Chp. 2

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Chp. 2

• The Crime Scene
• Part II

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Please Do Now

• State 4 factors that determine how a crime
  scene is searched?
• State 4 things that an investigator might be
  looking for at a crime scene.
• Please list them in your
• composition book.

Photohttp//www.usatoday.com/news/health/2002-10-
30-evidence-usat_x.htm
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CRIME SCENE SEARCH PATTERNS

• How to conduct a crime scene search depends on

1. Location of the scene
2. Time of day / weather
3. Type of crime
4. Details concerning events of the crime
5. Number of people available for the search
6. Available equipment

• One person should supervise and coordinate the
  
• collection of evidence

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TYPES OF CRIME SCENE SEARCH PATTERNS

• Line or strip method best in large, outdoor
  scenes
• Grid method basically a double-line search
  effective, but time-consuming
• Zone method most effective in houses or
  buildings teams are assigned small zones for
  searching
• Wheel or ray method best on small, circular
  crime scenes
• Spiral method may move inward or outward best
  used where there are no physical barriers

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VEHICLE SEARCHES

• Hit-and-run cases
• Outside and undercarriage of car are examined
• Look for cross-transfer of evidence between car
  and victim (blood, tissue, hair, fibers, fabric
  impressions, pain, broken glass,)
• Homicide, burglary, kidnapping
• All areas of the vehicle, inside and outside, are
  searched

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Common Types of Physical Evidence
On a whiteboard list 10 types of physical
evidence.

• Blood, Semen Saliva
• Documents
• Drugs
• Explosives
• Fibers

• Fingerprints
• Firearms Ammunition
• Glass
• Hair
• Impressions

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Common Types of Physical Evidence

• Organs Physiological Fluids
• Paint
• Petroleum Products
• Plastic Bags
• Powder Residues

• Serial Numbers
• Soil and Minerals
• Tool Marks
• Vehicle Lights
• Wood Vegetative Matter

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WHAT EVIDENCE SHOULD BE COLLECTED?

• Body
• Blood
• Hair
• Fibers
• Clothing
• Fingernail scrapings

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EVIDENCE FROM A BODY

• The search for physical evidence extends beyond
  the crime scene to the autopsy room of a deceased
  victim.
• Medical examiner or coroner carefully examines
  the victim to establish a cause and manner of
  death.
• As a matter of routine, tissues and organs will
  be retained for pathological and toxicological
  examination.
• Arrangements must be made between the examiner
  and investigator to secure a variety of items
  that may be obtainable from the body for
  laboratory examination.

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EVIDENCE FROM A BODY

• The following are collected and sent to the
  forensic laboratory
• 1. Victims clothing
• 2. Fingernail scrapings
• 3. Head and pubic hairs
• 4. Blood (for DNA typing purposes)
• 5. Vaginal, anal, and oral swabs (sex crimes)
• 6. Recovered bullets from the body
• 7. Hand swabs from shooting victims
• (for gunshot residue analysis)

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COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• One individual should be designated as the
  evidence collector to ensure that the evidence is
  collected, packaged, marked, sealed, and
  preserved in a consistent manner
• Each item must be placed in a separate container,
  sealed, and labeled
• Most fragile is collected and packaged first
• Different types of evidence require specific or
  special collection and packaging techniques
• The body is the property of the coroner or
  medical examiner. The collection of evidence on
  the body is done by that department.

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What evidence can you find?
A styrofoam cup and a Sprite? Bottle (each
circled). Also one shoe and what may be a cub
scout cap.
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COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• Integrity of evidence must be maintained (prevent
  physical evidence from changing on its way to the
  crime lab)
• Changes could occur through
• Contamination
• Breakage
• Evaporation
• Accidental scratching
• Bending
• Loss through improper or
• careless packaging

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COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• Do NOT remove evidence (such as blood, hair,
  fibers, soil particles,etc.) adhering to clothes,
  weapons, or other articles
• Send the entire object to the lab for processing
• If evidence is sticking to an object in a
  precarious way, then it might have to be removed
  and packaged

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COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• A detective holds the pliers found in Scott
  Petersons fishing boat. The hair seen stuck to
  the end of the pliers is the sole piece of
  physical evidence presented by the prosecution.

http//www.search.com/reference/Scott_Peterson
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COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE
Blood evidence found on pants
Note If bloodstained material is stored in
airtight containers, moisture buildup may
encourage mold growth, which can destroy
evidential value of blood.
http//www.wksu.org/news/story/20391
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PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• Each different item or similar items collected at
  different locations must be placed in separate
  containers. Packaging evidence separately
  prevents damage through contact and prevents
  cross-contamination.
• The well-prepared evidence collector will arrive
  at a crime scene with a large assortment of
  packaging materials and tools ready to encounter
  any type of situation.

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PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• Forceps and similar tools may have to be used to
  pick up small items.
• Unbreakable plastic pill bottles with pressure
  lids are excellent containers for hairs, glass,
  fibers, and various other kinds of small or trace
  evidence.
• Alternatively, manila envelopes, screw-cap glass
  vials, or cardboard pillboxes are adequate
  containers for most trace evidence encountered at
  crime sites.
• Ordinary mailing envelopes should not be used as
  evidence containers because powders and fine
  particles will leak out of their corners.

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PACKAGING EVIDENCE

• Small amounts of trace evidence can also be
  conveniently packaged in a carefully folded
  paper, using what is known as a druggist fold.
• Although pill bottles, vials, pillboxes, or
  manila envelopes are good universal containers
  for most trace evidence, two frequent finds at
  crime scenes warrant special attention.
• If bloodstained materials are stored in airtight
  containers, the accumulation of moisture may
  encourage the growth of mold, which can destroy
  the evidential value of blood.
• In these instances, wrapping paper, manila
  envelopes, or paper bags are recommended
  packaging materials.

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PACKAGING

• Most items should be packaged in a primary
  container and then placed inside a secondary one.
  These are then placed inside other containers
  such as paper bags, plastic bags, canisters,
  packets and envelopes depending on the type and
  size of the evidence.

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Please Do Now

• What is chain of custody?
• Why is it important?
• Please answer in your composition book.

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CHAIN OF CUSTODY

• Chain of CustodyA list of all persons who came
  into possession of an item of evidence.
• Continuity of possession, or the chain of
  custody, must be established whenever evidence is
  presented in court as an exhibit.

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CHAIN OF CUSTODY

• Adherence to standard procedures in recording the
  location of evidence, marking it for
  identification, and properly completing evidence
  submission forms for laboratory analysis is
  critical to chain of custody.
• EVERY person who handled or examined the evidence
  and where it is at all times must be accounted
  for.

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CHAIN OF CUSTODY

• There must be a written record of all people who
  have had possession of an item of evidence.
• A minimum record would show
• Collectors initials
• Location of evidence
• Date of collection
• If evidence is turned over to another person,
  this transfer MUST be recorded in notes and other
  appropriate forms

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CRIME SCENE RECONSTRUCTION

• Stages
• Data collection
• Hypothesis formation
• Examination, testing and analysis
• Determination of the significance of the evidence
• Theory formulation

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OBTAINING REFERENCE SAMPLES

• Standard/Reference SamplePhysical evidence whose
  origin is known, such as blood or hair from a
  suspect, that can be compared to crime-scene
  evidence.
• The examination of evidence, whether it is soil,
  blood, glass, hair, fibers, and so on, often
  requires comparison with a known
  standard/reference sample.

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OBTAINING REFERENCE SAMPLES

• When forensic scientists examine DNA in the lab,
  each sample appears as a unique sequence of dark
  bars.
• Patterns of bars are compared to find a match.
• In the hypothetical example shown here, which
  suspect left some DNA at the crime scene?

2
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OBTAINING REFERENCE SAMPLES

• Autoradiograph from an actual rape case showing
  the DNA profiles for one VNTR locus.
• The lanes marked "M" show a "ladder" of DNA
  fragments of known sizes.
• These are loaded onto the gel to provide an
  internal ruler--allowing the sizes of the VNTR
  alleles to be estimated more accurately.
• Is there a match?

YES, the DNA profile of defendant 1 and forensic
sample.
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INVESTIGATORS

• The wise forensic investigator will always
  remember that he must bring all of his life
  experiences and logic to find the truth. This
  means common sense, informed intuition, and the
  courage to see things as they are. Then he must
  speak honestly about what it adds up to.
• Dr. Henry Lee
• Chief Emeritus for Scientific Services and
  the
• former Commissioner of Public Safety for the
  state of Connecticut

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Submit Evidence to Lab

• Evidence submitted to lab in person or by mail
  shipment
• Usually an evidence submission form accompanies
  the evidence (see p. 57)
• Specify the type of examination is needed for the
  evidence
• New evidence may be uncovered during the
  examination
• Include a list of evidence submitted on the
  evidence submission form

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MURDER SCENE
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MURDER SCENENed Doheny, Feb. 16, 1929

• What do you see?
• Ned Doheny, son of oil magnate Edward Doheny,
  lies dead in the foreground the body of his
  friend and assistant Hugh Plunkett is in the
  hallway beyond. Los Angeles authorities
  immediately blamed Plunkett in the murder-suicide

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Nicole Simpson / Ron Goldmanmurder scene, June
12, 1994
www.cnn.com
http//wordpress.com/tag/our-blood/feed/
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THE CORPSE

• The way I see it, being dead is not terribly
  far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of
  your time is spent lying on your back. The brain
  has shut down. The flesh begins to soften.
  Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected
  of you.
• Mary Roach. Stiff. W. W. Norton
  Company. 2003

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MURDER SCENE

• Most important piece of evidence is the victims
  body
• Forensic pathologist
• May be aided by
• Forensic anthropologists
• Forensic entomologists
• Forensic pathology study of medicine as it
  relates to the application of the law, especially
  criminal law

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FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST

• Forensic Pathology involves the investigation of
  unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths.
• Forensic pathologists in their role as medical
  examiners or coroners are charged with
  determining cause of death.
• The forensic pathologist may conduct an autopsy
  which is the medical dissection and examination
  of a body in order to determine the cause of
  death.

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MEDICAL EXAMINER AND THE CORONER

• Medical examiner a medical doctor, usually a
  pathologist and is appointed by the governing
  body of the area. There are 400 forensic
  pathologists throughout the U.S.
• Coroner an elected official who usually has no
  special medical training. In four states, the
  coroner is a medical doctor.

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MEDICAL EXAMINERS RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identify the deceased
• Establish the time and date of death
• Determine a medical cause of deaththe injury or
  disease that resulted in the person dying
• Determine the mechanism of deaththe
  physiological reason that the person died
• Classify the manner of death
• Natural
• Accidental
• Suicide
• Homicide
• Undetermined
• Notify the next of kin

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FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST

• 4 broad determinations to be made
• Cause of Death medical diagnosis denoting
  disease or injury
• Mechanism of Death altered physiology by which
  disease/injury produces death (arrhythmia,
  exsanguination)
• Manner of Death
• 1. Homicide 3. Accidental 5.
  Undetermined
• 2. Suicide 4. Natural Causes
• D. Time of Death

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NATURE OF DEATH
One can die of a massive hemorrhage (the
mechanism of death) due to a gun shot wound
through the head (cause of death) as a result of
being shot (homicide), shooting yourself
(suicide), dropping a gun and it discharging
(accident), or not being able to tell which
(undetermined). All of which are manners of
death.
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CAUSE and MANNER OF DEATH

• Autopsy medical dissection and examination of
  body to determine the cause of death

• Manner of death video
• 1. Natural
• 2. Homicide Click to see the real CSI
  Crime Autopsy
• 3. Suicide
• 4. Accidental
• 5. Undetermined

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THE BODY FARM
Click to See video
Video 2
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THE BODY FARM
3 acres of land owned by the University of
Tennessee
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THE BODY FARM
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THE BODY FARM
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
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THE BODY FARM
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ESTIMATING TIME OF DEATH

• Can estimate time of death from
• body temperature (algor mortis)
• estimate 98.4 oF rectal temp X 1 hour
• 1.5F
• insect action (forensic entomology)
• stomach contents (stage of digestion)
• last known activity (last sighting,
  newspaper/mail)
• normal postmortem change

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ALGOR MORTISThe Temperature of Death

• Loss of heat by a body (a general rule, beginning
  about an hour after death, the body loses heat by
  1 to 1 1/2 degrees Fahrenheit per hour until the
  body reaches the environmental temperature).
• Due to lack of cellular respiration
• Temperature in 2 ways rectal and/or liver
  temperature
• Variables
• Environmental conditions
• Persons state of health at time of death
• Naked versus clothed bodies
• Lightening, electrocution and asphyxia

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ESTIMATING TIME OF DEATH
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RIGOR MORTISThe Stiffness of Death

• results in the shortening of muscle tissue and
  the stiffening of body parts in the position at
  death
• occurs within the first 24 hrs. and disappears
  within 36 hrs.
• Due to build up of lactic acid after respiration
  ceases

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RIGOR MORTIS

• Body warm not stiff less than 3 hours
• Body warm stiff 3-8 hours
• Body cool stiff 8-36 hours
• Body cool not stiff more than 36 hours

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LIVOR MORTISThe Color of Death

• (postmortem lividity) results in the settling of
  blood in areas of the body closest to the ground
  after heart stops
• begins immediately on death and continues up to
  12 hrs.

Latin livorbluish color mortisof death
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LIVOR MORTISThe Color of Death

• Lividity indicates the position of the body after
  death
• When lividity becomes fixed, then the
  distribution of the lividity pattern will not
  change even if the bodys position is altered.
• Lividity usually becomes fixed between 12- and 15
  hours after death

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LIVOR MORTIS
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DESICCATION
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After Death Processes

video

• Algor mortis
• Change in temperature after death
• Most useful indicator of the time of death during
  first 24 h
• Roughly 1.5ºC/hour
• Livor mortis
• Settling of blood in the body gives off a
  bluish-purple color
• Rigor mortis
• Stiffening of the muscles after death
• Autolysis
• Tissue breakdown by the body's own internal
  chemicals and enzymes
• Putrefaction
• The breakdown of tissues by bacteria. These
  processes release gases that are the chief source
  of the characteristic odor of dead bodies.
• Mummification
• Dehydration or desiccation of tissues
• Skeletonization
• Removal of soft tissue. Occurs largely as a
  result of insects and animals
• Adipocere
• Formation of a waxy substance due to the
  hydrogenation of body fat. A moist, anaerobic
  environment is required for the formation of
  adipocere.

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POTASSIUM EYE FLUID MEASUREMENT

• After death, red blood cells break open and
  potassium enters the (ocular) vitreous fluid
  slowly.
• The potassium level rises predictably after death

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PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

• Dr. Michael M. Baden is a renowned pathologist
  and was the Chief Medical Examiner in NY City and
  for Suffolk County.
• Dr. Baden was on the panel that investigated the
  assassinations of president John F. Kennedy and
  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has been involved
  as an expert in forensic pathology in many cases
  of international interest including
• The remains of Tsar Nicholas of Russia and his
  family
• The Claus Von Bulow murder trial
• Expert witness for the defense in the O.J.
  Simpson trial
• Re-autopsy of Medgar Evers, Civil Rights leader
• Re-examination of the Lindberg Kidnapping and
  murder
• Autopsies of the victims of TWA Flight 800
• Dr. Baden is the host of HBOs Autopsy series and
  is featured on many of the crime talk shows.

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MORE INFORMATION

• For additional information on crime scene
  investigation, check out Court TVs Crime
  Library
• www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/crime
  scene/5.html
• On Michael Baden and the autopsy
• www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/autop
  sy/1.html

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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY

• concerned primarily with the identification and
  examination of human skeletal remains

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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
Gender ?
male
female
male
female
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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
Race ?
White
African American
Native American
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Please Do Now
Explain this sign.
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FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY

• Jerry Butler, entomology professor with the
  University of Florida's Institute of Food and
  Agricultural Sciences, examines Hairy Maggot Blow
  fly larvae retrieved from a murder victim.
• Butler, one of only five forensic entomologists
  in Florida and about 100 worldwide, uses larvae
  to help police establish the time and place of
  death.

AP photoThomas Wright, University of Florida/IFAS
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FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY

• study of insects and their relation to a
  criminal investigation, commonly used to estimate
  the time of death.

Maggots eating a dead cow
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FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
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FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
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ESTIMATING TIME OF DEATH
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