Forensic Artist & Artwork
One of my first artistic dreams and what spurred me into continuing my education when I was employed with Clay County Sheriff's Office was to learn Forensic Art, why? Because I was an artist, and being employed at a county agency I felt I was in the best position to help people. Through persistence in continuing my artistic talents, putting myself through college, no matter the difficulties of pushing past my learning disabilities, and celebrating the day I achieved my associate's degree was my first dream come true. Then to tackle the next step in taking classes with the FBI's Facial Reconstruction Class, which I was able to achieve in 2006. Graduation from Flagler College in Public Administration in 2009 was the cherry on top of my personal goals in life. Hard work, the pursuit of knowledge, creative drive, and the drive to become a forensic artist is what turned my dream into a reality. Afterward, my granny says, "you got your persistence from me". I sure did!
I was able to assist the eyewitness/victims of crimes through composite drawings, computer age progression of children missing, or regression as in the case of Benjamin Kyle. I created these age regressions for Mr. Kyle for a recent Dr. Phil Show that aired in October 2008. The project came through Project EDAN (Everyone Deserves A Name). The current Mr. Kyle is on the left and I age regressed him to his mid-forties and his 30s for the show to stir interest and memories with the audience.
I have been extreemely lucky to assist Project EDAN and NamUS (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, launched in 2009, this website is where loved ones can search records for lost loved ones who may have passed away but have not been forgotten. I have assisted Jacksonville Medical Examiners Office and St Johns County Medical Examiners Office in trying to identify skeletal remains for cases since 2006. This process is extremely humbling as I hope for these family members to find their loved ones once again. Due to the case sensitivity most of my artwork is in the database. This case I'm showing you is from the St Johns County Police Department and assist in identifying a homeless man found in the marshes. The link to the case is online: https://www.wokv.com/news/local/augustine-police-asking-for-help-identifying-man-believed-have-died-2014/Tl8QTI7Krj0qFDFGeCOrOK/
The Case below is a case from Jacksonville Medical Examiners Office
This drawing of a partial postmortem sketch is due to the fact only the cranium was found and the sketch is the only thing able to be identified.
Postmortem work is extremely difficult because I am working with bones case facts and artistic liberties in hopes I am as accurate as possible. It isnt for the faint of heart and many times I am the very last living person this person encounters before the case is perminately closed and buried.
It is an honor to assist Law Enforcement and Investigators in identifying the deceased. If you know anyone who is missing or lost, please search www.namus.gov and help identify the deceased so they might go home.
Eyewitness a Drawings
Eyewitnesses come in many ways, most come from individuals of a crime and some are electronic eyewitnesses. These cases side by side were from a case in Clay County sometime in 2007 where the video was grainy but as an artist, I sketched the images seen by the video cameras into clear composites for investigations.
When I was being trained by the most amazing artists at the FBI academy, Horace Heffner and Karen Taylor who are outstanding in their field. They provided practices for fledgling forensic artists to practice portrait drawings and created numerous challenges, This image was one of them. They took half of a woman's face and mirror imaged it to the other side so it was an unusual blind drawing for the artist to work with. It was among one of my very first successes in training and where I felt this was what I was supposed to do in life with my creative talents.
Post Mortem Artwork
Bemjamin Kyle
Age Regression
hI created these age regressions for Mr Kyle for a recent Dr Phil Show that aired October 2008. The project came through Project EDAN (Everyone Deserves A Name). The current Mr Kyle is on the left and I age regressed him to his 40's and his 30's for the show to stir interest and memories with the audience. The link to the youtube of this episode is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nwpvh7E0Mc
While I do age progressions and age regressions its not very frequently I am requested but I am glad to assist.
If you or your agency would like to request my services, then I would be glad to assist you. Please feel free to contact me. My prices are reasonable!
Clay Restoration.
A long held cold case found its way to me in 2008, a skeleton found in Clay Hill that had been open over 20 years was brought to my attention. It was my first clay restoration since attending the FBI training and I was so careful to notice and create all the details according to the case file. The resemblance was similar to trigger memories and this young lady was identified as "Rose" and family was notified and the case continued to progress through the investigations unit. I have since made other clay restorations as additional trainings & artistic practices have made identification more sucessful in this area.
