INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION:

Modern forensic evidence dates back to 1910 where the exchange principle is used. A
famous French criminologist named EDMOND LOCARD stated that a criminal always removes
something or leaves something at a crime scene that is incriminating.

The scientific examination of physical evidence is widely accepted as a critical element

in the effort of law enforcement agencies to conduct successful criminal investigations and
prosecutions. The forensic science field is an ever changing discipline holds the key for solving
special crimes.

The primary purpose of an investigation is to locate, identify, and preserve evidence.

The evidence is later used to support a theory or a claim about the accused.

In the field of special crime investigation, an investigator is the person who is tasked with
the duty of carrying out the objectives of the investigation.

CASES/ SUBJECTS OF SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION:

1. Homicide (includes murder, parricide, infanticide or death where suicide is

suspicious.
2. Sex Crimes (includes rape and sexual harassment)
3. Robbery (includes theft and carnapping)
4. Arson Investigation
5. Swindling or Estafa cases
6. Bank Frauds
7. Kidnapping or Kidnap for Ransom
8. Bombing Incidents
9. Falsification of Documents
10. Drug Related Cases
11. Hit and Run Accident Investigation.

FIRST: Homicide Investigation.

Homicide, defined.

It is the unlawful killing of any person, which is neither parricide, murder, nor infanticide.

Parricide, defined.

Any person who shall kill his father, mother, or child, whether legitimate or illegitimate, or
any of his ascendants or descendants, or his spouse.
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Murder, defined.

It is the unlawful killing of any person which is not parricide or infanticide, provided that
any of the following circumstances is present:
1. With treachery, taking advantage of superior strength, with the aid of armed men, or
employing means to weaken the defense, or of means or persons to insure or afford impunity.
2. In consideration or a price, reward, or promise;
3. By means of inundation, fire, poison, explosion, shipwreck, stranding of a vessel,
derailment or assault upon a railroad, fall of an airship, by means of motor vehicles, or with the
use of any other means involving great waste and ruin;
4. On occasion of any of the calamities enumerated in the preceding paragraph, or of
an earthquake, eruption of a volcano, destructive cyclone, epidemic, or other public calamity;
5. With evident premeditation; and,
6. With cruelty, by deliberately and inhumanly augmenting the suffering of the victim, or
outraging or scoffing at his person or corpse.

Infanticide, defined.

It may be defined as the killing of any child less than three days of age, whether the killer
is the parent or grandparent, any other relative of the child, or a stranger.

THREE BRIDRES IN HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION WHICH SHALL NOT BE CROSSED.

They are the following:

1. The first bridge is that the dead body has been moved.
2. The second bridge is when the cadaver has been embalmed.
3. The third bridge is when the dead person is burned or cremated.

WHAT IS AUTOPSY AND ITS IMPORTANCE.

Autopsy came from the Greek word autopsia, meaning “seeing with your own eyes.”
It is the process by which the pathologist or the medico legal officer conducts an examination on
the cadaver to determine the exact cause of death. Autopsy should be performed at once when
there is the slightest reason to suspect the probability of homicide.

Autopsy is more detailed compared to Post Mortem Examination. Post Mortem

Examination is the process of examination conducted by a medico-legal officer to the cadaver of
a person at the crime scene to find out facts that may lead to reasons of death.

After the autopsy is conducted by a medico-legal officer, a report shall be accomplished

by him/ her stating the exact cause of death of the victim. The document or report made by him
is called autopsy/ necrology report.
In medical science, the term death is defined as the stage when any of the three vital
functions into the body of the person is no longer performing. They are the following:
1. Respiratory System;
 2. Cardiac Activity; and
3. Central Nervous System.
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METHODS OF IDENTIFYING THE DECEASED:

1. Fingerprint Identification;
2. DNA Test;
3. Skeletal studies by anthropologists;
4. Visual Inspection of the deceased;
5. Identification based on tattoo marks;
6. Dental evidence by the Forensic Odontologists;
7. Identification based on Clothing used by the deceased; and,
8. Identification with the use of Photographs.

PURPOSE OF THE DEATH INVESTIGATION.

Although the primary goal of a death investigation is to establish the cause and manner
of death, the role of the investigator extends much further than simply answering these two
questions. A common question asked is, “Why does it matter? The person is dead?” While it is
true that the dead cannot benefit, the value in death investigation is to benefit the living and
future generations.

DEATH INVESTIGATION BENEFITS include:

1. Families of the deceased:

* Discover genetic/ inherited disorders.
* Collection of death benefits, e.g. life insurance.
* Answer questions about the death e.g. “why did he complain of headaches?”
* Psychological benefit of knowing the truth, peace of mind.

2. Legal systems, civil and criminal:

* Provide evidence for prosecution in a criminal matter causing death, e.g. murder,
manslaughter, neglect of a dependent causing death, etc.)
* Provide evidence to exonerate a person under suspicion.
* Provide evidence for civil matters, such as negligence causing death.
* Identify trends in death to develop strategies for the future, e. g. sudden infant death
syndrome.

3. Public health and safety:

* Identify infectious diseases, both new and old.
* Identify defective devices or products that can cause death.
* Identify trends in death to develop strategies for the future, e. g. sudden infant death
syndrome.

4. Medical care quality:

* May be conducted within the hospital or institution or by the medical examiner or
coroner.
* Evaluation of the effectiveness of treatments and therapy.
* Evaluation of the potential errors of individuals or the system.
* Evaluation of transplant donors for signs of diseases or injuries that might affect the
 transplant recipient.
* Research, e. g. to evaluate the adverse effects of a novel drug or therapy.
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ROLE OF THE DEATH SCENE INVESTIGATOR:

 The death investigator commonly works under the direction of the medical examiner
or coroner.
 Death investigation is accomplished by the interaction of many individuals with
varying expertise.
 The families and loved ones of the deceased often have many questions about how
the person died.
 Law enforcement and prosecution need the investigator’s input.
 And finally, the pathologist will have questions at the autopsy, as a part of a complete
investigation.

PHILOSOPHY OF DEATH INVESTIGATION.

In death investigation, the body is the most important piece of evidence. The
investigation involves focusing on the body and the attached trace evidence.

NOTIFICATION OF DEATH.

These calls are usually received from law enforcement dispatch, but can originate from
health-care facilities, first respondents, or funeral homers and other agencies. Having received
the notification, the investigation can take on various forms and depths of inquiry depending on
the type of death and the circumstances. Taking this initial call, it is important to know if the case
is under one’s jurisdiction.

DEATHS THAT ARE COMMONLY REPORTED TO A MEDICAL EXAMINER OR CORONER

ARE AS FOLLOWS:

 Deaths under unexplained, unusual, suspicious, or unnatural circumstances.

 Homicides.
 Death due to accident, even when the accident does not appear to be the primary
cause of death.
 Poisoning death,
 Deaths from infectious disease that pose a potential public health risk.
 Maternal deaths from abortion.
 Death of an inmate or a person in custody.

DISCOVERY OF DECEASED.

Determine who made the call and how your agency was contacted.

TYPES OF DEATH:

1. Non-Criminal
* Natural
 * Accidental
* Suicide
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2. Non-Criminal or Criminal
* Homicide

ESTIMATING THE TIME OF DEATH.

Factors that help on estimating the time of death are body temperature, rigor mortis,
postmortem lividity, appearance of eyes, stomach contents, stage of decomposition and
evidence suggesting a change in the victim’s normal routine.

BODY TEMPERATURE (ALGOR MORTIS) – BODY COOLING.

Body temperature drops to 2 to 3 degrees in the first hour after death and 1 to 1 ½
degrees for each subsequent hour up to 18 hours.

RIGOR MORTIS (Stiffening muscle tissues).

 Appears in head 5 to 6 hours.

 Appears in upper body 12 hours.
 Appears in entire body 18 hours.
 Disappears in same order 36 hours.
 A weapon tightly clutched in the victim’s hand as the result of cadaveric spasm
indicates suicide.

POSTMORTEM LIVIDITY/ LIVOR MORTIS.

 It is the blood inside the cadaver which settles down on the body part nearest the
ground and clots due to the action of gravity.
 Starts one-half to three hours after death and in congested in the capillaries in four to
five hours.
 Maximum lividity occurs within ten to twelve hours.
 The location of lividity can indicate whether a body was moved after death it forms a
deep brown or black discoloration on the skin.

EXAMINATION OF THE EYES.

 A partial restriction of the pupil occurs in about seven hours in twelve hours the
comea appears cloudy.

EXAMINATION OF STOMACH CONTENTS.

 Determine when and what the victim last ate if any vomit is present, preserve it as
evidence and submit it for examination.

DECOMPOSITION.

 Adipocere-soapy appearance of a dead body left for weeks in a hot moist location.
  Mummification complete dehydration of all body tissues that occurs when a cadaver
is left in an extremely dry hot area.
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EFFECTS OF WATER.

 A dead body usually sinks in water and remains immersed for eight to ten days in
warm water or two to three weeks in cold water.
 It then rises to the surface unless restricted.
 The outer skin loosens in five to six days, and the nails separate in two to three
weeks.

GUNSHOT SUICIDE INDICATORS.

 Gunshot held against skin.

 Wound in mouth or in right temple if victim is right handed and left temple if left
handed.
 No shot through clothing, unless shot in the chest.
 Weapon present, especially if tightly held in hand.

GUNSHOT MURDER INDICATORS.

 Gun fired from more than a few inches away.

 Angle or location that rules out self-infliction.
 Shot through clothing.
 No weapon present.

BULLET WOUNDS. (Caused by bullets, which are discharged from a firearm).

 Entrance wound.
 Exit wound.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT ENTRANCE WOUND.

 A near-contact fire, evidence by burning tattooing around the wound.

 Presence of gunshot wound.
 Body part involved is accessible to the dexterous hand.
 Presence of suicide notes.
 Wounding firearm is tightly held (cadaveric spasm).

EVIDENCE OF ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING.

 Usually one shot.

 No special area of the body is involved.
 Testimonies of witness.

EVIDENCE OF HOMICIDAL GUNSHOT WOUND.

  Site of the entrance wound has no point of election.
 Discharge of firearm is made when the victim is more distance away.
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 Sign of struggle may be present.

 Signs of disturbance in the surroundings maybe present.

DEFENSE WOUNDS.

 Cuts on the hands, arms and legs which result when the victim attempts to ward of
the attacker.

COMMON FORMS OF EXTERNAL VIOLENCE.

 Contusion – an injury found in the substance of the skin discoloration of the surface
due to extravasations of blood caused by the application of a blunt instrument.
 Abrasion – injury characterized by removal of the specific epithelial layer of the skin
brought about by friction against a hard rough surface.
 Hematoma – extravasations of blood in the newly formed cavity known as blood
tumor caused by blunt instrument.
 Incised Wound – produced by sharp-edged instrument like bolo, knife, broken glass,
etc.
 Stab Wound – forcible application of a sharp pointed with sharp edges.
 Punctured Wound – produced by shard pointed instrument.
 Lacerated Wound – tearing of the skin due to forcible contact with a blunt instrument,
which the edges are irregular.

CUTTING SUICIDE INDICATORS.

 Hesitation wounds.
 Wounds under clothing.
 Weapon present, especially if tightly clutched.
 Usually wounds at throat, wrists or ankles.
 Seldom disfigurement
 Body not moved.

CUTTING MURDER INDICATORS

 Defense wounds.
 Wounds through clothing.
 No weapon present.
 Usually injuries to vital organs.
 Disfigurement.
 Body moved.

ASPHYXIATION DEATHS.

 Most cases of choking, drowning and smothering are accidental.

  Most cases of hanging are suicides.
 Most cases of strangulation are muder.
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POISONING.

 Toxicology – the study of poison,

 Poisoning deaths can be accidental, suicide or murder.
 Most death caused by burning, explosions, electrocution and lightening are
accidental.
 Although burning is sometimes used in an attempt to disguise murder.

THE VICTIM.

 The victim’s background provides information about whether the death was an
accident, suicide or homicide.
 If homicide, the background often provides leads to a suspect.
 Evidence on the victim’s body can also provide important leads.

THE SUSPECT.

 Determine the motive for a killing because it provides leads to suspects and strong
circumstantial evidence against a suspect.
 Mass murder occurs when multiple victims are killed in a single incident by one or a
few suspects.
 Serial murder is the killing if three or more separate victims with a cooling period
between the killings.
 Lust murder is a sex related homicide involving a sadistic, deviant assault.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE IN HOMICIDE.

 A weapon, body, blood, hairs and fibers.

TERMS CONNECTED WITH HOMICIDE.

 Sorocide – the killing of one’s sister.

 Fratricide – the killing of one’s brother.
 Matricide – the killing of a mother by her own child.
 Patricide – the killing of a father by his own child.
 Parricide – the killing of a person to whom he is related such as parent, grandparent,
legal wife, child, grandchild.
 Infanticide – the killing of a child less than three days old.
 Suicide – taking one’s life intentionally and voluntarily
 Aborticide – the killing of the fetus inside the womb which is also called ABORTION.
 Euthanasia – mercy killing or painless death of a person suffering from incurable
diseases to cut short his suffering. This is murder with the qualifying aggravating
circumstances of treachery.