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By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Forensic artist Chun Yee, above left, gets ready to put
a wig over a skull he reconstructed. Part of the actual skull
is visible, overlaid with clay from behind.

Forensic artist
rebuilds man’s head

By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

With clay and a skull, a Honolulu police forensic artist has reconstructed the head of a middle-aged man whose bones were found in a Puna cinder cone last August.

A forensic anthropologist determined the skeletal remains, in the ground for about five years, belonged to a Caucasian man in his mid-30s to mid-40s. Police said there were no signs of foul play.

Hilo police hope someone will recognize the facial reconstruction and identity the person whose bones were unearthed by a bulldozer quarrying in the Opihikao area. No matches with missing persons cases were found.

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Yee combs the hair of the reconstructed skull.

Hilo police Detective Glenn Uehana said the remains were found near the Waokele Forest Reserve, where residents suspected marijuana cultivation.

The remains include the partial skull, a foot, pelvic bones, leg bones, an arm, a wrist and three vertebrae.

Because part of the jaw was missing, forensic artist Chun Yee said the reconstruction took 2 months, longer than usual. While none of the man's teeth was found, one side of his dentures was recovered, allowing Yee to determine the thickness of the lips.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Glenn Uehana, Hilo Criminal Investigation Section, (808) 961-2386.