found (i.e. blood, saliva, tears, sweat, etc.) but not so much
with skin cells or hair. And, of course, even identical twins should have
different fingerprints, so in a case such as this, DNA evidence might not be as
strong as some other possible links.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about
antibody profiling, check out this article: http://www.americanlawyeracademy.com/antibody-profiling-forensic-evidence
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Amryn Cross is a full-time forensic scientist and author of romantic suspense novels. Her first novel, Learning to Die, will be released in September. In her spare time, she enjoys college football, reading, watching movies, and researching her next novel. You can connect with Amryn via her website, Twitter and Facebook.
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