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Portraits sketch a story beyond the grave

Posted at 5:33 PM, Sep 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-25 20:33:20-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Painting or drawing the likeness of a person’s face can preserve that moment forever, but for one local artist, creating a portrait can also solve mysteries.

Over the last 10 years as a forensic sketch artist, PJ Puterbaugh has created the faces of some of San Diego’s most mysterious unidentified deaths.

To do this, she uses either a skull or a picture of the corpse.

Puterbaugh says her reward is getting a hit, knowing someone who died alone and unknown is going home.