Moss may not be the first thing that most investigators would check for at a crime scene. However, a new forensic review reveals that fragments of moss as small as an eyelash can serve as a powerful tool in tracing potential suspects back to a specific location.
Despite more than a century of documented cases, moss remains an underutilized form of forensic evidence. The recent review, published in Forensic Sciences Research, brings together 150 years of criminal investigations in which mosses and related plants helped determine where a crime occurred, how long a body had been buried, or whether a suspect’s account matched the landscape.
Fundamentally, the authors claim that law enforcement agencies often miss this potentially useful evidence simply because they do not know how to recognize it.
Moss as a Forensic Tool
Moss belongs to a group of plants called bryophytes. Unlike most plants, they do not have true roots, stems, seeds, or vascular tissue. They take in water and nutrients straight from their environment, making them very sensitive to small changes in moisture, light, soil, and air.
“Because they’re so small, they have all sorts of microhabitats,” said Matt von Konrat, head of botanical collections at the Field Museum and corresponding author of the study. “Even if an area overall seems to be one sort of habitat, they can find a spot that works for them in the shade, or in the canopy, or even growing under the grasses.”
These characteristics allow forensic botanists to use moss fragments as biological markers of location. In some cases, this evidence can help investigators narrow down the location of a crime with remarkable precision.
A Century and a Half of Quiet Casework
Von Konrat and co-author Jenna Merkel reviewed 150 years of scientific papers and forensic case reports to understand how bryophytes have been used in past forensic investigations. Merkel started this research in 2024 while working on a master’s degree in forensic science at George Washington University.
The researchers found that there are only a few documented cases. The earliest was in 1929, when moss growing on skeletal remains helped investigators estimate how long the person had been dead. Since then, only about ten more cases have been formally reported in countries including Finland, Sweden, Italy, China, and the United States.
In each case, moss provided information about location, burial conditions, or the time since death. The authors suggest that the small number of cases is due to a lack of awareness rather than a lack of usefulness.
“With our paper, we wanted to highlight the significance of botanical evidence,” von Konrat said. “Chances are, investigators are simply overlooking it because they don’t know what they’re looking at.”
The Case That Changed the Field
The review also includes the first detailed scientific account of a case von Konrat worked on more than ten years ago, showing how precise moss-based evidence can be.
In 2011, a father killed his infant daughter and hid her body in northern Michigan. Investigators later found microscopic plant fragments in his shoes. In 2013, von Konrat led a team of botanists and volunteers to survey the area, recording the types of grasses, trees, and mosses found in several counties.
“There are hundreds of species of moss and dozens of species of grasses and trees living in that area,” von Konrat said. “But based on the bits of moss, we knew what sort of microhabitat we were looking for.”
Upon analyzing the plant fragments, the team reduced the possible burial area from seven counties to about 50 square feet. In a later police interview, the father confirmed that this was where he had buried his daughter.
A Tool With Growing Potential
“Plants, and specifically bryophytes, represent an overlooked yet powerful source of forensic evidence that can help investigators link people, places, and events,” Merkel said.
The researchers note that while forensic botany does not replace DNA analysis or standard investigative methods, it does provide an extra layer of evidence. This can be especially useful in rural areas, cold cases, or cases involving buried remains.
Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and a Data Analytics certification. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.