The Basics of Crime Scene Investigations

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I. THE FIRST RESPONDERS The emergency response teams consist of police officers, paramedics or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), or fire crews. Many victims will be beyond medical treatment. These people are called Dead on Arrival

DEAD ON ARRIVAL (DOA) Pronouncing a patient dead in the field has both medical and legal ramifications There are many gruesome but true stories of people waking up in the morgue after being declared dead.

Methods used to determine death First responders will first check for CAROTID PULSE on the side of the neck for a full 60 seconds. (Lets check ours) During this procedure another team will cut away clothing from the chest so that ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) patches can be applied to test for electrical activity in the heart.

Determining Death Cont… IF FLAT LINED, the medical team checks for RIGOR MORTIS (stiffening of the body), particularly at the extremities Also check for DEFINITE DEPENDENT LIVIDITY (solid purple discoloration due to the pooling of blood in areas of the body closest to the ground.)

Post-mortem Lividity

Determining Death Cont… If these conditions are found, the person can be declared dead. In some horrifying cases, a person who is found decapitated or eviscerated (insides taken out), the person is clearly DOA

FROM FIRST RESPONDERS TO POLICE Securing the Scene --The first officers secure the scene as they found it. --Nothing is touched or moved so evidence is not compromised --Make preliminary observations

Patrol Officer’s Role Police Officers will make notes of any evidence that might change (Such As??) RECORD TIME OF NOTIFICATION, noting who is present at the scene; and if witnesses are identified, separating them from each other.

The Death Scene At this point it is still only a death scene, which could have been from natural causes or from more sinister reasons. The next step is for Police Officers to report the death to the CORONER’S OFFICE

The Coroner’s Office The Coroner’s Office is mandated by Kentucky law to establish the Manner and Cause of Death. The Cause of Death is the injury, disease, or a combination of the two that caused the death of the person.

The Manner of Death is ruled by the Coroner to be Natural, Suicidal, Accidental, a Homicide, Unknown, or Pending.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky deals with many kinds of death that include: Skeletal remains Homicides Suicides Occupational deaths Deaths occurring in a correctional facility Deaths within a medical facility less than 24 hours of admission Fatal motor vehicle deaths  Mass fatalities.

Additional Responsibilities of the Coroner In a death scene investigation, the coroner or his deputy has the responsibility of 1. Pronouncing death 2. Determining the time of death 3. Taking into custody the body and property on the body 4. Ensuring the body has not been moved from the original death scene

Responsibilities Cont…. 5. Making a positive identification of the body 6. Notifying of the next of kin 7. Signing the death certificate 8. Completing required forms and records for each death investigation

Five Key Crime Scene Questions 1. Did the death take place where the body was discovered or was it moved? 2. Was there any attempt to alter the scene? 3. Does the scene suggest a motive for murder(robbery, drugs, fraud)

Cont…… 4. Is a cause of death clearly apparent? 5. Are there sufficient clues(physical evidence) to indicate how the crime occurred, and where the victim and the perpetrator were in relation to each other during the commission of the crime

THE INVESTIGATION “Processing” a death scene requires applying scientific methodology. Purpose….Reconstruct the events, criminal or otherwise Interpret physical facts and their accurate reconstruction in proper sequence.

On Scene Procedures Seek all basic information from first responders(who died and what has happened) 1. Take Overall photographs of scene 2. Observe from a distance first 3. Move progressively closer until you arrive at victim Making and recording observations

The Corpse Note any injuries and position DO NOT TOUCH THE BODY TAKE PHOTOS showing whether the victim is in supine, prone, or lateral position Note the state of Rigor Mortis Note the clothing and other items(accessories)