1. South Puget Sound Community College

2. Forensic Homicide Investigation
PRELIMINARY SCENE INVESTIGATION: DETECTIVES
“Luck and Chance”
INITIAL NOTIFICATION:
-detectives rarely the first on scene
-response must be methodical
-start notes
Date/time of notification/how
Name, rank, ID # of person notifying you
Complete details of info and event

3. Forensic Homicide Investigation
PRIOR TO LEAVING FOR THE SCENE:
Convey info to officers at the scene:
-crime scene
-wits
-avoid landlines at scene
-crime scene log
-license numbers

4. Forensic Homicide Investigation
ARRIVING AT THE SCENE:
NOTE:
-Time
-Exact location
-Persons present
-Condition/position of the body
-Info concerning events of death
-Weather conditions
-Outside lighting conditions (night time)
-Points of observation
-Possible video surveillance

5. Forensic Homicide Investigation
PRELIMINARY STEPS UPON ARRIVAL: CHECKLIST
-Ascertain boundaries
-Scene approach
-Initial survey
-Ascertain fragile evidence
-Work photos
-Record ambient temperature
-Observe entire location
-Take comprehensive notes

6. Forensic Homicide Investigation
 NOTE TAKING:
-Exact times
-Subject of time may be alibi for suspect
-Note taking forces investigator to slow down
PHOTOGRAPHS:
-In addition to CSA photos
-Conditions as you arrived

7. Forensic Homicide Investigation
 DESCRIBING THE SCENE:
1. Record full description of decedent.
2. List evidence of injuries/apparent cause of death
3. Bloodstains? Wet/dry?
4. Condition of body?
5. Color of blood?
6. Condition of clothing
7. Condition of the hands?
8. Jewelry?
9. Describe immediate surroundings

8. Forensic Homicide Investigation
10. Weapon description
11. Bullet Holes/shell casings
12. Note presence of bottle, drugs, etc
IMPLEMENTING CRIME SCENE PROCEDURES:
-Primary detective takes charge
-Handle first officer professionally
-Evaluate the scene
-Every dead body call is a homicide until proven otherwise
-Outdoors-wide area cordoned off
-Indoors-scene securing easy
-Determine areas of crime scene

9. Forensic Homicide Investigation
DIRECTION OF UNIFORMED PERSONNEL AT THE
SCENE:
-Explain the dangers of contamination to Sgt./ask for cooperation
-Determine if any evidence impounded prior to your arrival
-Arrest made prior to your arrival suspect still at scene?
-Uniformed officers at the scene remain at post until directly relieved by
detectives
-Uniform officers may be utilized to transport suspect
-Specifically direct them not to speak to suspect

10. Forensic Homicide Investigation
 TEAMWORK:
-Patrol officers
-Detectives
-ME/Coroner
-CSAs
-DAs
-Medical personnel
-Other agencies
PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS!

11. Forensic Homicide Investigation
PRELIMINARY INTERVIEW OF 1ST PO:
-Detailed account
Time of call
Time of arrival
What did/saw
Opinions of cause of death
Wits/suspects
Vic info
Precinct cops know their players
Give credit where due

12. Forensic Homicide Investigation
INTERVIEW OF AMBULANCE PERSONNEL:
-What occurred prior to the arrival of police
-Saw/heard/smelled/did
-All details of actions
-Statements made by anyone to them
CURIOUS ONLOOKERS:
-Courtesy and professional
-Avoid conversations with “village idiot”
-Uniformed/plain clothes/detectives
-Infiltrate crowd with officers in plain clothes

13. Forensic Homicide Investigation
WITNESSES:
-Determine ID of all wits
-Separate all wits before interview
-Wits interviewed by detectives while primary investigates
-Formal interview to follow
-Eyewits most valuable
-ALWAYS KEEP WITS SEPRARTED FROM ONE ANOTHER
-Patience/thorough
-Get wits to relax
-bad guy Types
-Effective interviewing needs constant improvement
-Interview versus interrogation

14. Forensic Homicide Investigation
THE CANVASS:
-Door-to door, roadblock inquiry
-Important investigative tool
-Performed while scene investigation ongoing
-Not in-depth interviews but just locate potential wits
-Not names/contact of all persons contacted
-Keep record of all person not contacted
-RECANVASS:
-Contact past wits with no info
-Attempt to contact wits not home 1st time

15. Forensic Homicide Investigation
Canvass considerations:
-Type of crime
-Time of day
-Listen carefully to what people say or don’t say
-Vehicles within crime scene area
-Exact Time/exact location-recanvass
PRELIMINARY BODY EXAM AT SCENE:
-Know your protocols/jurisdiction
-ME/Coroner will perform autopsy later
-Position of body
-Description of body

16. Forensic Homicide Investigation
Full body exam:
Rigor mortis/livor mortis/algor mortis
Wounds (exit v. entry)
Evidence on body
Clothing
Field exam can be limited
Death pronounced legally
-Body may be at scene long periods of time
ME/Coroners have good working relationship
May sustain/deflate theory of crime