Hairs Trace Evidence
Hair as Physical Evidence Class evidence Removal indicates physical contact between victim and perpetrator Strong evidence to place individual at crime scene Compare hairs by color and structure Extract DNA from root for comparison
Characteristics of Hair Appendage of the skin Grows out of the hair follicle Length of hair extends from follicle shaft tip Follicle (root) contains DNA
Function of Hair Regulate body temperature (insulation) Decrease friction Protect against sunlight Sense organ
Hair Shaft Three layers: Cuticle: surface of hair Cortex: main body, contains pigment Medulla: hollow core
Hair Diagram
Cuticle : Outer Layer Transparent, outer layer Scales point down from younger end towards older ends of hair
Cuticle : Scale Patterns Human Hair Bat Hair Mink Hair Human or Animal Hair
Cortex: Color Layer Largest part of hair shaft Melanin = pigment granules
Cortex: Hair Pigmentation
Properties of the Medulla Medullary index (ratio of medulla:shaft) Pattern (continuous, interrupted, fragmented, or absent) Shape (human vs. animal)
Human Medulla Patterns
Answers from Hair Body area Racial origin Age and Sex (infant vs. adult, DNA from root for gender) Forcible removal (more sheath cells) Individualize hair (nuclear DNA in root or mitochondrial DNA from shaft)
Body Area Head (scalp) Eyebrows and eyelashes Beard and mustache Underarm Auxiliary or body hair Pubic hair Pubic Hair Beard Hair Limb Hair
Mongoloid (Asian) Hair Racial Origin Negroid (African) Mongoloid (Asian) Hair Caucasian (European)
Scissor-cut Broken Burned Razor-cut
Dyed Hair Lice Egg Case
DNA Evidence Shaft: mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Root: nuclear DNA
Hair as Forensic Evidence
Hair Collection Collected from crime scene by plucking, shaking and scraping surfaces Use tape over small surfaces Vacuum large surfaces Initial analysis performed under compound microscope
Testing For Chemicals Neutron activation analysis (NAA) – identify 14 different elements in hair Antimony, argon, bromine, copper, gold, manganese, silver, sodium, zinc Hair grows about 1.3 cm per month – calculate timeline for exposure to toxins or poison