Download - Chapter 08
Chapter 8
Death Investigations
Hess 8-1
Introduction• Statistically, murder is the least significant of the violent
crimes• Receives extensive media attention• May appear as if this crime is occurring more
frequently, but it is actually declining• Males are most often the victims and the perpetrators
in homicides• Males are 10 times more likely to commit murder than
are females
Hess 8-2
CATEGORIES OF DEATH• Natural• Accidental• Suicide• Homicide
Criminal Noncriminal
• Degrees of murder
Hess 8-3
Classification of Deaths
OVERVIEW• Premeditation• Intent• Heat of passion• Culpable negligence or depravity• Negligence
Hess 8-4
Elements of the Crime
ISSUES WITH HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS• Pressure by the media and the public• Difficulty in establishing it was a homicide • Identifying the victim • Establishing the cause and time of death
Hess 8-5
Challenges in Investigation
INTERPRETATION• Homicide, suicide or accidental death• Sudden in-custody deaths (SICD)• Intentionally vague facts• Posing and staging
Hess 8-6
Equivocal Death
OVERVIEW• Often presents as a homicide• Reason for an apparent suicide must be determined• Observable signs of depression• Preserve all evidence until the medical examiner rules
whether the death is a suicide
Hess 8-7
Suicide
SUICIDE BY POLICE• Wants to die but does not want to pull trigger• The shooting officer may suffer emotionally
SUICIDE OF POLICE OFFICERS• About 97 percent involve their own duty weapon• Rate is higher than general population
Hess 8-8
Suicide
DETERMINING THAT DEATH HAS OCCURRED• Heartbeat• Respiration• Brain activity
SECURING AND DOCUMENTING THE SCENE• Scene must be secured, photographed and sketched
Hess 8-9
Preliminary Investigation of Homicide
COLLECTING AND MOVING THE BODY• Move the body carefully• Slide a sheet under the body to catch evidence
FOCUS OF THE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION• Specificity• Element of surprise• Haste
Hess 8-10
Preliminary Investigation of Homicide
DISCOVERING THE VICTIM• No body in some cases• Various technologies used
IDENTIFYING THE VICTIM• Spouse, parent, friendor relative• Fingerprints, DNA• Dental records
Hess 8-11
The Homicide Victim
RECENT DEATH• Normally the easiest
determination to makeDEATH ONE-HALF HOUR
TO FOUR DAYS PRIOR• Body temperature• Rigor mortis• Postmortem lividity• Partial restriction of pupils• Preserve any vomit
Hess 8-12
Estimating the Time of Death (TOD)
MANY DAYS AFTER DEATH• Decomposition• 30 isolated compounds
EFFECTS OF WATER• Dead body usually sinksin water• Unrestricted will rise to surface
Hess 8-13
Estimating the Time of Death (TOD)
FACTORS SUGGESTING CHANGE IN ROUTINE• Check telephone calls• Check dates on mail• Expiration dates on food• Determine all facts to estimate TOD
Hess 8-14
Estimating the Time of Death (TOD)
EXHUMING BODY FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION• Strict legal procedures• Obtain permission• Photograph the area• Proper persons at opening• Identification• Examination
Hess 8-15
The Medical Examination or Autopsy
CAUSES• Gunshot wounds• Stabbing wounds• Cutting wounds• Blows from blunt objects• Asphyxia• Autoerotic death
Continued
Hess 8-16
Unnatural Causes of Death and Method Used
CAUSES• Poisoning• Burning• Explosions, electrocution and lightning• Drug-related deaths• Vehicular deaths
Hess 8-17
Unnatural Causes of Death and Method Used (Continued)
INFORMATION SOURCES• Struggles often create noise• Attract the attention of neighbors or passersby• Neighborhood canvass• Homicide hotlines• Anonymous tips
Hess 8-18
Witnesses
MASS MURDERERS• School and workplace similarities
Profiles Targets Means Motivation
Hess 8-19
Suspects
SERIAL KILLERS• Killing of three or more separate victims• Often quite intelligent
LUST MURDERERS• Sex-related homicide• Organized and disorganized offenders
Hess 8-20
Suspects
RESOLVING CASES• Aspects associated with likelihood of clearing a case• Actions affecting clearance• 10 most common errors in death investigations• Impact of unsolved homicides
Hess 8-21
The Declining Clearance Rate
VOLUNTEER COLD CASE SQUADS• Retirees• Cold case cowboys
BENEFITS OF A COLD CASE UNIT• Clearance rates increase• Guilty brought to justice
Hess 8-22
Cold Cases
OVERVIEW• Deliver with a two-person team• Wide range of emotional and physical reactions• Family members should be allowed to see the body• Viewing a body at the scene may compromise the
investigation
Hess 8-23
Death Notification
CURRENT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM• Part of a larger problem• General problem of violence• Address proactively• Positive impacts• Intervention programs
Hess 8-24
Strategies for Reducing Homicide
MOONBERRY POND MURDER• Lessons learned
Work as a team Avoid gender prejudice Stay attuned to subtle clues
Hess 8-25
A Case Study
Summary• Homicide investigations are challenging and frequently
require all investigative techniques and skills• Classified as criminal (felonious) or noncriminal• Murder classified into three degrees• Manslaughter has two classifications• Medical examiner provides legal evidence• Determine a motive for the killing
Hess 8-26