Death Investigations

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Chapter 8

• Death Investigations

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Four Types of Death

• Natural
• Accidental Noncriminal
• Suicide
• Homicide Noncriminal or Criminal

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Classification of Homicide

• Criminal (felonious)
• Murder (first, second, and third degree)
• Manslaughter (voluntary and involuntary)
• Noncriminal (non-felonious)
• Excusable Homicide
• Justifiable Homicide

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Degrees of Murder

• First-degree murder requires premeditation and
  the intent to cause death
• Second-degree murder includes the intent to
  cause death but not premeditation
• Third-degree murder results from an act that is
  imminently dangerous to others and shows a
  disregard for human life

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ManslaughterThe unlawful killing of another
person with no prior malice

• Voluntary manslaughter intentionally causing
  the death of another person in the heat of
  passion, caused by words or acts that provide
  adequate provocation
• Involuntary manslaughter accidental homicide
  that results from extreme negligence

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Noncriminal Homicide

• Excusable homicide the unintentional, truly
  accidental killing of another person
• Justifiable homicide killing another person
  under authorization of the law

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Degrees of Homicide
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Various Elements of Murder Defined

• Premeditation considering, planning, or
  preparing for an act, no matter how briefly,
  before committing it
• Malicious intent implies ill will, wickedness
  or cruelty
• Heat of Passion results from extremely volatile
  arguments between two people

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Investigating Suicide

• Check for weapons on or near the body
• Attempt to find a note or letter
• Look for videos or cassettes describing the
  actions taken

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Investigating Suicide cont.

• Examine any pads of paper near the body
• Look for manuals on how to commit suicide
• Check on prior arrangements with an undertaker or
  other evidence of putting ones affairs in order

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Steps when Confronting a Suicidal Person

• Contain the area
• Make a clear demand for compliance if time and
  circumstance allow
• Ask the person what he or she wants
• Remain a good listener while avoiding making
  promises or committing to anything
• Slow down the situation where possible

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Primary Goals of the Homicide Investigation

• Establish whether a human death was caused by the
  criminal act or omission of another
• Determine who caused the death

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Focus of the Investigation

• Assess the victim
• Document everything you can about the scene
• Identify the victim

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Focus of the Investigation cont.

• Establish the time of death
• Establish the cause of and the method used to
  produce death
• Develop a suspect

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Identification of the Victim

• Family, relatives, or acquaintances
• Personal effects
• Fingerprints
• DNA analysis
• Dental and skeletal studies
• Clothing and laundry marks
• Missing-persons files

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Estimating the Time of Death

• Body temperature
• Rigor mortis stiffening of parts of the body
  after death
• Postmortem lividity discoloration of the body

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Estimating the Time of Death cont.

• Appearance of eyes
• Stomach contents
• Stage of decomposition
• Evidence suggesting a change in the victims
  normal routine

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Rigor Mortis

• 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

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Most Common Cause of Unnatural Death

• Gunshot wounds
• Stabbing and cutting wounds
• Blows form blunt instruments
• Asphyxia induces by choking
• Drowning
• Hanging
• Smothering

• Strangulation
• Gases or poisons
• Poisoning and drug overdose
• Burning
• Explosions
• Electric shock
• Lightening

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Suicide Indicators

• Gun held against skin
• Wound in mouth or temple
• Not shot through clothing, unless shot in chest
• Weapon present
• Body not moved

• Hesitation wounds
• Wounds under clothing
• Weapon present
• Usually wounds at throat, wrists, or ankles
• Seldom disfigurement

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Murder Indicators

• GUN
• Gun fired from more than a few inches away
• Angle or location that rules out self-infliction
• Shot through clothing
• No weapon

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

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Types of Murder

• Mass Murder multiple victims are killed in a
  single incident
• Serial Murder the killing of three or more
  separate victims with a cooling off period
  between the killings
• Lust Murder a sex-related homicide involving a
  sadistic, deviant assault

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