Crime Scene Recovery

Search Strategies

Visual/Pedestrian Search: Walking along an area and looking for a body or any physical evidence that may indicate a crime has taken place; this method allows for a detailed examination of the surroundings, helping to uncover items that might easily be overlooked from a distance. Upturned dirt or different types of vegetation on a plot. (Clandestine Grave - Hidden Grave)

Scent Detection: K-9s and Cadaver dogs. They have a superior sense of smell and have the ability to detect the scent of fatty acids — a million times more sensitive than us. They are able to locate decomposition with this ability. Human remains are distinguished from other animals (different chemicals). Dogs are trained to not disturb the area, but to alert their trainer/handler to the spot.

Probes: If investigators have a sense of the specific location of a potential body or evidence, probes can be utilized to excavate the ground carefully, allowing for targeted recovery while minimizing disturbance to the surrounding area.

Metal Detectors: Is able to detect any metal based implants or metal accessories or weapon (bullets/knives).

Ground Penetrating Radar: Looks like a big lawn mower, sends signals into the Earth that can reflect open spaces/loose dirt. Kind of like a sonar radar system. GPR

IR Photography: Infrared photography captures thermal radiation emitted from objects, allowing investigators to identify variations in temperature that may indicate buried evidence or disturbed soil. If a body is recently deceased the body may give off some heat signatures. Environmental conditions impact body heat levels

Aerial Photography: See differences in vegetation and observe the ground from a different angle, which can reveal disturbances in the soil or changes in plant health that may suggest burial sites or areas of interest for further investigation.

Divers, underwater cameras: If someone is disposed in waterways or bodies of water, divers can help locate bodies in the water. Water changes the information investigators can retrieve from the bone.

Surface Bodies

If body is found, a perimeter is established and access is restricted.

  • Access is restricted due to evidence corruption and stealing evidence.

Photography is vital during this phase to document the scene as it was found, ensuring that all details are captured for future analysis and court presentation.

Clearing the area by removing vegetation (leaves and branches) and then lay out a grid

Screen dirt around the area and dig 6” below

Buried Bodies: Steel probe, above steps, and possible excavations

Srebrenica: Site of a significant mass grave, where numerous bodies were buried during the Bosnian War, requiring careful excavation and recovery efforts.

Robert Pickton - Pig Farmer Serial Killer: Known for murdering numerous women and disposing of their remains on his pig farm, Pickton's case highlights the complexities of crime scene recovery in rural settings, necessitating innovative methods for evidence retrieval. Demonstrates the type of people criminals may go after, marginalized communities.

Mapping - Plan View: Utilizing detailed aerial photography and ground surveys to create an accurate representation of the crime scene layout, facilitating more effective recovery operations and ensuring no potential evidence is overlooked. Allows you to keep a permanent display of how bodies/items interact with each other.

Establish a Datum: Fixed point to which all other objects or evidence must be referenced. Can use a house, utility pole, etc. Must be a single, well defined point and should be a higher elevation than the evidence. We can use GPS and have a known geographic location. Evidence numbers also are helpful in a scene

Chain of Custody

  • Continuous Evidence Tracking: Maintain continuous, uninterrupted documentation of evidence location and handler identity from initial collection at the crime scene, through transport, laboratory analysis, secure storage, and courtroom presentation. Every transfer of physical custody must be accompanied by a signed and dated Chain of Custody transfer form.

  • Secure Evidence Storage: Store evidence in dedicated, access-controlled vault facilities or property lockers.

    • Environmental controls must be maintained based on evidence type (e.g., refrigerated or freezer units for biological evidence to prevent DNA degradation, low-humidity storage for trace items).

    • Physical security measures include keycard logging, surveillance, and access restricted to primary evidence custodians.

  • Evidence Packaging and Tamper-Evident Sealing: Package evidence using container types tailored to the item (e.g., breathable paper bags for biological material to prevent mold growth, airtight glass or metal containers for arson accelerants).

    • Apply tamper-evident tape across package openings.

    • Mark across the tape seal with the collector's signature or initials, date, and time, ensuring any physical breach or opening is immediately detectable.

  • Access Restriction and Authorization: Restrict physical access strictly to authorized personnel, including primary investigators, forensic technicians, and designated evidence custodians. Maintain a permanent visitor log recording all entries, dates, times, and specific reasons for handling evidence.

  • Documentation of Testing and Analysis: Record all analytical procedures, handling, and sample consumption in detailed laboratory bench notes and logs.

    • Document any destructive testing that alters or consumes a portion of the sample.

    • Record the return of unused evidence portions to secure storage with updated timestamps, signatures, and condition reports to preserve legal admissibility in court.