CHAPTER 3 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

THE GREEN RIVER KILLER This case takes its name from the Green River, which flows through Washington State and empties into the Puget Sound in Seattle. Within a six-month period span in 1982, the bodies of five females were discovered in or near the river. Most of the victims were prostitutes who were strangled and apparently raped. As police focused their attention on an area known as Sea-Tac Strip, a haven for prostitutes, girls mysteriously disappeared with increasing frequency. By the end of 1986, the body count in the Seattle region rose to forty; all were believed to have been murdered by the Green River Killer. As the investigation pressed into 1987, the police renewed their interest in one suspect, Gary Ridgway, a local truck painter. Ridgway had been known to frequent the Sea-Tac. Interestingly, in 1984 Ridgway actually passed a lie detector test regarding the Green River killings. Now with a search warrant in hand, police searched Ridgway’s residence and also obtained hair and saliva samples from him. Again, insufficient evidence caused Ridgway to be released from custody.

THE GREEN RIVER KILLER With the exception of one killing in 1998, the murder spree stopped in 1990, and the case remained dormant for nearly ten years. However, the advent of DNA testing brought renewed vigor to the investigation. In 2001, semen samples collected from three early victims of the Green River Killer were compared to saliva that had been collected from Ridgway in The DNA profiles matched and the police had their man. An added forensic link was made by the location of minute amounts of spray paint on the clothing of six victims that compared to paints colleted from Ridgway’s workplace. Ridgway ultimately avoided the death penalty by confessing to the murders of forty-eight women.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Impossible to list all objects that could conceivably be of importance in a crime Every crime has to be treated on an individual basis! Most common types of physical evidence….

Blood, Semen, and Saliva All suspected blood, semen, or saliva – liquid or dried, animal or human – on fabrics, objects, even cigarette butts – are subject to serological and biochemical analysis to determine origin and identity DocumentsHandwriting and typewriting analyzed to determine authenticity or source. Can also analyze paper, ink, indented writings, obliterations, and burned, charred documents DrugsAny substance seized in violation of laws regulating sale, manufacture, distribution, and use of drugs ExplosivesAny device with explosive charge and objects removed from a scene of an explosion that may contain residues of an explosive FibersNatural or synthetic fibers whose transfer may be useful in establishing relationship between objects and/or persons. FingerprintsLatent and visible Firearms and ammunitionFirearms as well as discharged or intact ammunition suspected of being involved in a crime

GlassGlass particle or fragment that may have been transferred to a person or object involved in a crime. Includes windowpanes with holes from bullets or other projectile HairAnimal or human hair that can link a person with a crime ImpressionsTire markings, shoe prints, depressions in soft soils, and all forms of tracks. Glove and other fabric impressions, as well as bite marks in skin or food. Organs and physiological fluidsSubmitted to detect presence of drugs or poisons, including alcohol. PaintLiquid or dried paint that may have been transferred from the surface of one object to another during a crime. Petroleum productsMost common would be gasoline removed from an arson crime scene, or grease or oil stains whose presence may suggest involvement in a crime Plastic bagsDisposable bags may be linked to objects recovered in the possession of a suspect- usually homicide or drug cases

Plastic, rubber, and other polymers May be linked with objects recovered in the possession of a suspect Powder ResiduesAny item suspected of containing firearm discharge residues. Serial NumbersStolen property submitted to the lab for restoration of erased serial numbers. Soil and mineralsItems containing soil or minerals that could link a person or objet to a particular location. Tool marksAny object suspected of containing the impression of another object that served as a tool in a crime. Screwdriver, crowbar impressed or scraped on a wall. Vehicle lightsExamination of headlight and taillights to determine if the light was on or off at the time of impact. Wood and other vegetative matter Fragments of wood, sawdust, shavings, or vegetative matter discovered on clothing, shoes, or tools that could link a person or object to the crime location.

THE EXAMINATION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE The examination of physical evidence by a forensic scientist is usually undertaken for identification or comparison.

IDENTIFICATION Determine the physical or chemical identity of a substance with as near absolute certainty as existing analytical techniques will permit Ultimate identification of a specific physical or chemical substance to the exclusion of all other possible substances Drug analysis Explosives/gas residues Species identification Identification of blood, semen, hair, or wood (not comparative)

IDENTIFICATION PROCESS 1.Use testing procedures that give characteristic results for specific standard materials 2.Identification requires that the number and types of tests needed to identify a substance be sufficient to exclude all other substances Simple rules cannot be devised for defining what constitutes a thorough and foolproof analytical scheme. Each type of evidence requires different tests and each test has a different degree of specificity. A substance could be identified in one test or the combination of 5-6. It is left to the forensic scientist to determine at what point the analysis can be concluded and criteria for positive identification satisfied.

COMPARISON Examples – Compare hair from crime scene to hair from suspect Compare paint chips on a hit-and-run victim to vehicle paint The process of ascertaining whether two or more objects have a common origin Subjects a suspect specimen to a standard/reference specimen to the same tests and examinations for the purpose of determining whether or not they have a common origin.

COMPARISON 1.Combinations of select properties are chosen from the suspect and the standard/reference specimen for comparison 2.Once the examination has been completed, the forensic scientist must be prepared to render a conclusion with respect to the origins of the specimen If one or more of the properties selected for comparison do not agree, the analyst may not be able to conclude that the specimens originated from the same source.

COMPARISON To ensure evidential value, probability is assessed Probability - the frequency or likelihood of occurrence of an event Scientists must be able to ascertain with a high degree of probability that two or more specimens are from the same origin

COMPARISON 1. Individual Characteristics Evidence that can be associated with a common source with an extremely high degree of probability (not possible to state with mathematical exactness the specimens are of common origin) Matching ridges of fingerprints Striation markings on bullets Tool marks

COMPARISON 2.Class Characteristics Inability of the laboratory to relate physical evidence to a common origin with a high degree of certainty but it can be associated with a group and never a single source Paint Blood

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS Product Rule – used to calculate the overall frequency of an event/occurrence Multiply the chances of each part to determine the probability of all the chances For example – O.J. Simpson Blood (p.84) Multiply the probability of his blood components and determine the likelihood of his presence Probability – 0.26 x 0.85 x 0.02 = or 0.44% match (1 in 200) Blood FactorsFrequency A26% EsD85% PGM 2+2-2%

SIGNIGICANCE OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Most items of physical evidence retrieved at a crime scene cannot be linked definitely to a single person or object The value of class evidence lies in its ability to corroborate events with data in a manner that is free of human error or bias (as much as possible) As the number of different objects linking an individual to a crime scene increase, so does the likelihood of that individual’s involvement with the crime The weight or significance accorded physical evidence is determined by the jury in a trial Physical evidence can also exonerate a person from suspicion

FORENSIC DATABASES DatabasePurpose Integrated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) National fingerprint and criminal history system Maintained by FBI since 1999 Contains nearly 50 million subjects form local, state, and federal agencies Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Maintained by 1998 by the FBI DNA samples submitted form local, state, and federal laboratories All states submit DNA of felony sexual offenders Contain sources of DNA from unsolved crime as well as convicted criminals National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) Maintained by Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Images of bullets and cartridge cases recovered from crime scenes International Forensic Automotive Paint Data Query (PDQ) Chemical and color information to original auto paints Information on make, model, year, and assembly plant

CRIME-SCENE RECONSTRUCTION Efforts to reconstruct events that occurred prior, during, and subsequent to the crime Was there more than one person involved? How was the victim killed? Were there actions taken to cover up what actually took place? Crime scene reconstruction relies on the combined efforts of medical examiners, forensic scientists, and law enforcement personnel to sort out the events surrounding the occurrence of a crime. Reconstruction supports a likely sequence of events by the observation and evaluation of physical evidence as well as statements made by witnesses and those involved with the incident Only accomplished when a crime scene has been properly processed and recorded and physical evidence has been collected Examples: Determine if body was moved Analyze bullet trajectory Analyze blood spatter Determine direction of projectiles hitting glass Estimate distance of a shooter