GAPAN CITY COLLEGE

City Hall Compound, Bayanihan, Gapan City,

Nueva Ecija, Philippines 3105
Department of Criminal Justice
Education

MODULE 4 IN
SPECIALIZED CRIME INVESTIGATION 1 WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

Identifying the Cadaver

Establishing the identity of the victim is important, it will provide tracing clues to the motive and identity of the
perpetrator, with the identity known, the investigator can focus attention on the victim’s background and
establish a possible motive through such information

IDENTIFICATION- the determination of the individuality of a person or thing.

METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION

1. By comparison- identification criteria recovered during investigation are compared with records available in
the file, or post mortem finding are compared with ante- mortem records.
2. By exclusion- if two or more persons have to be identified and all but one is not yet identified, then the one
whose identity has not been established may be known by the process of elimination.

The bases of human identification may be classified as:

1. Those which laymen used to prove identity- no special training or skill is required of the identifier and no
instrument or procedure is demanded.
2. Those which are based on scientific knowledge- identification is made by trained men, well-seasoned by
experienced and observation, and primarily based on comparison or exclusion.

POINTS OF IDENTIFICATION APPLICABLE TO THE LIVING PERSON ONLY

1. Characteristics which may easily be changed:
a. Growth of hair, beard or mustache- this may be easily be shaved or grown within a short time.
b. Clothing- a person may have special preference for certain form, texture or style.
c. Frequent place of visit
d. Grade of Profession
e. Body Ornamentation

2. Characteristics that may not easily be changed:

a. Mental memory- a recollection of time, place and events may be a clue in identification.
b. Speech- a person may stammer, slutter or lisp.
c. Gait- a person, on account of disease or some inborn traits may show characteristic manner of walking.
Gait Pattern is the series of foot marks by a person walking or running.

C.1 Ataxic Gait- a gait in which a foot is raised high, thrown forward and brought down suddenly.
C.2 Cerebellar Gait- It is a type of gait associated with staggering movement.
C.3 Cow’s Gait- It is the swaying movement due to knock knee.
C.4 Paretic Gait- -It is the step which the steps are short and the feet dragged, the legs held more or less widely apart.
C.5 Spastic Gait- -It is a type of gait in which the leg is held together and moves in stiff manner and the toes to drag and
catch.

C.6 Waddling Gait - exaggerated alteration of lateral trunk movement similar to the movement of the duck.
C.7 Frog Gait- It is a hopping gait with infantile paralysis
d. Mannerism- stereotype movement or habit peculiar to an individual.
e. Hands and Feet- size, shape and abnormalities of the hands and feet may be the bases of identification.
f. Complexion- can be determined when the whole body is exposed preferably to ordinary sunlight.
g. Changes in the Eyes- A person identified because he is near sighted, far- sighted, color blind, astigmatic,
presbyopic, or cross-eyed.

h. Facies -Typically refers to the characteristic, appearance or facial expression associated to a particular
medical condition or syndrome
h.1. Hippocratic Facies- the nose is pinched, the temple hollow. Eyes sunken, ears cold, lips relaxed and skin
livid. The appearance of the face is indicative of approaching death.

h.2. Mongolian Facies- almond eyes, pale complexion, prominence of cheekbones.

h.3. Facies Leonin- a peculiar, deeply furrowed, lion- like appearance of the face.

h.4. Myxedemic Facies- pale face, edematous swelling which does not pit on pressure, associated with dullness
of intellect, slow monotonous speech, muscular weakness and tremor.
i. Left- or Right Handedness
j. Degree of Nutrition- the determination must be in relation to the height and age

POINTS OF IDENTIFICATION APPLICABLE TO BOTH LIVING AND DEAD BEFORE ONSET OF

DECOMPOSITION
1. Occupational Marks
2. Race- race may be presumed in:
COLOR OF THE SKIN FEATURE OF THE FACE SHAPE OF THE SKULL
Caucasian- Fair Caucasian- Prominent sharp nose Caucasian- Elongated skull
Malayan- Brown Malayan- Flat nose with round Malayan- Round Head
face
Mongolian- Fair Mongolian- Almond eyes and Mongolian- Round Head
prominent cheek bone
Negro- Black Negro- thick lips and prominent Red Indians and Eskimos- Flat
eyes head

3. Stature- a person ceases to increase in height after the age of 25. The growth of a person rarely exceeds five
centimeters after the age of 18. The rate of growth is variable but it is most active from 5 to 7 and from 13 to 16
years of age.
4. Tattoo Marks- introduction of coloring pigments in the layers of the skin by multiple puncture.
5. Weight- This is not a good point of identification for it is easily changed from time to time.
6. Deformities- Alteration in or distortion of the natural form, organ, or the entire body. It may be Congenital or
acquired. e.g clubfoot, cleft palate, amputation etc.

7. Birth marks
8. Injuries leaving permanent results
9. Mole
10. Scar
11. Tribal Marks
12. Sexual Organ- Male organ may show previous circumcision. In female the uterus and breasts may show
signs of previous pregnancy.
Intersexuality- a genetic defect wherein an individual show intermingling, in varying degrees, of the
characteristics of both sexes including physical form, reproductive organs, and sexual behaviour.
GONADAL AGENESIS- the sex organs (testes or ovaries) have never developed. This condition can be
determined very early in fetal life.
GONADAL DYSGENESIS- the external structures are present but at puberty the testes or the ovaries fail to
develop.
TRUE HERMAPHRODITISM- a state of bisexuality having both ovaries and testicles. The nuclear sex is
usually female. The character may be neutral or whichever dominant.
PSUEDOHERMAPHRODITE- sex organ is anatomically of one sex but the sex characters is that of the
opposite sex 
MALE PSUEDOHERMAPHRODITE- gonads are testicles but the character is effeminate.
FEMALE PSUEDOHERMAPHRODITE- gonads are ovaries but with masculine character.
13. Blood Examination

LIGHT AS A FACTOR IN IDENTIFICATION

1. Clearest Moonlight or Starlight Experiments have shown that the best known person cannot be recognized
under the CLEAREST MOONLIGHT at a distance greater than 16 to 17 yards and by STARLIGHT any further
than 10 to 13 yards.
2. Broad Daylight A person can hardly recognized another person at a distance father than ONE HUNDRED
YARDS if the person has never been seen before, but persons who are almost strangers may be recognized at a
distance of TWENTY- FIVE YARDS.
3. Flash of Firearm Although by experiment, letters of two inches high can be read with the aid of the flash of a
caliber .22 firearm at a distance of TWO FEET it is hardly possible for a witness to see the assailant in case of a
hold up or a murder
4. The Flash of Lightning Produces sufficient light from the identification of individual provided that the
person’s eye is focused towards the individual he wishes to identify during the flash.

REFERENCES:
Legal Medicine; Pedro P. Solis, 1987
https://www.academia.edu/40176986/SPECIAL_CRIME_INVESTIGATION_NOTES

PREPARED BY:
Billy Andrei M. Santiago, RCrim
INSTRUCTOR