A case in which a 'piece of moss' became a clue that tracked down the grave robber

At Burr Oak Cemetery in Illinois, investigators uncovered a grave-robbing scheme in which bodies were exhumed, moved, and burial plots resold.

A moss sample found with human remains was analyzed and shown to come from a different illegal dig site, not the discovery location.

The moss also indicated the burial was relatively recent, helping establish the timeline and support a 2015 conviction.

The case showed that even tiny plant evidence can identify a crime scene and link evidence to specific events, expanding forensic botany's use.