Name: A forensic anthropologist who brings closure for the "disappeared"
Uploaded: 2015-01-08T15:56:50Z
Duration: 8 min 31 s
Description: In Guatemala's 36-year conflict, 200,000 civilians were killed — and more than 40,000 were never identified. At the Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala, Fredy Peccerelli and his team use DNA, archeology and storytelling to help families find the bodies of their loved ones. It's a sobering task, but it can bring peace of mind — and sometimes, justice. (Contains medical imagery.)

Fredy Peccerelli: A forensic anthropologist who brings closure for the "disappeared"

A forensic anthropologist who brings closure for the "disappeared"

In Guatemala's 36-year conflict, 200,000 civilians were killed — and more than 40,000 were never identified. At the Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala, Fredy Peccerelli and his team use DNA, archeology and storytelling to help families find the bodies of their loved ones. It's a sobering task, but it can bring peace of mind — and sometimes, justice. (Contains medical imagery.)

Guatemala’s 36-year conflict left 200,000 civilians dead and more than 40,000 still missing. The use of DNA and forensic anthropology is helping families identify remains found in mass graves and learn what happened to their loved ones. Most victims were Mayan, and the very institutions meant to protect civilians were responsible for much of the violence. This process not only provides closure to families but also creates evidence used in trials for crimes like genocide.