Chapter 9: Death Investigations Flashcards
4 Types of Murder
Spree Murder: killings at TWO or more locations with almost no time break between murders; killing TWO or more victims in a short time at multiple locations
Mass Murder: killing of FOUR or more victims at ONE location, within ONE event (short span of time)
Serial Murder: happens over time and involves the killing of several victims in THREE or more SEPERATE events
Sensational Murder: murder which arouses intense public interest
Murder (UCR)
- willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another
- based soley on POLICE INVESTIGSTION, as opposed to the determination of a court, medical examiner, corner, jury or other judicial body
- DOES NOT include deaths caused by negligence, suicide, accident; justifiable homicde and attempted murder are all scored as AGG Assaults
Modes of Death
-Four General Catagories
Accidental Death
Natural Death
Suicide
Murder: one person intentionally causing another to die
Categories of Homicide
Murder
_First Degree_: knowingly causes death of another after deliberation of the matter _Second Degree_: knowingly causes the death of another while committing a criminal act and not acting under the influence of sudden passion
Manslaughter
_Involuntary_: recklessly causes another person's death _Voluntary_: causes the death of another person by being certain of taking the victim's life and acting IN THE HEAT OF PASSION
SCENE CONSCIOUS
- first officer to arrive on scene of a homicide must be prepared to become SCENE CONSCIOUS:
- must become aware of the crime scene situation and be prepared to take certain immediate actions, the focus being on identifying any aspects of the scene that might be subject to:
- Chemical Change
- Change by Dissipation
- Change b/c something was moved
No aspect of the homicide investigation is more open to error than __________________.
the preservation and protection of the crime scene.
the sequential documentation of evidence that shows the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of evidence
CHAIN OF CUSTODY
-Idea behind chain of custody is to establish that the evidence identified is in fact related to the crime under investigation (not planted)
Elements of a Dying Declaration
- Unavailability of declarent
- Statement is being offered in a murder prosecution or civil suit
- Statement was made under belief that his/her death was imminent
- Statement must relate to the cause or circumstances of what the declarent believed to be his impending death (must also be based on declarents ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE “the coffee must have been contaiminated”)
A ______ is frequently used to determine the cause of death.
FORENSIC AUTOPSY
One of five categories (manner of death):
- Natural
- Accidental
- Homicide
- Suicide
- Undetermined
The role of the Medical Examiner is to ________, ________, and _____________.
- determine the time of death
- the exact cause of death
- determine what, if anything, preceeded the death.
_________ in a homicide case, is one of the most critical variables in its investigation.
THE TIME OF DEATH
5 Stages of Decomposition
Stage 1: The Fresh Stage
Stage 2: The Putrefaction Stage
Stage 3: The Black Putrefaction Stage
Stage 4: The Butyric Fermentation Stage
Stage 5: The Dry Decay Stage
3 Sciences of Decomposition
Forensic Pathology: medical perspective
Forensic Entomology: studies insects and other vermin found in corpses
Forensic Anthropology: studies skeletons and human remains
Casper’s Law
-If all other factors are equal, then when there is free access of air:
a body decomposes:
TWICE as fast than if immersed in water, and
EIGHT TIMES faster than if burried in earth
The most important variable [in the rate of decomposition] is ______________.
the body’s accessibility to insects, particulary flies.
