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Panama's forensic institute buried 142 unidentified bodies in first half of 2026
🇵🇦 Panama /Crime & Justice

Panama's forensic institute buried 142 unidentified bodies in first half of 2026

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Panama's Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf) buried 142 unidentified bodies and remains in the first half of 2026.
  • The inhumations included skeletal remains, adult bodies, human products, fetuses, and foreign nationals, addressing morgue overcrowding.
  • An internal audit revealed administrative deficiencies, including supplier debts, insufficient lab supplies, and expired leases, prompting consideration of a new facility.

Panama's Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf) conducted 142 inhumations between January and June 2026 to address the accumulation of unidentified bodies and remains in judicial morgues.

That is to say, a total of 142 inhumations have been made this year.

— Abdiel Abel Rentería RamosThe director of the Imelcf stated the total number of inhumations performed in the first half of 2026.

The total number of burials included 64 sets of skeletal remains, 42 adult bodies, 32 human products (fetuses), and four foreign nationals. Imelcf Director Abdiel Abel Rentería Ramos presented these figures, noting that overcrowding and a large number of unidentified bodies are persistent issues within the forensic system. The institute's morgues currently have capacity for bodies related to violent incidents and other cases requiring forensic investigation. In El Real, Darién province, unidentified migrant remains also await legal procedures and potential family identification before their final disposition.

During a press conference, Rentería Ramos also disclosed findings from an internal audit that highlighted significant administrative shortcomings. These included outstanding debts to suppliers from previous fiscal periods, a lack of essential reagents and supplies for laboratories, and expired lease contracts. The audit also identified pending obligations related to Panapass usage, traffic fines, vehicle damages, and a shortage of necessary equipment for forensic work.

Overcrowding and the presence of a large number of unidentified bodies in the morgues constitute known problems within the forensic system.

— Abdiel Abel Rentería RamosThe director acknowledged the challenges faced by the institute regarding morgue capacity and unidentified remains.

In response to these limitations, the Imelcf is exploring the possibility of constructing a new, dedicated building to consolidate its operations and enhance its forensic capacity. However, the director did not provide details regarding the cost, location, or timeline for this proposed facility.

Regarding the audit, debt was found with suppliers corresponding to expired fiscal years, insufficiency of reagents and supplies for laboratories, expired lease contract, pending obligations in Panapass cases and traffic fines.

— Abdiel Abel Rentería RamosThe director detailed some of the findings from the internal audit.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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