William R. Maples
Encyclopedia
William Ross Maples, Ph.D.
(Dallas, Texas
; August 7, 1937 - Gainesville, Florida
; February 27, 1997) was a noted forensic anthropologist
working at the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory at the Florida Museum of Natural History
. His specialty was the study of bone
s. He worked on a number of high-profile criminal investigations, some of them concerning historical figures such as Francisco Pizarro
, the Romanov
family, Joseph Merrick
(known as "'The Elephant Man'"), US
President
Zachary Taylor
and Medgar Evers
. His insights often proved beneficial in closing cases that otherwise may have remained unsolved.
He is the author of Dead Men Do Tell Tales: The Strange and Fascinating Cases of a Forensic Anthropoligist (co-authored by Michael Browning). The book chronicles his career from the inception of his fascination with anthropology through to some of his high profile forensic cases.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
; August 7, 1937 - Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
; February 27, 1997) was a noted forensic anthropologist
Forensic anthropology
Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology and human osteology in a legal setting, most often in criminal cases where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased...
working at the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory at the Florida Museum of Natural History
Florida Museum of Natural History
The Florida Museum of Natural History is the State of Florida's official state-sponsored and chartered natural history museum. Its main facilities are located on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida....
. His specialty was the study of bone
Bone
Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
s. He worked on a number of high-profile criminal investigations, some of them concerning historical figures such as Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess was a Spanish conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire, and founder of Lima, the modern-day capital of the Republic of Peru.-Early life:...
, the Romanov
Romanov
The House of Romanov was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule over Russia, reigning from 1613 until the February Revolution abolished the crown in 1917...
family, Joseph Merrick
Joseph Merrick
Joseph Carey Merrick , sometimes incorrectly referred to as John Merrick, was an English man with severe deformities who was exhibited as a human curiosity named the Elephant Man. He became well known in London society after he went to live at the London Hospital...
(known as "'The Elephant Man'"), US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
and Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
. His insights often proved beneficial in closing cases that otherwise may have remained unsolved.
He is the author of Dead Men Do Tell Tales: The Strange and Fascinating Cases of a Forensic Anthropoligist (co-authored by Michael Browning). The book chronicles his career from the inception of his fascination with anthropology through to some of his high profile forensic cases.