Blood Spatter Analysis

CSI
 History
 1894 - Pitorowski wrote earliest reference to bloodstain
pattern analysis
 1939 - Balthazard was first to use physical
interpretations of stains
 1955 - Dr. Paul Kirk used bloodstain pattern
interpretation as a defense witness in the Sam Shepherd
case
 1971 - Professor Herbert MacDonnell promoted
bloodstain pattern interpretation as a tool for modern
criminalistics
 1983 – The International Association of Bloodstain
Pattern Analysis was formed
 Blood Basics
 Red Blood Cells(Erythrocytes)-most
abundant, contains a liquid called plasma,
carries oxygen.

 White Blood Cells(Leukocytes)-Part of

immune system.

 Platelets-In charge of the clotting factor.

 Classification
 ABO-Basic classification for blood types
 A,B,AB,O-Blood types
 AB-universal receiver
 O-Universal Donor
 RH+-has d antigen
 RH—has no d antigen
 Human or Animal?
 Precipitin Test
 PT- animal serum contains antibodies
specific to human antigens, therefore it
reacts to agglutinate human blood.
 Detection of Blood
 CSI can use the location, distribution and
pattern of blood and bloodstains to
reconstruct the crime.
 Investigators can individualize blood
evidence by comparing DNA.
 Several methods such as luminol can be
used to detect blood by reacting certain
chemicals with the iron in the hemoglobin
and making it glow blue.
 Blood Pattern Analysis
 The use of physics and math to interpret
bloodstain patterns within a forensic setting
 Blood Spatter patterns are often used to prove
or disprove the suspect’s account of what
happened.
 May show:
1. Activity at scene
2. Number of blows
3. Position of victim and assailant
4. Whether death was immediate or delayed
5. Weapon characteristics
 Basic principles
 A free falling drop of blood forms a
sphere or ball.
 A spherical drop will break
1. When it strikes another object
2. When acted upon by some force
 Blood Spatter Analysis
 Blood spatter is determined by distance,
velocity, angle of impact, direction of
travel and position of origin
 Spatter size is dependent upon velocity

 Low velocity spatter is about 5 ft / second and usually

3 mm or greater in diameter and indicates blood is
dripping
 Medium velocity spatter is 5 – 25 ft / second with a <3
mm diameter and usually indicates blunt trauma or
sharp trauma or it could be cast-off
 High velocity spatter is 100+ ft / second with a
spatter of < 1 mm indicating gunshot trauma, power
tools, an object striking with extreme velocity (airplane
prop) or an explosion, may be referred to as fly specks
Determining Location of Blood Source

 Direction of travel – tail will point in

direction of travel
 Angle of impact
1. Vertical drops are circular
2. Drop elongates as angle increases
 Measure width and length then calculate
angle it struck the surface
 Attach string lines to each of the spatters
and lines converge at the blood source
 Angle of Impact
“The tail tells the tale”

 90 degrees –

 60 degrees –

 30 degrees –

 10 degrees –
String Convergence in a 2 Dimensional Plane

Convergence
Cast-off Bloodstains
Arterial Gushing
 Other Patterns in Blood
 Transfer patterns (gun, knife, hand,
foot…)
 Void patterns (indicating some object was
removed or a person was hit by spatter)
 Flow patterns (may indicate movement
with change in flow)
 Drying Time
 Drying begins at periphery and proceeds
inward
 Drying time is affected by
– Surface type
– Amount of blood
– Climatic conditions
 Skeletonization
– Partially dry stains leave a ring that outlines original
spatter
– The drier the stain, the less skeletonization shown
 Quiz Questions
1. Red blood cells are also known as _______.
2. Another name for white blood cells is _______.
3. What is the name of the test used to determine whether the blood
sample is human or animal?
4. Blood patterns in a crime scene may show
A. Race of suspect
B. Age of the victim
C. How many children they had
D. Position of victim and assailant

5. True or False : Spatter size is dependent upon velocity.

 Answers
 1. Erythrocytes
 2. Leukocytes
 3. Precipitin Test
 4. D
 5. True