Chapter 8: Death Investigation

Chapter Outline:

  1. Classification of Deaths
  1. Natural.
  2. Accidental, Non-criminal.
  3. Suicide.
  4. Homicide: Non-criminal or criminal.
  1. Criminal (felonious)
  1. Murder (first, second or and third degree)
  2. Manslaughter (voluntary or involuntary)
  1. Non-criminal (non-felonious)
  1. Excusable homicide.
  2. Justifiable homicide.
  1. Elements of the Crime
  1. Causing the death of another human being.
  2. Premeditation.
  3. Intent to effect the death of another person.
  4. Adequately provoked intent resulting from heat of passion.
  5. While committing or attempting to commit a felony.
  6. While committing or attempting to commit a crime not a felony.
  7. Culpable negligence or depravity.
  8. Negligence.
  1. Challenges in Investigation

Challenges in homicide investigations include pressure by the media and the public, the difficulty of establishing that a crime has been committed, identifying the victim, and establishing the cause and time of death.

  1. Equivocal Death

An investigation that does not lead to a definitive answer for the investigator as to the cause of death of the individual who is deceased is an equivocal death. Those inquires that are open to interpretation. There may be two or more meanings and the case may present as homicide, suicide, or accidental death. The facts may be purposefully vague or misleading as in the case of the staged crime.

  1. Suicide
  1. Suicide by police.
  2. Suicide of police officers.
  1. Preliminary Investigation of Homicide
  1. Determining that death has occurred.
  2. The focus of the homicide investigation.
  1. Identify the victim.
  2. Establish the time of death.
  3. Establish the cause of and the method used to produce death.
  4. Develop a suspect.
  1. Discovering and Identifying the Victim
  1. In some cases this task may be difficult due to decomposition, burning, or other actions or reactions.
  2. Record a complete description.
  1. Estimating the Time of Death
  1. In many homicides, there is a delay between the commission of the crime and the discovery of the body, sometimes only minutes, other times years.
  2. Time of death relates directly to whether the suspect could have been at the scene of the crime.
  3. Recent death.
  4. Death that occurred half hour to four days prior.
  1. Body temperature.
  2. Rigor Mortis.
  3. Postmortem lividity.
  4. Examination by the eye.
  5. Examination of stomach contents.
  1. Many days after death.
  1. Decomposition.
  1. Effects of water.
  1. Factors suggesting a change in the victim’s routine.
  1. The Medical Examination
  1. After the preliminary investigation the body is taken to the morgue for an autopsy.
  2. Exhuming a body for medical examination.
  1. Unnatural Causes of Death and Method Used
  1. Gunshot wounds.
  1. Indications of a suicide.
  1. Gun held against the skin.
  2. Wound in mouth or in right temple if victim is right-handed and left temple if left-handed.
  3. Not shot through clothing, unless shot in the chest.
  4. Weapon present, especially if tightly held in the hand.
  1. Indications of murder.
  1. Gun fired from more than a few inches away.
  2. Angle or location that rules out self-infliction.
  3. Shot through clothing.
  4. No weapon present.
  1. Stabbing and cutting wounds.
  1. Stab wounds.
  2. Cutting wounds.
  3. Suicide indicators
  1. Hesitation wounds.
  2. Wounds under clothing.
  3. Weapon present, especially if tightly clutched.
  4. Usually wounds at throat, wrists, or ankles.
  5. Self disfigurement.
  6. Body not moved.
  1. Murder indicators.
  1. Defense wounds.
  2. Wounds through clothing.
  3. No weapon present.
  4. Usually injuries to vital organs.
  5. Disfigurement.
  6. Body moved.
  1. Blows from blunt objects.
  2. Asphyxia.
  3. Chocking.
  4. Drowning.
  5. Smothering.
  6. Hanging.
  7. Strangulation.
  8. Poisons, chemicals, and overdoses of sleeping pills.
  9. Autoerotic asphyxiation.
  1. Indicators of accidental death during autoerotic practices include.
  1. Nude or sexually exposed victim.
  2. Evidence of solo sexual activity.
  3. Mirrors placed to observe the ritual.
  4. Evidence of masturbation and presence of such items as tissues or towels for cleanup.
  5. Presence of sexual fantasy aids or sexually stimulating paraphernalia (vibrators, dildos, sex aids, and pornographic magazines)
  6. Presence of bondage.
  1. Other types of autoerotic death.
  2. Poisoning.
  3. Burning.
  4. Explosions, electrocution, and lightning.
  5. Drug related deaths.
  6. Vehicular deaths.
  1. The Homicide Victim
  1. Domestic-violence homicides.
  2. Law enforcement officers killed.
  1. Witnesses
  1. Suspects
  1. Mass murders.
  2. Serial killers.
  3. Lust murders.
  4. Lethal predators.
  1. Cold Cases
  1. Death Notification
  1. Strategies for Reducing Homicide
  1. Summary

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