Friday, June 22, 2007
Today’s activities began bright
and early with a presentation from BCI & I’s Karen Kwek. Dr. Kwek walked
us through the various activities of her Ohio forensics lab, offering an
overview of the responsibilities of, and tools available to, each
department. Dr. Kwek then introduced us to her own area of expertise,
trace evidence. Most trace evidence falls into four categories: paint,
glass, hair, and fibers. However, almost anything from a crime scene can
become trace evidence: physical break matches, rope, plant materials,
and fabric impressions. Investigators examining trace evidence work
with very small samples, and almost all preliminary investigation
requires a microscope.
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Blokie’s
unfortunate end. |
Helen, Ashley, Amanda working with
the vidoegraphy equipment.
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Fortunately, several computer
programs and databases are currently available to forensic examiners.
Paint Data Query, for example, can generate the make, model, and year of
a car from a chip of its original paint. Glass Refractive Index
Measurement uses the light-reflective properties of glass to determine
whether two samples are from the same source. However, as Dr. Kwek
reminded us, trace evidence is not usually easily obtained or
conclusive; it requires a great deal of time and effort to collect and
analyze such evidence.
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Dr. Sam Stout lecturing on a past case. |
Kelly and Ryauna
working on matching suspect bullet striations to a crime scene
bullet.
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In the afternoon, we finished
our photographic and videographic work, planning and executing the
digital camera and video shots of our mock crime scene. Later, forensic
anthropologist Dr. Sam Stout introduced us to one of his former cases:
the murder of Susan Davis by her husband, Ralph Davis. Dr. Stout’s
evidence helped lead to a conviction two years later, despite the
absence of a body. Dr. Stout identified microscopic trace evidence
found in Susan Davis’ car as human bone fragments belonging to someone
taking the antibiotic tetracycline, which Susan Davis had been
prescribed in the months prior to her death. The bones also had traces
of lead and antimony, indicating gun shot residue. With only the first
week under our belts, we have already learned more than imagined.
The 2007 OSU/PAST Foundation Forensic
Archaeology Field School is sponsored by:
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