Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field Guide

Geberth, Vernon J.

"There are many practical recommendations made in this field guide that will contribute to thorough, quality investigations. I personally highly recommend that dedicated homicide cops avail themselves of this invaluable resource."— Det. Mark Czworniak, Violent Crimes Unit, Area North Detective Bureau, Chicago Police Department"Using these checklists will ensure that a proper and complete investigation is undertaken at the death scene. … As a former Deputy Chief of the NYPD working in the Office of the Chief of Detectives, I would encourage and recommend that detectives who are charged with the responsibility of conducting death investigations have this Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist & Field Guide, Second Edition in their hands at the scene of the crime.—Edwin T. Dreher, Deputy Chief (Ret.), Office of the Chief of Detectives, New York City Police Department " … should be required equipment for every cop."— Lt. Larry Hallmark, Criminal Investigation Division, Grapevine Police Department, Grapevine, Texas"I have owned and utilized the first edition of the Checklist and Field Guide for many years in my career of homicide investigations and rely on it for almost every investigation. The second edition has brilliantly expanded on the "best practice" philosophy and incorporated explanations, references, and full color medicolegal illustrations to make the information and principles easily understood. … The addition of the medicolegal illustrations and inclusions for electronic and digital evidence is an example of Vernon Geberth’s dedication to providing the most current information available to advancing technologies. indexed and laid-out in a logical and chronological order to quickly reference the material and guide the reader through a checklist of considerations and techniques that are instrumental to insure a proper and complete investigation."—Sgt. Mark Reynolds, General Investigations Division, Homicide Unit, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston, Texas, USA " … sets the standard for homicide investigations with examples, algorithms, options to consider, and tasks to perform. … built for the rigors of the field with laminated pages, wire spiral binding, and large print. … I would recommend the Practical Homicide Investigation: Checklist and Field Guide, Second Edition for anyone who is responsible for processing, investigating, supervising, or prosecuting homicides."—Sheriff Heath Taylor, Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Phenix City, Alabama"This newly revised Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field Guide is one of the most useful tools that an investigator can utilize at the scene of an unattended death. … a no-nonsense practical approach from Mr. Geberth, who is considered The Master of practical death investigations."—Anny Sauvageau, Chief Medical Examiner, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada" … a comprehensive and easy to use companion to Lieutenant Commander Geberth’s definitive texts on medicolegal death investigation, Practical Homicide Investigation, Tactics, Procedures and Forensic Techniques and Sex-Related Homicide Death Investigation. This step-by-step guide provides checklists highlighting the key points necessary for the thorough investigation of many different death scenarios. The elegant color illustrations and diagrams are also very useful references. … an invaluable resource for law enforcement officers and all crime scene and medicolegal death investigators."—Barbara C. Wolf, M.D., District Medical Examiner District 5, Florida"Whether you are a long time veteran or rookie cop this field guide is a must have tool for your day to day operations. … Vernon is a true professional and will not steer you wrong, add this to your investigative library today."—Sgt. Sam Todd (Ret.) Kent, Ohio Police Dept."Simply put, if you aren't using the principles and methods taught in these text books you're probably doing it wrong. Vernon's ability to get your attention, keep it and then have you retain the information is top shelf to say the least. The information is written in such a manner that a rookie patrol officer could very easily take the checklist to an active crime scene, employ the techniques and principles provided within and then later testify in court as to what he did and why."— Det. Jeff Locklear, Police Specialist, Fayetteville Police Homicide" … very practical with its color illustrations and pages which are weather proof and also writeable. No agency should be without them."—Marvin Skeen, Chief Criminal Investigator, Office of Attorney General State of Washington, Homicide Investigation Tracking System

• THE CHECKLIST APPROACH TO HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION -- THE HOMICIDE CRIME SCENE -- Introduction -- The Crime Scene -- THE PATROL OFFICER'S DUTIES -- First Officer's Duties upon Arrival -- Protection of Life -- Patrol Officer Establishing the Crime Scene -- Protecting the Crime Scene -- Trie Crime Scene Sign-In Sheet -- The First Officer Initiates the Homicide Investigation -- Recommended Procedures to Initiate the Investigation -- Patrol Officer's Quicklist -- The Patrol Officer's Checklist -- Initial Call and Receipt of Information -- Arrival at the Homicide Crime Scene -- Protection of the Crime Scene -- Notifications -- Preliminary Investigation -- The Suspect in Custody -- Suicide and Accidental Deaths -- THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE -- The Detectives -- Initial Receipt of Information -- Prior to Leaving for the Crime Scene, Instruct Patrol To -- Arrival at the Scene -- THE INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST -- Documentation of the Initial Report -- Initial Receipt of Information -- Arrival at the Homicide Scene -- Preliminary Inspection of the Body at the Crime Scene -- Implement Crime Scene Control Procedures -- Initiate a Crime Scene Log -- Establish a Policy for Crime Scene Integrity -- Establish a Command Post or Temporary Headquarters -- EMS and Ambulance Personnel -- Initiate a Canvass -- Weapons -- The Suspect in Custody -- The Suspect in Custody: Interrogation at the Scene -- Crime Scene Photographs -- Documentation of Crime Scene Photographs -- The Crime Scene Sketch -- The Crime Scene Search -- Dust for Fingerprints -- Description of the Deceased -- Victim and Hospital Information -- Evidence Process and Control Procedures -- Release of the Homicide Crime Scene -- D U T I E S OF T H E DETECTIVE SUPERVISOR U P O N -- ARRIVAL AT T H E SCENE -- SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIVE D U T I E S AT T H E SCENE -- The Suspect in Custody -- Evaluation of the Suspect's Demeanor and Mental Capacity -- Obtaining a D y i n g Declaration -- Questions to Be Asked in a Dying Declaration -- Documentation of the Dying Declaration -- SUICIDE INVESTIGATION -- Three Investigative Considerations in Determining the -- Manner of Death (Homicide or Suicide) -- Suicide Notes -- Suicide Checklist -- Investigative Considerations -- Evaluation of the Wounds -- Weapons or Means of Death -- Psychological Aspects -- Warning Signs in Suicide -- Extreme Danger Signs -- Psychological State of the Victim -- Spite Suicides -- Any Prior Mental Disease or Defect -- Consider a Psychological Autopsy -- FINAL EXIT SUICIDES -- Investigative Checklist for Final Exit Cases -- The Plastic Bag -- SUICIDE-BY-COP SCENARIOS -- Some Suicide Indicators -- AUTOEROTIC FATALITIES -- Investigative Considerations -- Autoerotic Checklist: Determining the Involvement of -- Sexual Asphyxia -- INVESTIGATING FATAL FIRES CHECKLIST -- Investigative Considerations -- The Fire Incident -- Suspicious Designation: General Determination Factors -- Maintenance of the Fire Crime Scene -- Investigation at the Scene -- Determination of Arson -- SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS) -- Investigative Checklist -- MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY -- Warning Signs -- CRIME SCENE DOCUMENTATION -- Documentation of Crime Scene Photographs -- Recommended Crime Scene Photographs -- Photographs of Deceased Subjects -- Videotape Protocol -- Arrival at Scene -- Taping Protocol Checklist -- DOCUMENTATION OF THE CRIME SCENE SKETCH -- l h e Title Block -- Formulating the Search -- Examination of the Outdoor Crime Scene -- Investigative Questions -- Examination of the Body at the Scene -- The Head -- The Trunk -- Arms and Legs -- The Wound Chart -- Gunshot Wounds -- Intermediate-Range Wounds -- Cutting Wounds -- Blunt Force Injuries -- Asphyxiai Deaths -- RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR PROPER -- DEATH NOTIFICATIONS TO SURVIVING FAMILY -- MEMBERS -- SEX-RELATED HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION -- Investigative Considerations -- The Crime Scene Investigation -- Sex-Related Crime Scene Checklist -- MEDICOLEGAL CONSIDERATIONS -- Examination of the Crime Scene -- Descriptive Information -- Anatomical Figures -- SUPERVISOR'S HOMICIDE CHECKLIST -- Supervising the Preliminary Investigation at the Scene: The -- Checklist -- Directing Specific Investigative Duties Il l -- The Suspect in Custody Ill -- Examination of a Suspect for Evidence -- Evaluation of a Suspect's Demeanor and/or Mental Capacity -- Supervising a Homicide Crime Scene Search -- Crime Scene Considerations -- Release of the Body -- Examining an Outdoor Crime Scene -- Release of the Crime Scene -- INVESTIGATION OF POLICE-RELATED SHOOTINGS -- Officer-Involved Shootings (OISs) and Use of Deadly Force -- Incidents -- The Protocol -- Introduction -- Assigning Investigative Responsibility -- INVESTIGATION OF OISS AND USE OF DEADLY FORCE -- INCIDENTS -- Supervisory Responsibilities—Checklist -- Incident Scene Investigator(s)—Checklist -- Interview of Employee(s) Involved -- Taped Interview of Employee(s) Involved -- Follow-Up Investigation -- Background Investigation -- Suspect(s) and Witnesses -- Employee(s) -- Preparation of Investigative Report -- APPENDIX: PROCEDURES FOR THE COLLECTION -- OF EVIDENCE -- COLLECTION OF SPECIFIC TYPES OF EVIDENCE -- Body Materials -- Blood (Wet) -- Bloodstains (Dry) -- Nonporous Surface -- Porous Surface (Fabric, Unfinished Wood, etc.) -- Traces or Smears That Cannot Be Scraped into Container -- Semen -- Semen Wet Stain -- Semen Dry Stain -- Urine -- Spittle or Saliva -- Feces -- Large Amount -- Small Amount -- Vomit -- Tissue -- Hair -- Collection of Hairs from the Scene -- Objects -- Bullets -- Discharged Casings or Cartridges -- Shotgun Shells -- Live Cartridges or Rounds of Ammunition -- Shotgun Wadding -- Weapons -- Firearms -- Fibers -- Fabric -- Clothing -- Cigarette or Cigar Butts -- Displaced Furniture -- Insects -- Common Insects Found on Human Remains and at Crime Scenes -- Investigative Considerations -- Equipment -- Procedures -- Soil -- Collection of Soil Samples -- Tools -- Vehicles -- Documents (Letters, Notes, and Papers) -- Glass -- Impressions -- Fingerprint Examination -- Types of Fingerprints -- Development of Fingerprints -- Chemical Processes -- Tire Tracks and Footprints -- Tool Marks -- Newly Damaged Areas -- Collection of Bite-Mark Evidence at the Scene -- Photographs of the Bite-Mark Wound -- Saliva Washings -- Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (Examination of Blood Spatter) -- Investigative Considerations -- Crime Scene Examination -- Crime Scene Documentation -- CRIME SCENE COLLECTION OF ELECTRONIC AND -- DIGITAL E V I D E N C E -- Investigative Considerations -- Identification of Digital Evidence -- Additional Investigative Considerations -- Volatile Data Collection Strategy for Powered-Up Computers -- Computers -- Collection Procedures -- Cellular Phones -- Investigative Considerations -- Cellular Telephones in an Active Investigation -- Cellular Telephones in Nonactive Investigations -- NOTES.