Casey Anthony Murder Trial: Is William C. Rodriguez III Really a Co-Founder of the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, Better Known as “The Body Farm”? I Thought Dr. Bass Founded It!

Things That Make You Go Hmm …

Yesterday, during the tumultuous morning  of the Casey Anthony murder trial when defense expert witness, William C. Rodriguez, was on the witness stand he stated that he was a co-founder of the “Body Farm”, or as it is officially known as the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility.With all of the attention being paid to the fact that Judge Belvin Perry admonished defense council Jose Baez for his intentional effort in going against the court’s order on discovery, was there something missed with regards to this defense expert witness’s curriculum vitae? Obviously Mr. Rodriguez has an extensive history in forensic anthropology, but  did he really co-found the Body Farm?

Defense expert witness: William C. Rodriguez III

Upon a cursory review, the only reference of William Rodriguez as a co-founder of the Body Farm was in a Wiki. Please tell me that Jose Baez and his master defense team sleuths did not use a Wiki as the Gospel? This would be as big a blunder as jumping to conclusions that Vasco Thompson  received calls from George Anthony, even though he ex-con never had the telephone number in question until 2009.

Defense expert witness testimony on direct from Jose Baez, June 19, 2011: (Watch VIDEO HERE on exact comments)

Defense Attorney Jose Baez: Are you a Co-Founder of the Anthropological Facility at the Univ of TN – also known as the Body Farm?
William Rodriguez:  Yes I am

Really? Every article and reference to “The Body Farm” has William M. Bass as the founder and no reference of William Rodriguez. Even the bio on the official web page of Forensic Anthropology Center only mentions Dr. Bass and no mention of William Rodriguez.

The program began with the arrival of Dr. William M. Bass in 1971 to The University of Tennessee Knoxville. He oversaw the development of the discipline at UTK, which culminated with the creation of the Forensic Anthropology Center within the Department of Anthropology, and many resources for students, researchers, and law enforcement agencies.

From the Anthropological Research Facility brochure, still no mention of William C. Rodriguez III.

The Research Facility, opened at its present location in 1980 by Dr. William M. Bass, provides an ideal setting to scientifically document postmortem change. This outdoor field laboratory enables the investigation of parameters which are crucial in time since death estimates. Donated remains make this research possible and simultaneously provide a modern osteological teaching and research collection.

In reviewing past articles articles on the “Body Farm”, there is no reference as Rodriguez as a co-founder.  The following is a Newsweek article, ‘Down on the Body Farm” from October 23, 2000, long before and expert witness testimony of the Casey Anthony murder trial. William C. Rodriguez III is quoted in this article

William Bass III, 73, the Body Farm’s founder, doesn’t find the scene ghoulish. “I see this as a scientific challenge,” he says, as maggots work efficiently on 20 or so corpses decomposing in the early autumn sun. Then Bass uses a gloved hand to lift a rotting limb.

Only 61 American anthropologists now apply their broad-ranging science to crime busting. Bass trained 19 of them. His graduates labor from the Smithsonian to the U.S. Army Central Identification Lab in Hawaii to major metropolitan morgues. Several have probed mass graves in Kosovo and Bosnia.

Body Farm alumni have probed many of the world’s trouble spots. William Rodriguez, chief deputy for special investigations with the U.S. Armed Forces Medical Examiner in Washington, D.C., led the U.S. medical team into Kosovo just after last year’s armistice. It looked at 300 victims from two different regions and provided the War Crimes Tribunal with evidence for the initial indictments against Slobodan Milosevic. “Most of the remains were in an advanced state of decomposition,” says Rodriguez, who earned his Ph.D. from UT in 1984 and remains in weekly contact with his mentor Bass   …  Without Bass and the accumulated research from the Body Farm, Rodriguez told NEWSWEEK, “I couldn’t have answered well over 50 percent of those questions.”

Other references of Dr. William Bass as being the founder of The Body Farm, not co-founder

1. Slippery Rock University of PA: Forensic Anthropologist, Founder of ‘Body Farm’ Dr. Bill Bass to Lecture on Criminal Investigations.
2. Herald Citizen, 9/2/10 – Body Farm founder to talk in Livingston this week
3. Volunteer TV, 2/8/11- Body farm founder raises money for Anthropology students
4. UT – Knoxville – Bill Bass, forensic anthropologist and founder of the Body Farm, will talk about his book, “The Devil’s Bones and Other Stories,” at 2 p.m., Sunday Feb. 17.
5. Cleveland Daily Banner: ‘Body Farm’ founder discusses importance of UT research site

What’s in a Wiki and can they be trusted as fact? The Magic 8-Ball says that signs point to “No”. In doing serches on line, we cannot find one place prior to yesterday’s trial where there is a reference that William Rodriguez was a co-founder of The Body Farm, except in a Wiki that was edited in 2010 by an IP from MD.  Interestingly enough, Dr. William Bass’ WIKI states that he is the FOUNDER of the Body Farm.

William M. Bass is a U.S. forensic anthropologist, renowned for his research on human osteology and human decomposition. He has also assisted federal, local, and non-US authorities in the identification of human remains. He taught at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and though currently retired from teaching, still plays an active research role at the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, which he founded.

Then we look at the Body Farm WIKI, or the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility which states that it was started by was started in late 1971 by anthropologists William M. Bass and Bill Rodriguez. However, there appears to have been an edit made in the Wiki in 2010.

The University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, better known as the Body Farm and sometimes seen as the Forensic Anthropology Facility,[1] was started in late 1971 by anthropologists William M. Bass and Bill Rodriguez as a facility for study of the decomposition of human remains. It is located a few miles from downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, behind the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Click HERE or on pic for larger image

There is an extensive article from TruTV on the Body Farm and Dr. Bass’ efforts in dreaming up, implementing and founding the Body Farm. For those interested in forensic science, this is a fantastic and informative read as to what the Body Farm is all about. However, there is a lack of William Rodriguez’s name in the chapter after chapter of reading.

Check out the VIDEO below from 2007 from The Body Farm with both forensic anthropologist  William Bass and forensic entomologist Neal Haskell, Ph.D., M.S.

We have a question into the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility as to whether William C. Rodriguez was a co-founder of the Body farm. We shall await their answer; however, from what is presently available, it would seem like a slight embellishment at best. Would an individual, William C. Rodriguez III, who got their undergraduate degree in the 1980′s be a co-founder when according to the VIDEO below, Dr. Bass discusses the concepts and the beginning of  the Body Farm started in 1971.

This would seem like something that maybe the State and prosecutor Jeff Ashton might want to ask William C. Rodriguez about. One would think that of you were the co-founder of such a prestigious forensic science facility like the Body Farm, it would be referenced everywhere and when Bill Bass’ name is listed it would say, co-founder as well. One would think. However, putting up fences and pouring concrete does not a co-founder make. That would be a laborer and student who was helping out, hardly a co-founder. If Mr. Rodriguez did more, we would really like to see it. if not, Jeff Ashton best object to “Bolstering”.

By the way, where is the MSM in all this? Stop showing videos of individuals beating each other up waiting in line for the Casey Anthony trial and misinforming the public that Werner Spitz did some type of great job by dropping unsubstantiated BS bombshells when he was destroyed by the prosecution on cross and investigate whether there is some embellishments going on here. Inquiring minds want to know.

Hat Tip for contributions to Post: TurboThink, Klaas