Solving Crime with Pollen
LSU Graduate, Forensic Palynologist In Running for Coveted Sammies Award
LSU alumna and noted palynologist Shannon Ferguson is a finalist for the 2020 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals People’s Choice, otherwise known as the Sammies. The Sammies, created in 2002 to highlight excellence in the federal workforce and inspire other talented and dedicated individuals to go into public service, are considered the Oscars of government service.
Ferguson earned a Ph.D. in geology at LSU under the direction of Sophie Warny, professor and head of LSU’s Center for Excellence in Palynology. She is currently a pollen analysis expert with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago. She shares her Sammies nomination with fellow palynologist Andrew Laurence. Award finalists include a number of other high achieving government officials including Dr. Anthony Fauci.
To most of us, pollen is that pesky powdery stuff that covers our cars and agitates our throats and eyes, but for Ferguson pollen spores can provide critical clues that could help law enforcement prove or disprove investigative and intelligence leads. This is exactly what she and Laurence did back in 2015 on the “Baby Doe” case.
On June 25, 2015, the remains of a baby girl were found in a trash bag on the shore of Boston’s Deer Island. The body was unable to be identified and the investigation quickly came to an impasse. This is when the Boston police contacted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to ask for a pollen analysis of evidence found both on and with the body. These spores were sent to the head palynologist of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Andrew Laurence and his then-intern Shannon Ferguson. The team vacuumed the clothing samples and did a chemical wash of the victim’s hair to try to remove pollen grains from it. It then took them about two weeks to process the pollen and write the report.
According to The Boston Globe, “[The victim] was dusted with traces of privet hedges and cedar-of-Lebanon, which are not native but are often planted in the suburbs. The soot mixed in with the pollen told investigators her surroundings were urban. Somewhere near Boston, they concluded.”
Their pollen analysis determined that “Baby Doe” was actually a local child, and in September of that same year, thanks in part to the assistance of Laurence and Ferguson, “Baby Doe” was given a name, Bella Bond. Bond was a two-year-old girl, who was struck multiple times by her mother’s boyfriend Michael McCarthy leading to her death. On June 26, 2017, the jury returned a guilty verdict for McCarthy of second-degree murder, and two days later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment; he will be eligible for parole in 2037. Her mother Rachelle Bond pleaded guilty on February 10, 2017, under a plea bargain where she would testify against McCarthy. She was credited with time served plus two years of probation. Although forensic palynology is currently not admissible in U.S. courts, it is still used for intelligence and investigative leads.
Forensic palynology uses pollen found on evidence to help narrow down where items have been. One common use for forensic palynology is in finding the origin of drugs shipped into the U.S. Palynologists might look at the pollen and other spores found with the drug. Palynologists analyze the unique properties of the main pollen types and the trees, grasses, and other materials that can be matched with the correct geographical location where the drug was processed. Their analysis can even determine the time of year that the cocaine was grown.
“Pollen is everywhere in the world and is, therefore, the perfect tool to figure out where someone or something was geographically that was otherwise unknown,” said Ferguson who encourages young scientists to explore palynology.
“Palynology is a wonderful discipline for someone who enjoys thinking outside the box and paying attention to the details. Be prepared to never stop learning as well. You will not grow bored of the discipline. Also, the palynologist community is truly international and is made up of very supportive individuals. I couldn’t wish for a better bunch of scientists to know and be a part of.”
Sammies awards are divided into six medal categories. Ferguson and Laurence are finalists in the Emerging Leaders category, which highlights young federal employees who have made an important contribution early in their professional career.
“Being a Sammies finalist has been a wonderful help in getting the word out about forensic palynology to U.S. law enforcement and shows that our work is important. The more people who know about palynology then the more cases we can provide valuable intelligence for. Being able to do something positive in this world is important to both Andy [Laurence] and me,” said Ferguson.