Chapter 8 death investigations

The primary goals of the investigation are

1. established whether death was caused by the criminal act or an omission of another

2. to determine who caused the death

In the case of Flippo v. Virginia

general “murder scene exception” to the search warrant requirement of the 4th amendment

The officer in the field seldom makes the initial discovery

Medically, death is determined by the cessation of three vital functions

1. heartbeat

2. respiration

3. brain activity

The homicide scene must be

secured, photographed, and sketched

Some states allow for the use of _ when no body is found

circumstatial evidence to the corpus delecti

investigators use technologies such as

1. ground penetrating radar

2. magnetometers

3. metal detectors

4. infrared thermograph

5. cadaver dogs

If identification cannot be made by relatives or acquantices or by personal effects, the most positive identification is by

finger print or DNA analysis

In addiction to the medical examiner, a recovery team should consist of…

1. forensic anthropologist

2. forensic odontologist

3. forensic entomologists

For an unknown victim, record a complete description and take photographs is possible you should…

1. check missing persons files

2. circulate the description and photographs

3. check for laundry marks or labels

If there are leads to who the victim might be, it can attempt identification by:

1. comparing dental charts

2. x-rays of prior fractures

3. examining signs of prior surgical procedures, such as scars or other abnormalities.

The period between death and corpse discovery is called the …

post mortem interval (PMI)

Forensic scientist have searched for a definitive method of determining time of death…

but at present, there is no single reliable method

A time of death that is …

less than one half hour before examination is the easiest determination to make

After death, the body tends to …

assume the temperature of its enviornment

Body temp. drops 2-3 degrees in the first hour and

1 ½ degress for each subsequent hour

Babies and the ages have …

little rigor

The body can remain rigid for…

approximately 3 days and diminishes after 36 hours

closely associated with rigor mortis is cadaveric spasm

occurs when victim is holding something at the time of death

A weapon is

tightly clutched in the victims hand

If a body is on its back lividity appears in the lower portion of …

the back and the legs

The stomach empties its contents 4 to 6 hours after a meal

The probability is that death took place at least …

12 or more hours after the latest meal

In general, decomposition is increased by

higher temperatures and decreased by lower temperatures

A forensic entomologist can examine various types of

insects to assist in estimating the time of death

Insects can detect a newly dead body odors from 2 miles away

A dead body usually sinks in water and remains immeresed for

8 to 10 days in warm water and 2 to 3 weeks in cool water

The main purpose of the corners or medical examiners office is to determine the

cause and manner of death

Before making the final determination tthe medical examiner

reads the police investigation reports to date

A bullet or pellets from any weapon produce a tract….

through the body that follows the angle

Most stabbing deaths are…

murders

The ligature marks caused by strangulation are normally …

evenly grooved and horizontal around the neck

Victims often know the person who killed them so…

information about the deceased can furnish leads

Nearly _ of all murders go unsolved creating cold cases

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