Homicide & Serious Crime Victims

Question 1

The victim is one of the three key elements of a homicide, together with the?

Answer 1

Suspect and the location.

Question 2

The OC Body should be?

Answer 2

An experienced investigator with awareness of forensic issues. Where this is not possible, the OC Body may require additional support and/or mentoring.

Question 3

Unless in an emergency situation, the body must not be moved until?

Answer 3

OC Investigation has given authority for this to occur.

Question 4

It is important that the OC Investigation and OC Body seek to establish as much information as possible from the scene with which they can subsequently brief interested parties. This will allow any decisions or opinions to be as fully informed as possible. Some key areas for consideration include?

Answer 4

• photographs and/or video recordings taken at the scene
• actions of the first responders
• identity of the body
• history of the body- including medical history, drugs found at the scene, action taken or developments since the discovery of the body
• timeframes relating to the finding of the body, the last sighting and other significant
times that may impact upon time of death
• scope and priorities of the investigation
• any special evidential expectations and requirements
• environmental factors at the scene, i.e. weather conditions, ambient/historical
temperature, nearby heating appliances, pollen influences
• any other additional information received from other experts, as appropriate

Question 5

It is not uncommon for movement of the body to have occurred during the initial stages of the police and other emergency services response. It is critical that crime scene attendees quickly establish what movement has taken place and that the OC Body record this information as soon as possible. Where the body has been disturbed?

Answer 5

• Do not attempt to restore the scene to its original unchanged condition.
• Make enquiries to enable the original unchanged scene to be subsequently reconstructed and photographed, if required.

Question 6

Specimens should not be taken from the body unless consultation has occurred between attending ESR staff, the pathologist, the OC Investigation, Crime Scene Coordinator (or where one is not appointed, OC Scene) and Fingerprint Officer. Whether samples are
taken at the scene will be decided by the OC Investigation. This is advisable where evidence would otherwise be lost or contaminated by moving the body, such as?

Answer 6

• larvae and insects
• potential fingerprint evidence from the skin on the body of the victim and/or items of
clothing worn by the body, e.g. fine woven fabrics
• DNA swabs
• extraneous items such as loose hairs, fibres, glass, paint or other fragments
• firearm residue samples.

Question 7

The body must be considered a ‘scene within a scene’ and as such, the OC Investigation is ultimately responsible for ensuring how the removal and examination of the body will be managed. The body must not be moved without specific authority from the?

Answer 7

OC Investigation

Question 8

Record all details of the position of the body including?

Answer 8

• Position of the limbs.
• Appearance of the body.
• Wounds and clothing.
• Direction of any trails of blood present on the body.
• Lividity, if present (coloration of skin due to gravitational movement of
blood).
• Extent of any rigor mortis present

Question 9

The primary role of the OC Body during a post-mortem is to?

Answer 9

Observe, document and deal with exhibits associated with the body, in a structured, methodical manner.

Question 10

The OC Body must remain until the examination is?

Answer 10

Concluded. Following the examination

the pathologist will provide their findings during a debrief.

Question 11

The primary reason for conducting a post-mortem examination is to?

Answer 11

Establish the cause of death.

Question 12

The pathologist’s findings will provide further information to drive the investigation which may include?

Answer 12

• determing where possible, the mode and time of death
• establishing how injuries and/or events at the scene may have contributed toward the
death of the victim
• determining the nature and size of any weapon(s) used
• determining the approximate height and stature of the suspect
• providing areas of interest for subsequent interviews of witnesses and/or suspects
• negating possible defences
• identifying the victim, if identity has not been established

Question 13

Police who should attend the post-mortem are?

Answer 13

• the OC investigation
• the OC Body
• a member specifically designated as exhibits officer for post-mortem, if required
• Police photographer
• SOCO or fingerprint officer, if required

Question 14

Particular consideration should be given to seeking authority from the Coroner for the
following parties to attend the post-mortem?

Answer 14

• ESR forensic scientist

* Crown Solicitor.

Question 15

The legal representative of any suspect who has been (or may be) charged must be
informed of the?

Answer 15

Time, date and place of the post-mortem, and advised that they are required to seek authority from the Coroner for a doctor (or any other representative) to attend on their behalf.

Question 16

Items found at the scene which are relevant to the post-mortem examination may need
to be taken to the mortuary or to the pathologist for inspection. The exhibit must be?

Answer 16

Properly packaged to avoid contamination, but also be clearly visible.

Question 17

To avoid any potential contamination, weapons must?

Answer 17

Not be taken to the mortuary until

after the post-mortem examination has been conducted.

Question 18

In the case of homicide or serious crime involving a Mäori victim, an Iwi liaison Officer
must be engaged as early as possible. This will support an understanding and awareness
of the?

Answer 18

Mäori traditions, protocol and beliefs, and enhance relations between the investigation, family of the deceased and the Mäori community.

Question 19

On arrival at the mortuary, the OC Body must?

Answer 19

1 Ensure mortuary staff do not wash the body.
2 Ensure the body is labelled and secured in the secure mortuary fridge.
3 Retain any key used to secure the body, until it is required for the postmortem.
4 Ensure the body remains in its present condition until the commencement of
the post-mortem.
5 Arrange formal identification of the body.

Question 20

Mutilation or decomposition may render visual identification of a body impossible. Where the identity of victim cannot be established, consider the following methods of identification, in consultation with the Coroner?

Answer 20

• fingerprints
• DNA profiling (identification results take 3-4 weeks or 48 hours for urgent analysis)
• dental records, available through the Region Forensic Dentistry Advisor
• eye examination records
• medical examination records, including scars, birth marks, implants or prosthetics, xrays,
surgical wounds, amputations and tattoos
• personal effects
• facial reconstruction

Question 21

To assist in the identification of unknown victims, photographs should include the victim’s?

Answer 21

Clothing, tattoos, marks and unusual scars.

Question 22

Identification will only take place at the direction of the OC Investigation. If possible, this should occur?

Answer 22

Before the post-mortem examination, however this may not be possible due to a risk of contamination or because the post-mortem will take place in a different geographic area to the one where the body was discovered.

Question 23

When skeletal remains are found, a pathologist, with the assistance of a forensic
anthropologist, can usually provide information such as?

Answer 23

• Whether the remains are actually bones.
• Whether the bones are human.
• The age, gender, height and race of the person

Question 24

The pathologist must be supplied with relevant information and material?

Answer 24

• Copy of the Notification to the Coroner (Pol 47).
• Medical Examination (MEK) kit.
• Toxicology kit.
• Medical records of the deceased, where available.
• Comprehensive photographs and/or video recordings taken at the scene. These
should include photographs of exhibits, weapons and the body ‘in situ’, which will
benefit the briefing for the post-mortem, as well as the subsequent examination

Question 25

The OC Body must not?

Answer 25

Make any notes of discussions concerning the post-mortem examination, unless specifically directed to by the OC Investigation and/or the pathologist.

Question 26

At the commencement of the post-mortem, the OC Body will?

Answer 26

Record the names and roles of any other persons present.

Question 27

In addition to photographs taken at the scene, the OC Body must ensure the photographer at the mortuary takes sufficient appropriate photographs of?

Answer 27

• the body, before it is stripped
• the body, after it is stripped
• close up photographs of any wounds, marks, internal injuries and unusual features.
These photographs must include a measuring scale placed in proximity to the feature being photographed, to make a permanent record of the dimensions of the feature.

Question 28

The OC Investigation or deputy appointed by them must ensure the pathologist conducts
a thorough examination of the body and that the pathologist conducts the following
procedures?

Answer 28

• Records a description of the body, including: height, weight, build, eye colour and hair
(density, colour and baldness).
• Records the body’s external appearance (front and back) including: injuries, bruises,
scars, scratches, discoloration and imperfections such as false teeth or false leg.
• Uses specialist kits for collecting evidence samples where appropriate, for example
Medical Examination Kit, Toxicology Kit, Firearms Discharge Residue Kit or Post-
Mortem Kit. Post-Mortem Kits are supplied by ESR, to the mortuary direct.

Question 29

Exhibits

The OC Body is responsible for?

Answer 29

Recording, labelling, packaging, sealing and securing all physical exhibits relating to the body, including samples taken during the post-mortem.

Question 30

The OC Body must hand all exhibits to the OC Exhibits, in order to maintain an unbroken chain of exhibit continuity and security. They should also provide the OC Exhibits with?

Answer 30

• the post-mortem Scene Exhibit Schedule
• copy of the OC Body’s notebook entries
• formal statement.

Question 31

The OC Body must prepare the Sudden Death (1S) file and submit as soon as possible,
so that a coronial inquest can be opened. The file must include?

Answer 31

• statement relating to the victim’s formal identification
• copy of the Police form 47 (report for the coroner) or, in the case of a child under the
age of 2 years, a Police form 47A (Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy)
• copy of Deceased Person Certificate (Police form 265)
• copy of Deceased Person Identification (Police form 265A).

Question 32

A second or subsequent post-mortem may be directed by the Coroner, if?

Answer 32

• the pathologist is unable to determine cause of death in the initial post-mortem
• a suspect’s lawyer seeks approval from the Coroner to conduct an independent postmortem
• the Solicitor General orders a further post-mortem, after an application to the High
Court.

Question 33

It is the responsibility of the OC __________ to confirm the post-mortem process is
concluded and that the body is no longer required.

Answer 33

Investigation

Question 34

Police must inform the family where _____ samples are taken from the body?

Answer 34

Tissue

Question 35

Police toxicology kits must be used for all?

Answer 35

Blood and urine samples.

Question 36

Examples of items that are of mutual interest to the pathologist and investigation team?

Answer 36

• ballistic projectiles
• foreign items such as hair, fibres, blood or semen
• ligatures - any knot present, must not be cut or undone

Question 37

The pathologist may retain some samples and submit then directly to the lab, what must the O/C body do?

Answer 37

• Allocate them an exhibit number
• record them
• get a copy of any form created by the mortuary

Question 38

Before entering the post-morten, anyone must be wearing?

Answer 38

Protective clothing.

Question 39

Identification will be impracticable after the body has been?

Answer 39

sealed.

Question 40

When conducting the formal ID its important to tell the person?

Answer 40

What they should expect to see, especially after the post mortem.

Question 41

Maori must be given an opportunity to?

Answer 41

Bless the sight before the body is removed.