enrique+camerena+BH

Bentley Hammet Crime Scene Chemistry January 23, 2008 Enrique Camarena Case: A Forensic Nightmare

1. Give at least three examples of how evidence might be destroyed by onlookers at a crime scene. A. People beside the criminals could have left prints on subject matter involved in the case.

B. People walking around the crime scene could have trampled important fibers, hairs, ect. Involved in the crime.

C. Things important to the crime scene could have been moved or taken by onlookers.

2. What important elements are missing from the following crime scene sketch?

3. An investigator at a murder scene notes signs of a prolonged struggle between the attacker and victim. Name at least three types of physical evidence for which the investigator would likely collect standard/ reference samples and explain why he or she would collect them.

4. Rigor mortis, livor mortis, and algor mortis are all used to help determine time of death. However each method has its limitations. For each method, describe at least one condition that would render that method unsuitable or inaccurate for determining time of death.

5. What kind of forensic expert would most likely be asked to help identify human remains in each of the following conditions?

a. a body that has been decomposing for a day or two b. fragmentary remains of a few arm bones and part of a jaw c. a skeleton that is missing the skull.