The remains of Australian outlaw Ned Kelly removed recently from an unmarked grave have been positively identified by researchers using the latest DNA technology, 130 years after he was hanged for murder.
Scientists believe the post mortem carried out on the outlaw’s remains has revealed why Kelly had been able to evade capture for so many years.
The team led by leading pathologist Kitt Malden were shocked to discover that Kelly had no obvious cranial features at all, making a positive identification of Kelly when he was alive almost impossible. Kelly it seems, was born without a head.
Researchers say this could explain why Kelly was able to live a comparatively normal life, moving around from town to town virtually unnoticed , while at the same time being on Australia’s ‘most wanted’ list for the murder of three policemen.
‘It’s no wonder the police couldn’t put a face to the name’ said Malden from the VIMF ‘he didn’t have one. It would also explain why the rope kept slipping off when they tried to hang him’.
The DNA sample, taken from a relative who now lives in Melbourne threw up a direct match.
‘The tests took several months but we were fairly confident the two were blood relatives’ continued Malden ‘same hair, same bone structure, same size.....oh yeah and she didn’t have a head either which kinda convinced us we were onto something’.
Kelly is recognised as one of Australia’s most notorious criminals - many argue second only to Mick Jagger - following his woeful portrayal of the outlaw in the 1970 film of the same name.
‘It was impossible to tell who looked worst Ned or Mick...he may have spent the last 100 years rotting in the ground but Ned Kelly never looked this stiff....more like Grace Kelly’ was how one Australian headline described Jagger’s performance in the film.
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Ned Kelly definitely dead say scientists
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Gerontius
offlineMemberPosted 1 year ago # -
Stan Laurel
offlineMemberDNA? I thought he had been identified by the Prestige skillet still jammed onto his skull.
Posted 1 year ago #
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