1. Discussion of how different types of blood splatters were possibly formed
BLOOD SPLATTER 1
- One large spot, surrounded by many small dots
- The drop of blood could have been dropped/dripped (?) from a great height, thus resulting in the many small dots of blood around the large spot of blood
BLOOD SPLATTER 2
-
- Might be a blood smear?
BLOOD SPLATTER 4
- Blood splatters along the whole wall, and also dripping down
- Something/someone that was bleeding might have been dragged along the whole wall
2. Experiments
EXPERIMENT 1 - Investigation of how diameter of blood stains vary with height
Height (cm) | Diameter of Blood Splatter (cm) | |
1st Attempt | 2nd Attempt | |
10 | 0.9 | 0.85 |
30 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
60 | 1.1 | 1.2 |
100 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
150 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
EXPERIMENT 2 - Investigation of how diameter of blood stains vary with angle
Picture of Blood Splatter Pattern generated by teachers
21 July 2011 - Journalling: Fingerpinting
INTRODUCTION
- Everyone's fingerprint is unique
- Twins: Very similar fingerprint, but still slightly different
- Environment fetuses experience in womb determines & affects their genetic make-up
- Fingerprints remain unchanged during an individual's lifetime
- Even after injuries and burns, the same patterns will return as the skin heals
- Fingerprints have regular ridges that help us to grip things
METHODS
1. Iodine Fuming
- Based on process of sublimation
- Iodine fumes stick to natural body fats and oils on the print
- Results in change in colour of print, from invisible to dark brown
- However, it is a reversible process - iodine can sublime again
2. Superglue fuming
- Superglue heated in a vapour tank, sticks to finger print
- Works on paper, glass, metal, even skin
3. Dusting
TYPES OF FINGER PRINTS
a. Patent Prints - Visible to naked eye
b. Plastic Prints - An impression left in a soft material (e.g. clay, mud)
c. Latent Prints - Invisible
CLASSIFICATION
i. Loop
- Enters from side to form a curve and exit from the same side
ii. Whorl
- Forms circularly around a central point on a finger
iii. Arch
iv. Composite (special)
- Mixture of patterns (excluding arches)
A delta is a triangle formed when 2 patterns meet.
18 July 2011 - Journalling: The Case of the Trash Tosser :O
- Slylock Fox observed the type of trash dumped in Rachel Rabbit's lawn; in particular a fish skeleton found in one of the trash bags. Since the cow is a herbivore and only eats plants, while the racoon is an omnivore, the raccoon is the culprit.
HAHAHA MOONWALKING BEAR.
I didn't see the MOONWALKING BEAR the first time round in the video, as I was concentrating all my attention on counting the number of passes made by the team in white. Though I counted the number of passes correctly, when I was first told that there was actually a MOONWALKING BEAR O: in the video, I was a little disbelieving and was pretty amused that I didn't notice the MOONWALKING BEAR, though it seemed rather obvious when I watched the video a 2nd time...
Crime Scene Scenario!
[http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Myst/en/game/index.phtml]
Partner - Nicole Pua
#1 Robert Hughes, Caucasian middle-aged male - known for flaunting wealth, philandering (casual sexual relationships with women), had affairs with many women --> might be crime of passion
#2 Two women seen entering - "One, a pretty blonde, went in at around 1:00 P.M. and left about an hour later in what appeared to be a very good mood. Another woman, a feisty redhead, arrived at approximately 4:00 P.M. and stormed out of the house fifteen minutes later. She had been seen on several occasions with the victim but no one knew who she was. The blonde, on the other hand, had never been seen before."
#3 Suspicious man - Mrs. Smith the next door neighbor reported seeing a strange man walking back and forth in front of the victim's house at around 10:15 P.M. on the night of the murder.
#4 PLACE OF ENTRY
- Lock was forced open --> left tool marks
- "The first is a "compression" mark, as you can see here, where the tool made a slight indentation in the wood. The second is a sliding impression in the metal surrounding the lock. Now, judging from the dimension of these marks, I would say that the tool used to break in was a crowbar, or something of the sort."
- Toolmark impressions allow you to match the impression with actual tools owned by suspect.
- "Here we have a nice three-dimensional impression of what looks to be a work boot, in other words, a footprint in the mud . . . "
- NOTE: "A two-dimensional impression is one where footwear transfers an image to a surface or an object after it has come in contact with a surface that is coated. The footwear then removes some of the coating. A three-dimensional impression is one where footwear presses into something soft that retains the impression of the footwear."
- right foot of a men's size 11 "Doc Martin" boot. The heel is worn at the back here, suggesting that the suspect drags his feet."
- Action: When suspect is found, should search for footwear suspect owns that matches description
- Footwear impressions allow you to match the impression with actual footwear owned by suspect
- Two witnesses, both of which were neighbors of the victim.
- Sketches of three different suspects; one man and two women
- "Mrs. Smith, the guy's next door neighbor. You see, she's the only one who saw the man. She says she saw him lurking about the house the evening of the murder"
- Name of man's company: Bright Lights 'r' Us --> Electrician who spent whole morning at Mr Hughes' house
- Computer composites can help with suspect identification.
- Paint chips are often found when a tool is used on a painted surface. Minute traces of the paint, when the tool is found, can be matched to the crime scene.
- Paint examination allows you to match a tool to the crime scene, when the tool is found.
PLACE OF MURDER
- "Well, there are two puncture wounds. One to the neck and the other to the heart. Both were made with the same weapon, probably a switchblade."
- "two clean puncture wounds ... yes, he was stabbed twice, once in the neck and once in the heart. Now, the nature of the wounds indicate that the blade was narrow and approximately four inches in length. Also, it must have been a good quality blade as it didn't break when the attacker stabbed the victim in the heart."
- "Wound analysis can help with identifying the murder weapon."
- "Meaning that the victim lost consciousness very quickly, so there was no way he could defend himself against the second attack when the suspect aimed for the heart. He fell where he stood, and died almost instantly. Now, the large bloodstain that seeped under the body mostly came from the wound to the neck. The wound to the heart bled a little and that's only because the suspect pulled out the knife from the heart of the victim -and as you probably noticed the murder weapon is nowhere to be seen. You see, if he had left it in, there would be almost no blood from that wound, the knife would have acted as a sort of plug."
- Well, judging from the pattern of the spatters on the wall from the neck wound, the attacker lunged forward at the victim using a downward motion. Now in order to that he must be at least as tall as the victim."
- "the suspect is approximately 5'9" tall."
- "Stabbing at the carotid artery and the heart like that ... the suspect has been in many fights ..."
- But his -or her- instincts to go for those two areas of the body shows experience in fighting for one's life; like a criminal would in prison or on the streets."
- Blood stain pattern analysis tells you how a crime was committed
- There were only two, one of which belongs to the victim. Now the other sample, the one they found next to the bathroom shows, through DNA testing, that whoever this blood belongs to is a woman."
- Blood analysis lets you identify a victim or a suspect, because DNA is unique to each individual.
PLACE OF STRUGGLE
- You know, "Locard's Exchange Principle": when someone comes in contact with another person or place, something of that person is left behind, and something is taken away. Anyway, I'm sending these fibers to the lab, Doc will be able to tell you a lot more than I can.
- "50% wool and 50% polyester. They are dyed black and the weaving is very common for sweaters and such things."
- one of the prints we lifted was from a crystal vase that was used to hit the victim across the jaw during the struggle. We found traces of his blood on the vase, and the bruises on his face are consistent with the shape and weight of the object. The blow must have stunned him, but it didn't kill him; the knife is what killed him."
- One of the prints came up with a positive match in our database. They belong to a certain Patrick Murray, A.K.A. "Pat the Rat". He's been convicted twice for break and enter, and theft, and was arrested once for assault, but wasn't convicted for that. His parole officer says he's now working for an electrical company called "Bright Lights "R" Us"."
- Two of the hairs are quite long, and both are blond but of a different shade. The three other hair strands are relatively short, two brown and one a shade of red that would put an Irishman to shame ... although come to think of it, it might actually belong to an Irishman!"
- It's a love letter... or rather a hate letter, depending on which paragraph you're reading. Whoever wrote this was certainly in love with the victim. Here, read it for yourselves."
Wilson: "... Hum... from what I can gather of this, the guy was cheating on her, and she was mighty furious about it.
- This woman is very environmentally conscious. The paper she used comes from a shop that specializes in selling paper that is hand-made by people in Third world countries. You must know the store I mean, it's called "We are the World", it's been in the papers quite a lot recently."Conclusion: Pat the Rat did it.
