Forensics Week Day 1

Chief Investigator Garside investigates deaths or catastrophic injuries. Mr. Garside came to speak to us regarding forensic evidence and the processes that are involved in an investigation. His main saying is “The Devil is in the Details." The details of a matter are its most crucial/essential/significant aspect. Evidence obtained by scientific methods such as ballistics, blood tests, and DNA, is often used to establish guilt or innocence in court. Analysis of forensic evidence is used in the investigation and prosecution of the civil as well as the proceeding 

Digital Forensics is the behind the scenes method. Digital forensic scientists look into a person's digital footprints, scanning for anything suspicious or incriminating. Colleges and reputable companies employ experts to research your digital fingerprints. It is important to know that private accounts do not matter it is actually not private and erasing posts does not mean that the posts are unable to be pulled back up. There are several different types of forensic sciences used during an investigation. In a homicide case, you determine through physical and circumstantial evidence. WHY + HOW = WHO. Forensic evidence can help you figure out one part or both parts

IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN OPEN MIND!!!

Attention to detail = good

Think outside the box = good

Can’t see the forest for the trees = bad

Tenacity = good

Content = bad

THINK FROM BOTH SIDES!!

Detective: How will I prove you did it/didn’t do it?

Suspect: How will I get away with it?

Prosecutor: How will I get the evidence admitted into court?

Attorney: How will I prevent the evidence from being admitted into court?

MYTHS

There are always fingerprints FALSE

There is always DNA FALSEE

Everyone who commits suicide leaves a note FALSE

Must have forensic evidence to prove your point FALSE

Time of death FALSE (affected by temperature and environment)

Is there a difference in the way you work different types of deaths?

No, it is important to work every case the same because it is impossible to know whether a death was intentional, self inflicted, or accidental.

CASE STUDY:

What evidence would you look for, where, and why

Case 1: 

Suicide?

Body in the front seat, the driver

Skin Slippage, skin coming off the muscle

In the backyard

Gas can behind the car/ connected to the car

Covered up the exhaust using the gas can

No wounds

The easiest way to find the wound would be the flys and maggots, they go there first

LOOK FOR: DNA and fingerprints on the driver's door handle, been in the car dead for a while before being found, decomposition (rigor mortis, stiffing of the muscles, lividity, air escaping into the blood and the blood becomes heavy and falls to the lowest point), blistering and marbling, in full rigor mortis, was the key on or off, check the gas gage/tank, check the rear view mirror (glossy purple haze when interacting with carbon monoxide), important papers were laid out, phone call to family and 911, and the bible laying out with the body. 

Case 2:

A woman showed up in a truck that was broken down and tried to carjack a teacher

Stabbed 57 times and disemboweled

Signs of a struggle

Blood on the couch

Said she was staying with the victim for weeks, throwing out the fingerprints found at the house

Blood on the wall, but no prints

Blood on the coffee table, but no prints

Blood on the chair, the only fingerprint in the blood

Girlfriend cheated on her with the victim, she found them