Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 1 Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8 th edition Chapter 8 Death Investigations

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 2 The Violent Crime Apprehension Program (VICAP) coordinates major violent-crime cases within the United States such as serial killings and other cases committed in multiple jurisdictions.

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 3 It must be established whether a death was caused by criminal action  Natural  Accidental  Suicide  Homicide (non-criminal or criminal)

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 4 Homicide Criminal Homicide  Murder (first, second, or third degree)  Manslaughter (voluntary or involuntary) Non-criminal Homicide  Excusable homicide  Justifiable homicide

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 5 Premeditation is the consideration or planning of an act, no matter how briefly before committing it. It is the element of first-degree murder that sets it apart from all other classifications.

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 6 Terms to know…..  Heat of passion---an act committed when the suspect suddenly becomes extremely emotional, thus precluding premeditation  Criminal negligence---a dangerous act committed by an individual that any prudent person would see death as a possible result  Equivocal death---facts that may be vague or purposely misleading as in a staged crime

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 7 The most prominent evidence found at a homicide scene includes a weapon, a body, blood, hairs, and fibers.

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 8 Homicide Victim Identification  Immediate family members  Relatives  Acquaintances  Personal effects  Fingerprints  DNA analysis  Dental/skeletal remains  Clothing/jewelry  Missing-persons file

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 9 Rigor Mortis  A Latin term meaning “ stiffness of death ”  Stiffening of the joints after death due to skeletal muscle contraction  Depending on conditions, onset may be visible from 10 minutes to several hours  Usually noticed in the smaller muscle masses first (hands, face, etc.)

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 10 Postmortem Lividity (Livor mortis)  Upon death, the blood no longer circulates and gravity draws blood to the body ’ s lowest level  Begins within 30 minutes to three hours after death occurs  Patterns indicate whether or not the body was moved after death

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 11 Estimating the time of death….  Body temperature  Rigor mortis  Postmortem lividity  Eye appearance  Stomach contents  Stage of decomposition  Variance in victim ’ s normal routine  Insect growth and development

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 12 The medical examination provides evidence related to the cause and time of death and if drugs or alcohol are present

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 13 Gunshot wounds  Handguns, rifles, shotguns  Contact wounds may leave a muzzle impression on the skin and soot or powder fragments in the entrance area  Close-range wounds will leave ‘ tattooing ’ cause by discharged powder on the victim ’ s clothes/body

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 14 Terms to know…..  Defense wounds---cuts on the hands, arms, and legs as a result of the victim attempting to ward off an attacker  Hesitation wounds---superficial wounds often present on a suicide victim resulting from an attempt to build up the courage to make the fatal wound  Asphyxiation---body tissues and brain receive insufficient oxygen to support red blood cells resulting in death (choking, drowning, hanging, strangulation)

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 15 Autoerotic asphyxiation Accidental death caused by a solitary victim seeking to intensify sexual gratification by constricting oxygen and blood flow to the brain that results in unconsciousness, often by a rope or other ligature.

Bennett/Hess, Criminal Investigation, 8e 16 Mass murderers Serial murderers Occurs when multiple victims are killed in a single incident by one or a few suspects. An example is a sniper who kills several innocent people from on top of a building. The killing of three or more people with a ‘cooling off’ period between the killings. An example would be a killer who murders several people in a multi-state area in the course of a year.