Final Forensics Project 14-15

A fatal incident has occurred. Your job is prepare the evidence,

recreate the crime scene, conduct the interviews, provide
evidence for estimated time of death, present fingerprints, fiber
and hair for analysis, leave blood to use for blood type
identification and present the blood spatter for analysis.
When completed, you will leave the evidence for another team to
analyze. Then, your team will analyze another of your fellow
students project.
In creating your crime scene and case evidence file you need to
utilize all of the skills you have obtained in this class:
Fingerprinting and identification; hair and fiber analysis; blood
spatter analysis; blood type analysis; estimating time of death
from temperature, eye condition, rigor mortis and liver mortis;
handwriting analysis; bone evidence male/female from pelvis,
height from length of femur
You will be evaluated on the entire project:
*Teamwork each member must contribute to the project
*Completion of crime scene
*Completion of check of
chart
*Suspect list complete, witnesses interviewed, extras
prepared
Team members:
Initial each piece of the project that you are responsible for
Creation and investigation

This project will produce several grades:

Crime Scene
*
Participation * Group work
Final project grade will be 1/10 of your grade for the
course

Final Project
Forensics Fall 2014
Topic

Brief summary

Completed

1. Fingerprints
Left for lifting

[10]

Comparison sheet

[10]

2. Blood spatter

[20]

3. Blood type
Comparison sheet

[10]
[10]

4. Time of death - information

Algor mortis

[10]

Liver mortis

[10]

Rigor mortis

[10]

Stomach/intestine contents

[10]

Condition of eyes

[10]

5. Hair

[20]

6. Fibers found

[20]

7. Handwriting analysis
Note or other handwriting
sample
Comparison sheet

[5]

If appropriate:
Skeletal analysis:
Pelvis
Femur
Eyewitness interviews (3)
List of other possible ones
First responders report of
scene
Suspect list and information

[optional, can
replace 5 or 6]

[15]

[20]
[10]
[50]

(at least 5) see next page

Case file compiled
Crime scene creation check-list
Total: 250
Your project must include:
Type of scene inside or outside
Type of incident knife, gun, blunt object, accident, the crime scene must give some indications
so the investigators can estimate what happened
Blood spatter so direction and type of flow can be identified
Blood type sample left to be tested along with identifying information on the suspects blood
types
Fingerprints at least one object must have fingerprints that can be lifted
There must be a comparison card with fingerprints from the other suspects
Writing sample there must be a note/scrap of paper with letters/numbers on it that can be
analyzed. There must also be a set of comparison writing samples from the suspects.
Time of death pathology report must be included indicating: algor mortis (body temp and
conditions where body was found); rigor mortis state of the muscles of the body when it was
discovered; condition of the eyes for estimating time of death; contents of stomach/intestine for
estimating time of death; liver mortis to determine if body was moved
Witnesses Interviews with at least 3 witnesses and names of others who could be witnesses.
You will have to make up the 3 interviews and then meet with 3 other class members who could
be witnesses or characters who know the deceased or the possible suspects.
Suspects A list of suspects and their identifying characteristics: blood type, sample of
handwriting, left or right handed, fingerprint 10 card for identification, body type height, smallmedium-large, hair color, any other identifying information
Suggestions:
Use white socks, go to four or five different rooms with carpets, run socks over carpet to pick up trace
evidence. At one site use two socks on will be the evidence sock.
Use the ink chromatography kit we used to analyze ink from the crime scene note instead of
handwriting.
Ask other students/teachers for their fingerprints (ask me for an approved list of teachers first) to add to
your list of suspects
Make footprints from shoes for comparison or make a cast of a footprint for comparison (ask me for
more information)
You could do the gunshot residue with one of the indicators.

Evaluation Sheet Crime scene preparation

Case file must be complete: suspect information, first resp. report, interviews, pathology report, witness
reports, additional interviewees

Topic
1. Fingerprints
Left for lifting
Comparison sheet
2. Blood spatter

3. Blood type
Comparison sheet
4. Time of death - information
Algor mortis

Liver mortis
Rigor mortis
Stomach/intestine contents
Condition of eyes
5. Hair
6. Fibers found
7. Handwriting analysis
Note/other handwriting sample
Comparison sheet
If appropriate:
Skeletal analysis:
Pelvis; Femur
Eyewitness interviews (3)
List of other possible ones

First responders report of

scene

Brief summary

Completed

Surfaces had fingerprints left on them.

Were able to be lifted and examined
Print card with suspects fingerprints included in case file
Surface with blood spatter included:
Investigators could determine direction of flow, type of
injury or number of incidents incurred
Container of blood left for testing
Case file includes blood type of suspects and victim

[10]

Body temp at time of discovery of body included in case

file assume normal air temperature for figuring out
time of death.
Case file includes pathology report with location of liver
mortis indicated
Case file includes pathology report with state of rigor
mortis indicated.
Case file includes pathology report with contents of
stomach or intestine included
Condition of eyes indicated in case file/pathology rep.
Hair left at scene to be collected. Case file may include
hair samples from suspect/victim.
Fibers left at scene to be collected. Case file may include
possible source of fibers.
Note or other paper with handwriting included

[10]

Case file includes samples of handwriting from suspects.

#5 or 6 may be replaced by this skeletal evidence to
indicate possible height and sex of victim. Maybe used if
only part of body is recovered.
3 interviews with witnesses are included in the case filed.
Full interviews.
List of other persons who may be able to contribute to
information about the crime. (arrange with these people
ahead of time so they know what to say)
Case file includes first responders report: Location of
crime scene, time of day, description of area, people
present when they arrived, actions taken by police to
secure the scene, state of the victim

[15]
[optional,
can replace
5 or 6]
[20]

[10]
[20]

[10]
[10]

[10]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[20]
[20]
[5]

[10]

Suspect list and information

Case file compiled

1. Fingerprints
Left for lifting
Comparison sheet
2. Blood spatter
3. Blood type
Comparison sheet
4. Time of death - information
Algor mortis
Liver mortis
Rigor mortis
Stomach/intestine contents
Condition of eyes
5. Hair
6. Fibers found

List of suspects with their fingerprints, blood type,

description (at least 5 suspects.
Pathology report
Suspect fingerprints, blood type, writing samples
Interivews, first responder rept

[20]

Fingerprint areas identified

Were able to be lifted and examined
Prints compared to suspects and matches identified
Investigators determined direction of flow, type of injury
or number of incidents incurred
Blood tested and type identified
Comparison done to suspects and victim.

[10]

Body temp used (with chart) to establish parameters of

time of death.
Liver mortis used to determine if body was moved or left
at place of death
Rigor used (with chart in book) to determine parameters
of time of death.
Stomach/intestine contents used to determine parameters
of time of death.
Time of death parameters estimated

[10]

Hair analyzed human, animal, match any suspects?

Fibers analyzed natural, man-made, match any from
suspects?
Note and or ink compared to suspects handwriting or pen

[10]
[10]

7. Handwriting analysis
Note/other handwriting sample
Comparison sheet
If appropriate:
#5 or 6 may be replaced by this skeletal evidence to
Skeletal analysis:
indicate possible height and sex of victim. Maybe used if
Pelvis
only part of body is recovered.
Femur
Eyewitness interviews (3)
Interviews analyzed, at least 2 other suspects interviewed
List of other possible ones
First responders report of
Report analyzed, conclusions listed by team
scene
Suspect list and information
Final list of evidence and how it relates to each suspect.
Case file analysis complete
Evaluation
Crime
and Sheet
written
out. scene investigation
.
Possible 200 points

[30]

[10]
[10]
[10]
[10]

[10]
[10]
[10]
[10]

[10]
[]
[optional,
can replace
5 or 6]
[10]
[10]
[50]