Frank-Bender-Obituary

Frank Bender

Obituary

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Frank Bender, a Philadelphia artist whose forensic sculptures helped capture criminals and identify victims of violent crime, has died at age 70.

Bender had been diagnosed with cancer last year and died at home Thursday, according to longtime friend and colleague William Fleisher.

Bender used skulls from decomposed bodies as the basis for re-creating faces of unknown victims.

Among his successes was the case of 18-year-old Rosella Atkinson, whose then-unidentified remains were found behind a city ball field in 1988. Police asked for Bender's help, and his bust led Atkinson's aunt to put a name to the face. Atkinson's killer confessed in 2005.

"This is my art, representing these people that can't represent themselves anymore," Bender told The Associated Press in a 2001 interview.

At that time, he estimated he had created about 40 busts of victims.

Bender got his start in 1976 while taking classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. A friend gave him access to the city morgue to study anatomy and, as Bender looked over one badly decomposed body, he told his friend that he knew what she looked like. A coroner overheard the conversation and challenged Bender to prove it.

Bender's sculpture of the woman helped identify her as Anna Duval, a 62-year-old from Phoenix whose body had been found near the Philadelphia airport. Years later, a man was convicted of killing Duval after stealing her profits from a house sale.

Bender also made busts envisioning how fugitives might age.

His sculpture of John List, accused of killing five family members in New Jersey in 1971, was featured on "America's Most Wanted" in 1989. The artwork led to List's arrest 11 days later in Virginia, where he had been living under an alias. List was later convicted and died in prison.

Bender also helped start The Vidocq Society, a Philadelphia group that tries to solve cold cases. Society co-founder William Fleisher told the AP on Friday that Bender was a free spirit and a Renaissance man with a "God-given talent."

"On a professional level, there's nobody that does what he did," Fleisher said.


Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press

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Frank will be remembered for his talent which he used to help others in a time of need. Im amazed his artistic ability ,and it is inspiring to me personally to achieve success as he did.

My heartfelt thanks for all you did to help so many others, especially the victims and their loved ones. Without you and your amazing gifts, they'd still be restless spirits, both those looking for their robbed identities, and their loved ones left not knowing where they were. You will always be remembered for what you've done and who you were. You were one of a kind, whose exact like we'll never see again. I was saddened to hear not only that such important gifts as yours were taken from the...

Thank You Frank for your willingness to give of yourself to simply help others, .......

I have just read Ted Botha's "Girl with The Crooked Nose" and feel privileged to have gained some insight of an extraordinary man and his wife. May they rest in peace, and Thank you for lives well-lived.

I didn't know Frank , but heard of his amazing talent from a distant relative a few days ago. In search of my ancestors I find her and she shared Franks story with me. Not only was I fascinated with his work but learned my father and he shared the same name. I don't know if there is a connection but I felt compelled to honor such a special man.. Thank you Frank for helping so many find peace. Your talent will live on in others and because of you the peace that comes from your Legacy will...

Frank was a dear friend of mine.... A long time ago.... His work was amazing, but I most remember him for the awesome remote control helicopter, he gifted me, that got my butt thrown off my horse! Darn you Frank.... You were one of a kind... and I would bit the dust a million more time for you.... With love, Stephanie Bichara... PS: I cannoot remember you lovely lady friend's name but her personlity and spirit remains alive in my memory, as well as yours!

I saw several of his works featured on America's Most wanted. Truly a man with great talents. One day we will be able to say these words, "Death is swallowed up forever. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”

What a GREAT MAN!!! We are left with a huge void. I am so sorry... He helped start the Vidocq Society which re-opens cold murder cases and tries to solve them.
HUGE LOSS to all of us ... JJ