Soil Evidence 1

Georg Popp (1904) In October, 1904, a forensic scientist in Germany named Georg Popp was asked to examine the evidence in a murder case where a seamstress named Eva Disch had been strangled. A filthy handkerchief had been left at the scene and the mucus on the handkerchief contained bits of coal, dirt particles of snuff. A suspect, Karl Laubach was known to work in a coal-burning gasworks and part-time in a local gravel pit. When confronted with the soil evidence, Karl Laubach admitted the crime

Edward Heinrich (1925) In El Cerrito, CA J.J. Loren had been murdered and her body dismembered. Parts of her body, including an ear, were found in a marsh near El Cerrito. The rest of the body could not be found despite an intense search. Heinrich determined that the grains of sand he found on the ear of the victim did not come from the black mud of the marsh and reasoned that the body with the ear attached had been placed elsewhere. After examination he determined the type of sand was from an area typical with the Island of Alameda where her body was later found.

The Five Soil Forming Factors Parent Material Source of the soil Climate How is the soil eroded Organisms Plants or animals living in the soil Topography Surrounding landscape Time How long has the process evolved

Soil The value of soil as evidence rests with its prevalence at crime scenes and its transferability between the scene and the criminal. Most soils can be differentiated by their visual appearance. A side-by-side visual comparison of the color and texture of soil specimens is easy to perform and provides a criteria for distinguishing soils that originate from different locations.

Soil In many forensic laboratories, forensic geologists will characterize and compare the mineral content of soils.

Soil Some crime laboratories utilize density-gradient tubes to compare soils. These tubes are typically filled with layers of liquids that have different density values. When soil is added to the density-gradient tube, its particles will sink to the portion of the tube that has a density of equal value.

Collection of Soil Standard /reference soils are to be collected at various intervals within a 100-yard radius of the crime scene, as well as the site of the crime, for comparison to the questioned soil. Soil found on the suspect, such as adhering to a shoe or garments, must not be removed. Instead, each object should be individually wrapped in paper, and transmitted to the laboratory.