Chapter 8 Death Investigations Hess 8-1

Introduction Statistically, murder is the least significant of the violent crimes Receives extensive media attention May appear as if this crime is occurring more frequently, but it is actually declining Males are most often the victims and the perpetrators in homicides Males are 10 times more likely to commit murder than are females Hess 8-2

CATEGORIES OF DEATH Natural Accidental Suicide Homicide  Criminal  Noncriminal Degrees of murder Hess 8-3 Classification of Deaths

OVERVIEW Premeditation Intent Heat of passion Culpable negligence or depravity Negligence Hess 8-4 Elements of the Crime

ISSUES WITH HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Pressure by the media and the public Difficulty in establishing it was a homicide Identifying the victim Establishing the cause and time of death Hess 8-5 Challenges in Investigation

INTERPRETATION Homicide, suicide or accidental death Sudden in-custody deaths (SICD) Intentionally vague facts Posing and staging Hess 8-6 Equivocal Death

OVERVIEW Often presents as a homicide Reason for an apparent suicide must be determined Observable signs of depression Preserve all evidence until the medical examiner rules whether the death is a suicide Hess 8-7 Suicide

SUICIDE BY POLICE Wants to die but does not want to pull trigger The shooting officer may suffer emotionally SUICIDE OF POLICE OFFICERS About 97 percent involve their own duty weapon Rate is higher than general population Hess 8-8 Suicide

DETERMINING THAT DEATH HAS OCCURRED Heartbeat Respiration Brain activity SECURING AND DOCUMENTING THE SCENE Scene must be secured, photographed and sketched Hess 8-9 Preliminary Investigation of Homicide

COLLECTING AND MOVING THE BODY Move the body carefully Slide a sheet under the body to catch evidence FOCUS OF THE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION Specificity Element of surprise Haste Hess 8-10 Preliminary Investigation of Homicide

DISCOVERING THE VICTIM No body in some cases Various technologies used IDENTIFYING THE VICTIM Spouse, parent, friend or relative Fingerprints, DNA Dental records Hess 8-11 The Homicide Victim

RECENT DEATH Normally the easiest determination to make DEATH ONE-HALF HOUR TO FOUR DAYS PRIOR Body temperature Rigor mortis Postmortem lividity Partial restriction of pupils Preserve any vomit Hess 8-12 Estimating the Time of Death (TOD)

MANY DAYS AFTER DEATH Decomposition 30 isolated compounds EFFECTS OF WATER Dead body usually sinks in water Unrestricted will rise to surface Hess 8-13 Estimating the Time of Death (TOD)

FACTORS SUGGESTING CHANGE IN ROUTINE Check telephone calls Check dates on mail Expiration dates on food Determine all facts to estimate TOD Hess 8-14 Estimating the Time of Death (TOD)

EXHUMING BODY FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION Strict legal procedures Obtain permission Photograph the area Proper persons at opening Identification Examination Hess 8-15 The Medical Examination or Autopsy

CAUSES Gunshot wounds Stabbing wounds Cutting wounds Blows from blunt objects Asphyxia Autoerotic death Continued Hess 8-16 Unnatural Causes of Death and Method Used

CAUSES Poisoning Burning Explosions, electrocution and lightning Drug-related deaths Vehicular deaths Hess 8-17 Unnatural Causes of Death and Method Used (Continued)

INFORMATION SOURCES Struggles often create noise Attract the attention of neighbors or passersby Neighborhood canvass Homicide hotlines Anonymous tips Hess 8-18 Witnesses

MASS MURDERERS School and workplace similarities  Profiles  Targets  Means  Motivation Hess 8-19 Suspects

SERIAL KILLERS Killing of three or more separate victims Often quite intelligent LUST MURDERERS Sex-related homicide Organized and disorganized offenders Hess 8-20 Suspects

RESOLVING CASES Aspects associated with likelihood of clearing a case Actions affecting clearance 10 most common errors in death investigations Impact of unsolved homicides Hess 8-21 The Declining Clearance Rate

VOLUNTEER COLD CASE SQUADS Retirees Cold case cowboys BENEFITS OF A COLD CASE UNIT Clearance rates increase Guilty brought to justice Hess 8-22 Cold Cases

OVERVIEW Deliver with a two-person team Wide range of emotional and physical reactions Family members should be allowed to see the body Viewing a body at the scene may compromise the investigation Hess 8-23 Death Notification

CURRENT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM Part of a larger problem General problem of violence Address proactively Positive impacts Intervention programs Hess 8-24 Strategies for Reducing Homicide

MOONBERRY POND MURDER Lessons learned  Work as a team  Avoid gender prejudice  Stay attuned to subtle clues Hess 8-25 A Case Study

Summary Homicide investigations are challenging and frequently require all investigative techniques and skills Classified as criminal (felonious) or noncriminal Murder classified into three degrees Manslaughter has two classifications Medical examiner provides legal evidence Determine a motive for the killing Hess 8-26