"Every Contact Leaves a Trace".
- Locard's exchange principle
"Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more, bear mute witness against him.
This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence.
Physical evidence cannot be wrong, it cannot perjure itself, it cannot be wholly absent. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value."
-Professor Edmond Locard
(1877-1966)
On September 9th 2006 an unidentified human skull was located in San Jose. The skull was discovered near Alviso in the Don Edwards Wildlife refuge.
Unearthed Native American skull. Forensic pathologists estimate the skull top be over 1000 years old. The skull was unearthed by a San Jose resident living in the Rosegarden area, January 2006.