1 SPECIALIZED CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE ( SLIDES 130 – 202)
Homicide Investigation
Homicide - is the unlawful killing of another
person without the
attending circumstances of neither murder,
parricide or
infanticide
Homicide is generic term which include the
crime of murder,
homicide, parricide and infanticide
Elements of the crime of homicide
 That the person was killed
 That the accused killed him without
any justifying
circumstances
 That the accused had the intent to kill
 That the killing was not attended by
any qualifying
circumstances of murder, or by that of
parricide or
infanticide
Golden Rule of Homicide Investigation
- Never touch, change or alter anything until
identified, measured and photographed.
Motives of the Crime Homicide
 Financial Gain - killers were prompted
by expectation of
financial gain include the beneficiary
of a will or
insurance policy of a spouse or
relative
 Sexual Gratification sex as a motive of
homicide is lust
 Sex Connected Homicide
 Emotional Factor - strong emotions
such as anger,
jealousy, revenge, envy and hatred
can provoke a
person to commit homicide or
premeditated murder
 Self Protection
a. Interrupted Crimes
b. Eliminating Eyewitnesses
c. Slaying a potential informants
 Removal of Inconvenience and
Impediment - Example of an
obstacle to be removed a blackmailer, an
unwanted child, a
feeble/weak parent blocking the takeover of a
family business
 Motiveless Crime - distinct kinds of
homicide that appears
motiveless or senseless
a. stranger killing stranger
b. mistaken identity
c.
Terms encountered in homicide.
Homicide - The killing of one human
being by another.
Sororicide - The act of one who kills
his or her own sister.
Fratricide - The act of one who
murders or kills his own brother.
Matricide - Murder of mother by her
own child.
Patricide - The act of one who kills his
own father.
Parricide - The act on one who
murders a person to whom he is
related such as his parent, spouse, or
child. This is a generic term.
Infanticide - The killing of an infant
less than 3 days old.
Suicide - Taking one’s own life
voluntarily and intentionally.
Uxoricide - Act of one who murder his
wife.
Regicide - The killing of murder of a
king.
Vaticide - The murder of a prophet.
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Euthanasia - Mercy killing or the act
or practice of painlessly putting to
death persons suffering from
incurable and distressing disease.
Time of Death Estimates in Homicide
Investigation
a) Algor mortis ( body cooling)
b) Rigor mortis (stiffening of muscle tissue)
c) Livor mortis ( lividity of the blood)
Determining Motive (Profiling)
 Crime Scene - an experienced
homicide investigator may be able to
form a “crime picture” of the
offender, based on his familiarity with
similar crimes.
 People - the most productive source
for determining motive is people:
family, friends, business associates
and others who had more than a
passing acquaintance with the
deceased.
 Records - this also help in suggesting
motive. Financial gain may be
indicated if a large insurance policy
was issued.
Dying Declaration - Known as ante mortem
statement is hearsay evidence.
Dying Declaration can be admissible if it
fulfill these conditions:
 The victim must believe he / she is
about to die.
 The victim must have no hope of
recovery.
 The victims declaration must identify
the person responsible for his/her
condition and state the circumstances
and manner by which the mortal
injuries were inflicted.
 The victim must be rational and
competent
 The victim must die from the injuries
recoiled.
Responsibilities of a Homicide Investigator
1. Homicide investigator when called
upon to investigate a violent death,
stand on the dead man’s shoes, to
produce his instincts against those
suspects Consequently, the zeal,
enthusiasm and intelligence the
investigator brings in the case marks
the difference between a murderer
being convicted or set free.
2. If the investigator interprets an
accidental death as due to natural
death and wisdom or the family may
be deprived of benefits and other
properties which the deceased have
sacrificed to obtain.
3. If he interprets a criminal death as
accidental or natural, a guilty person
is otherwise set scot free.
Note: Remember that the police is the first
line of defense in the effective application of
criminal justice.
The Primary Job of the Investigator
1. To discover whether an offense has been
committed under the law.
2. To discover how it was committed.
3. Who committed it and by whom it was
committed.
4. When it was committed.
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5. And under certain circumstances why it was
committed.
Mistakes in Homicide Investigation
1. The mistakes of the homicide
investigator can not be corrected
2. The homicide investigator should not
cross the three bridges, which he
burns behind him. It is important that
competent personnel adequately
handle the case.
The following are the three bridges:
1. The dead person has been moved
> It is therefore necessary that photographs
be taken, measurements made, fingerprints
taken and other necessary tasks to be first
carried out.
2. The second bridge is burned when the body
is embalmed
> Embalming destroys traces of alcohol and
several kinds of poison. If poisoning is
suspected, the internal organs should be
removed
3. The third bridge is burned when the body is
burned or cremated
> The exhume body is difficult and expensive
The lapse of time makes the examination
doubtly difficult and a conclusion is hard to
arrive at. Cremation destroys body itself.
The Medico - Legal Autopsy
1. The real beginning of any homicide
investigation should be to establish the cause
of death accurately.
2. An autopsy should be performed at once
when there is the slightest reason to suspect
the probability of homicide.
3. In general, it maybe stated that death has
been caused by violence, an autopsy is always
performed unless there is adequate proof to
the contrary.
The value of the Investigator in attending
autopsies
During the conduct of autopsy, an investigator
can observe first hand and ask questions
pertinent to the case under investigation. The
medico legal officer can explain the autopsy
findings as they progress. As the results of the
autopsy are received by the investigator such
information, if pertinent and requiring
expeditious investigative attention, can be
passed along to the other investigators for
immediate handling. When the investigator
has a suspected weapon, comparison of the
weapon with the wound can be made. The
officer present at the autopsy can be the
liaison with the investigation team working on
the case and see that all evidence is obtained
during the examination.
The Role of the Medico-Legal officer in
Homicide Investigation
The determination of criminal responsibility in
death has been developed into a specialized
field of medical science called forensic
pathology.
A pathologist can assist in homicide
investigation by:
1. Documentation of all wounds, bruises,
scratches, scars or other marks at the
time of the autopsy
2. Interpretation of findings based on
medical facts
Necropsy Report - It is a document stating the
cause of death of the victim. This is the
medico legal report.
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The Facts of Death
1. The first action of an investigator upon
arriving at the crime scene of the homicide is
the verification of death.
2. An individual is said to be dead in the
medical sense when one of the three vital
function is no longer performing within the
body:
a. Respiratory system
b. Cardiac Activity
c. Central nervous system activity
3. In the legal sense, death is considered to
occur when all of the three above vital
functions have ceased.
Presumptive signs and Test of Death
1. The following are few of the signs indicative
of death:
a. Cessation of breathing and respiratory
movement
b. Cessation of heart sounds
c. Loss of placing of nail beds when pressure is
applied in the fingernails is released.
Suspended Animation
1. Cardiac activity, breathing and functioning
of the nervous system may reach such a low
level activity that a homicide investigator
maybe deceived into an assumption of death.
2. The following conditions produced
simulated appearance of death:
a. Electric shock
b. Prolonged emersion
c. Poisoning from narcotic drugs
d. Barbiturate poisoning
e. Certain mental diseases
The Importance of Establishing the
Identification of Homicide Victims
The identification of the victim is an important
investigative step for the following reasons:
1. It provides an important basis for the
investigation processes since it may
lead the investigator directly to other
important information leading to the
solution of the crime.
2. The identity of the dead person
provides the focal point/starting point
for the Investigators can then center
their attention on associates and
haunts of the deceased
3. The identity of the deceased may
arouse suspicion in mysterious death
since the victim maybe a person
whose life had been threatened or
whose death was desired for criminal
purposes.
4. The identification of the deceased can
be traced or related to wanted
persons or missing one.
Methods of Identification
1. DNA Analysis
2. Fingerprints - Fingerprint
identification is the most positive and
quickest method of ascertaining
identity. However the prints of the
deceased may not be on file or may
not be obtainable because of trauma,
mutilation, incineration or
decomposition. The sole clue maybe
bone, a skull or a few teeth.
3. Skeletal Studies - Examination of the
skeleton may provide a basis for
identification because of individual
peculiarities such as old fractures and
presence of metal pins. Bones may
also provide information about age,
sex, and race.
4. Visual Inspection - Someone knowing
the deceased person may recognize
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the victim. However, trauma,
incineration, or decomposition may
render the features unrecognizable. In
addition, a visual inspection without
further verification has the advantage
of possible subjective error or
deliberate false identification. Visual
inspection combined with fingerprint
evidence is a favored method for
rapid identification.
5. Personal Effects - Identification of a
victim by personal effects such as
Jewelry, I D card, wallets, belts, shoes
etc.
6. Tattoo and Scars - Identification scars,
moles, tattoos, pockmarks or other
markings may be helpful in
identification, particularly in
conjunction with other
findings.
7. Dental Evidences (Forensic
Odontology) - Identification based on
the examination of teeth (teeth
charts, fillings, inlays crowns,
bridgework, dentures etc.) is valuable
in as much as the teeth are probably
the most durable part of the human
body. There are probably no two
people alive with dentures that are
completely identical in all respects.
Dental evidence is legally recognized
and accepted, if properly presented in
court.
8. Clothing - Articles of clothing
containing cleaner’s mark, labels,
initials, size, color texture knitting,
etc., have provided investigators with
the leads and even identification in
most instances.
9. Photographs - Identification of
victims has been made by publication
in bulletins, circulars, television and
other distribution media, artist
sketches, death mark and casts have
likewise aided the police in identifying
unknowns.
Investigative Leads
The problem of who did it is a simple on when
the offender is caught in the act or
apprehended in flight from the scene the
scene shortly after the crime. When the
perpetrator is not promptly arrested, the
direction of the investigation varies according
to whether the case falls into one of the two
categories known identities or unknown
identity. Whenever investigators encounter
cases of the later, investigative leads now are
necessary to attain the objective of criminal
investigation.
Establishment of Motive to the killing
This will furnish a good clue in the solution of
the crime. The investigator drawing from his
ingenuity, experience and availability of data,
must base his investigation on a theory that
rationally explains the fatal act. Note maybe
done on the following:
1. Victims Background - very promising
leads can be developed from the
review of the background of the
victim that can provide the
background of the victim which can
give the pursuit defined goals.
2. Modus Operandi - choice of
particular crime to commit and the
selection of a method of committing a
criminal act that forms the signature
of the criminal give a clear lead on
who might have committed the crime
3. Informants - are a traditional starting
point in seeking basic leads. In fact
informants sometimes offer data
about an unreported or undiscovered
crime or one in its planning stage.
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4. Benefits - the question of who might Parricide

benefit from the crime provides an excellent
Any person who shall kill his father, mother,
focus for making inquiry. The “benefit factor”
or child, whether legitimate or illegitimate, or
can provide investigative.
any of his ascendants or descendants, or his
5. Opportunity spouse, shall be guilty of parricide

6. Knowledge - simply determining who might The elements of parricide are:

have knowledge of the crime to establish
 A person is killed by the accused
further information.
 The person killed is the father, mother
7. Approximate time of death or child (not less than three days old),
whether legitimate or illegitimate or
8. Composite Sketches
the ascendant or descendant or the
9. Photographs of Known criminals spouse of the accused
 The relationship with the other
10. Voice Identification ascendant or descendant (grandfather
11. Polygraph testing or grandson) must be legitimate. The
spouse killed must be legitimate wife
12. Fingernail Scrapings or husband. But the father, mother or
13. Signs of Struggle child may be legitimate or illegitimate.
If the child killed is less than three
14. Field Contact Report days old, the crime is infanticide.
15. Motor Vehicle

Robbery Investigation

Robbery - is taking of personal property

belonging to another, with the intent to gain,
Murder
by means of violence against or intimidation
Any person who, not falling within the of any person, using force upon things.
provision of Article 246 (Parricide) of the RPC
Elements of Robbery:
shall kill another, if committed with any of the
following attendant circumstances:

 That there must be personal property.

 That personal property belonging to
 With treachery,
another.
 In consideration of a price, reward, or
 That the taking must be with intent to
promise
gain.
 By means of inundation, fire, poison,
 That there is violence against or
explosion, shipwreck, stranding of a
intimidation of any person or force
vessel, derailment or assault
upon anything.
 An occasion of any of the calamities
 With evident premeditation
 With cruelty, by (deliberately and
inhumanly augmenting the suffering
of the victim, or outraging or scoffing
at his person or corpse

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Typologies of Robber
 Professional Robber - characterized
as having a long term commitment to
crime as a source of livelihood
 Opportunist - a robber that will steal
to obtain small amounts of money
when he or she identifies what seems
to be a vulnerable target
 Drug Addict Robber - robs to support
his or her drug habit
 Alcoholic Robber - excessive
consumption of alcohol may cause
some persons to enter into robbery as
a criminal alternative
Categories of Robbery
 Armed Robbery - involves the use of
weapons
 Strong Arm Robbery - involves the
use of physical force
Types of Robbery
 Street Robbery - offenses occurring
on public streets and thoroughfares
or other outdoor localities that are
not obstructed from public view
 Residential Robbery - a robbery that
takes place whenever an offender,
forcefully or by deceit, enters the
domicile of a victim while the victim is
present, for the purpose of taking that
person's possession and valuables
 Vehicle-related robbery - The
operator of some commercial type of
vehicle is victimized
 Commercial Robbery - robberies
perpetrated against any type of profit
oriented operation
Conducting the Investigation
Some specific types of physical evidences
should be considered at the scene of the
robbery:
 footprints may be present
 fingerprints may be left in the
proximate locations
 saliva may be present on a discarded
facial mask
 if there was use of force or scuffle,
body secretions, fiber evidence or
other trace materials may be present
on the victim's clothing
 when the suspect is apprehended or
has been identified, trace materials
may be present on the suspect's
clothing that will link him or her to the
victim or the scene
 Physical evidence may be available
where a weapon was recovered
 fingerprints or trace evidence can be
left on the articles recovered
Anti Piracy and Anti Highway Robbery Law of
1974 (Presidential Decree 532)
 Piracy - Any attack upon or seizure of
any vessel, or taking away of the
whole or part thereof of its cargo,
equipment or the personal belonging
of its complement or passengers,
 Highway Robbery/Brigandage - The
seizure of any person for ransom,
extortion or other unlawful purposes,
or the taking away of the property of
another by means of violence against
or intimidation of persons or force
upon things of other unlawful means
committed by any person or any
Philippine highway
 
 Aiding Pirates or Highway Robbers/
Brigands or Abetting Piracy or
Highway Robbers/Brigands - Any
person who knowingly and in any
manner aids or protects pirates or
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highway robbers/brigands, such as
giving them information about the
movement of police or other peace
officers of the government or acquire
or receives property taken by such
pirates or brigands or indirectly abets
the commission of piracy or highway
robbery or brigandage, shall be
considered as an accomplice of the
principal offender
Anti-Cattle Rustling Law of 1974
(Presidential Decree 533)
 Cattle Rustling - Is the taking away by
any means, methods or scheme,
without the consent of the owner of
any of the above animals ( carabao
horse, mule or other domesticated
member of the bovine family)
whether or not for profit or gain, or
whether committed with or without
violence against or intimidation of any
person or force upon things It
includes the killing of large cattle, or
taking its meat or hide without the
consent of owner/raiser
Anti Fencing Law of 1979
(Presidential Decree 1612)
 Fencing - is the act of any person
who, with intent to gain, for himself
or for another shall buy, posses, keep,
acquire, conceal, sell or in any other
deal on any articles, items, objects or
anything of value which he knows to
have been derived form the proceeds
of crime or robbery or theft
Rape and Sex Crimes Investigation
Rape - is also committed by any person
through sexual assault by inserting his
penis into another person's mouth or anal
orifice, or any instrument or object, into
the genital or anal orifice of another
person
Rape is committed through any of the
following circumstances:
 Through the use of force, threat
or intimidation.
 When the offended party is
deprived of reason or otherwise
unconscious
 By means of fraudulent (fake)
machination (set up) or grave
abuse of authority.
Offender Personality Types:
 Power Reassurance Rapist - a rapist
who psychologically doubts his
masculinity and seeks to dispel this
doubt by exercising power and
control over women
 Power Assertive Rapist - a rapists
who asserts his masculinity and
dominance over victims
 Anger Retaliatory Rapist - rapist who
uses extreme anger to retaliate or
take revenge, psychologically, for real
or imagined past wrongs associated
with women
 Sadistic Rapist - rapist which displays
the greatest amount of hostility
towards his victim by purposely
inflicting pain beyond that is
necessary to subdue the victim
 Opportunistic Rapist - an
opportunistic rapist, is generally one
who, in association with the
commission of an initial offense,
commits rape as a secondary offense
Investigative Procedure
 Interview the victim if medical
attention is not necessary
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Interviewers must be composed
mostly of women
 Interview should be handled with
maximum tact and professionalism
 Medical Procedure of Victim
Rape Trauma Syndrome - victims may be
outwardly hysterical or appear quite calm and
unaffected of the offense
Physical Evidence in Rape Cases:
 Can be located in the crime scene.
 On the victim
 On the suspect or at locations
occupied by the suspects.
ROBBERY AND THEFT
INVESTIGATION
Robbery
The law on robbery in the Philippines
can be found on the following articles
of the Revised Penal Code: Article 293
Who are guilty of robbery?
Any person who, with intent to gain,
shall take any personal property
belonging to another, by means of
violence or intimidation of any
person, or using force upon anything
shall be guilty of robbery.
Elements of Robbery:
1. Unlawful taking of personal
property
2. The property must belong to
another
3. The taking is done with violence
against an intimidation of any person
of force upon things
4. The taking is with intent to gain
Note the following:
 Article 294 - Robbery with
violence or intimidation of
persons
 Article 295 - Robbery with
physical injuries committed in
an uninhabited place and by
band or the use of firearm on
a street
 Article 297 - Attempted and
frustrated robbery committed
under certain circumstances
 Article 298 - Execution of
deeds by means of violence or
Intimidation
Article 299 - Robbery in an inhabited house or
public building or edifice devoted to worship.
Any armed person who shall commit robbery
in an inhabited house or
public building or edifice devoted to religious
worship - and if:
a. The malefactors shall enter the house
or building in which the robbery was
committed, by any of the following
means:
 Through an opening not intended for
entrance or egress
 By breaking any wall, roof or floor or
breaking any door or window
 By using false key, padlocks or similar
tools
 By using fictitious name or pretending
the exercise of public authority or if-
b. The robbery be committed under any
of the following circumstances:
 By the breaking of doors, wardrobes,
closets, or any other kind of locked or
sealed furniture or receptacle
 By taking such furniture or objects
away to be broken or forced open
outside the place of the robbery
Article 302 - Robbery in an uninhabited place
or in a private building
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Article 303 - Robbery of cereals, fruits or  taverns (restaurants, bars, cafes)

firewood in uninhabited place or private  delivery services (chicken, pizza, etc.)
building  drive ins
 service stations

The Targets in Robberies

5. Vehicles

 taxis
The selection of a victim and the place of the
 bus
robbery are two basic keys to developing a
 trailer
pattern which will furnish clues to a robbers
 passenger jeepney
identity. Data usually are correlated in the
 victims personal car
following areas:

1. Victim:
6. Vessels:
 alone
 in the company of two or three  inter island (passenger)
 in the company of four or more  cargo
persons  ferry
 tugboats
2. Residence:

 one family
 multi family Style and Tactics in Robbery Cases
 motel - hotel (robbery of guest)
The identification in an armed robbery case
 garage ( or other residence occupancy
often relates to the tactics and style of the
shed or structure)
robbery.
3. Street and highways
Robbery has been categorized as having
 sidewalk three styles:
 roadway
1. The ambush - is the least planned of all and
 alley
is based on the element of surprise.
 publicly accessible area ( parks,
parking lot, entranceway) 2. The selective raid - involves a minimum of
 over and under pass planning but some casing of the robbery
 highways scene.
4. Commercial (non - residence) 3. The planned operation - is carefully
structured and the robbery group examines
 bank
all aspects of the situation, plans for all
 business office or off street retail sales
foreseeable contingencies.
outlet (loan companies, pawnshops,
jewelry store, etc.)
 markets
 liquor stores Crime Partnership in a Robbery Group
 other retail outlets  Crime partners in a robbery group
 motel hotel (robbery of form a loose partnership,
manager/owner) providing the skills for the various

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task necessary to carry out

different types of robberies. They
participate in the planning of
robberies as well as the basic
decision as to whether or not a
certain target can be successfully
robbed.
 Crime partners usually are
associates from spontaneous play
groups in the underworld
Investigators assigned a single
robbery or series of robberies to
investigate should search for “link
up” “connect up” which will
indicate the operations of a
group.

Types of Robbers

1. Amateurs - motivated by greed, want,

the desire for a thrill, or need for self
testing.
2. Professionals - are described as those
persons who worked at robbery as a
trade making it their living and having
no other means of income.

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