Good Crime Scene Investigation: Death Scene Essay Example

1.) A thorough investigation into what occurred would require obtaining and analyzing samples from the victim as well as the physical surrounding. Evidence to be collected from the victim includes blood and other bodily fluids (spit). Samples from the physical environment include the collection of trace evidence (hair, skin, fibers, dust) from his clothing, his fingernails, the carpet, the floor and the towels, and bloodstain patterns need to be noted. Moreover, the whole room should be dusted for latent fingerprints. Additionally, the temperature of the room should be noted as well as the temperature of the body. The body should be examined for postmortem lividity (discoloration of the skin due to the pooling of blood in the dependent parts of the body) and rigidity (the stiffening of the body after death) (DOJ, 1999) . Any decomposition in the body or coagulation of blood should be noted.
The collection of this evidence is essential in helping to determine what occurred. Examination of blood and bodily fluids can identify who the victim is and what was his condition at the time of death. Analyzing blood may also identify if someone else was present. Fingerprints and trace evidence will be used to identify if anyone else was present when the victim died or what weapon might have been used. Bloodstain patterns help investigators understand the object that caused the bloodshed, what angle and distance it was used from and its impact. The temperature of the body and room and well as lividity, rigidity and signs of decomposition will help investigators determine the time of death.
2.) A preliminary evaluation of the crime scene based on the photograph suggests that the victim died from a knife or gunshot wound to the upper right portion of his body. There are no signs that the body was moved from another location such as a trail of blood; which makes it seem unlikely that the victim was “placed” in the location and that the place of death was the bathroom. The condition of the cabinet behind the victim (broken glass on the right side and disturbed items inside and on top in a leftward direction) suggests that the victim did not die peacefully but was in a struggle either with someone else or with himself. Moreover, the reflection in the mirror at the back of the cabinet shows that the back of his T-shirt is significantly soaked with blood. This suggested that the victim may have been lying on his right side for a while after he was injured. This is further supported by the blood stain to his pan and the lack of blood on his left side. His holding of the bunched up carpet suggests that he was clutching or grabbing it as he was dying. But this positioning seems to go against the idea of a struggle as suggested by the condition of the disturbed cabinet in the back. This is further corroborated by the fact that the toilet seat is down and none of the towels are disturbed. In conclusion, perhaps the scene was staged.
3.) The pathologist should be able to provide important information in helping solve the case such as what might have happened in relation to the movements of the victim just prior to death and what might have been the mechanism of the death. Accordingly, the primary request of the pathologists at the death scene would be to provide information as to the on the exact cause of death. Secondly, I would ask what the pathologist’s opinion is on the reconstruction of the scene. For instance, does the pathologist think that the victim died in the bathroom or at another location and moved to the bathroom at the likely time of death?
Later, once the evidence is collected and examined, I would look to the pathologist to provide any information as to: the likely time of the death; what the wounds tell us about the cause of death; and what type of instrument caused the sharp force trauma to the victim. I would also ask the pathologist to provide any information obtained through the examination of the blood and body fluids of the victim. For example, did the examination determine what, if any, chemicals, drugs or poisons were in the victim’s bloodstream prior to death? Some of the most useful information that a pathologist can provide concerns DNA. As the picture illustrates, there was a substantial amount of blood present at the death scene. I would request that the pathologist perform a DNA analysis of recovered samples of blood. The results of a DNA analysis can be used to compare with a sample of blood taken from any suspects, such as the wife, to see if they were present when the victim died.
4.) In addition to the samples collected as mentioned above, to gain a more complete picture of what happened more needs to be done. First, the wife will need to be re-interviewed to confirm the facts that she initially stated or give he the opportunity to add any additionally information that she has remembered. The wife’s fingerprints should also be obtained because, until proven otherwise, she is a potential perpetrator. Second, a canvass of the neighbors or anyone who might have been close by should be made to obtain as much information as possible about what happened. Perhaps a passerby saw someone enter the house or can corroborate the wife’s testimony that she went to the market. Third, all electronic devices and media such as the victim’s smartphone, laptop or home security needs to be gathered and examined as it might provide a link to what happened. Perhaps, he was on the phone when he died which could help investigators determine the time of death. Fourth, the toilet and bathtub need to be check to see if anything was flushed or washed away. Fifth, the cabinet needs to be checked for anything that might have been hidden or fallen behind the bottles.

References

Geberth, V.J. (2003, Nov.) The Homicide Crime Scene. Retrieved on March 13, 2015, from http://www.practicalhomicide.com/artices/HomCrimeSc.htm
Howell, J.M. (2001). Homicide Investigation Standard Operating Procedures. Retrieved on March 13, 2015, from http://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Free_Online_Documents/Homicide/homicide%20investigation%20standard%20operating%20procedures%201999.pdf
U.S. Department of Justice - DOJ. (1999, Nov.). Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator. Retrieved on March 13, 2015, from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/167568.pdf