Poison Analysis

A poison is defined as a substance that when ingested can injure or kill a living organism. Usually when people think of poison, they think of cyanide, anthrax, or another poison commonly used to kill. People don't often think of prescription drugs, street drugs, sugar, or even common foods. These can be just as dangerous in certain situations. Poison can be used in murders, suicides, assassinations, executions, or biological warfare.

As part of our study of forensics, we analyzed substances to determine if they were a poison such as cyanide or a sugar. We used various indicators for each substance that was a possible poison. Positive tests could be indicated by a change in color as shown in the picture to the right or by simply smelling the substance in the case of ammonia.

Witness Experiment

We completed this activity as a test of our skills to identify criminals in a situation in which we were a witness to a crime. Working in groups, we cut out pictures of faces from magazines. We cut out individual facial features and combined them in the middle of the table. We then picked random features from the pile and combined them into faces like the one shown in this picture. We gave them to a member of our group and then scrambled the pieces back into the middle. Our task was to recreate the face we had been given. All four members of my group were able to recreate our faces successfully.

Footprint Analysis

Footprint Analysis
Footprints are another trace that can be left on the scene of a crime. Footprints are easier to analyze than other traces, and a good footprint sample can tell investigators much information about the crime. Characteristics of footprints include:

• Size: Can help determine age of the person who left the footprints, as well as an estimate of their height
• Type of Print: Athletic shoe, sandals, high heels, barefoot, etc.
• Direction of Print: Indicates where the suspect or victim came from and/or where they went away from the crime scene
• Depth of Print: Can show how the person was walking, running or standing

For our footprint analysis lab, we formed groups of four and took turns leaving our footprint in a container of dirt. We then filled out a form with data about our footprint, including height, width, depth, direction, weather conditions, etc. We also analyzed this data to make conclusions about what it could tell us about a crime.

Drug Analysis

Drug Analysis/Lab
Drugs are a factor in many crimes, as they can lead to violence or in the case of an overdose be the cause of death of a victim. The Mexican government estimates that 90% of violent crime around the border is drug related. In order to investigate crimes involving drug use, investigators use various indicators to test for the presence of drugs. In our lab, we used indicators to test for the presence of LSD, Cocaine, or Meth.






Drugs Used in Lab Investigation

Cocaine: This drug is derived from the coca plant and is very widespread worldwide, despite the cultivation, sale, and consumption being illegal in nearly every country. Cocaine increases alertness, feelings of well-being, energy and euphoria. Anxiety, paranoia and restlessness are also frequent symptoms of cocaine use. Tremors, convulsions and increased body temperature can occur when cocaine is ingested in large doses.

LSD: This semi-synthetic psychedelic drug is usually taken by applying to blotters such as the one shown on the right and taking as shown in the picture. Effects of LSD include pupil dilation, change in appetite, wakefulness, "tripping" (a distorted sense of atmosphere and environment that varies every time the drug is consumed), increase in creativity, paranoia and panic attacks, permanent change in perspective on life, and widely varied spiritual experiences. LSD is less dangerous than many other drugs, as no deaths have been documented as a result of LSD.

Methamphetamine: Also known as "meth", this highly addictive drug increases alertness, concentration, energy, and induces euphoria. Other symptoms include anorexia, hyperactivity, paranoia, irritability, hallucinations, and a feeling of invincibility. Withdrawal symptoms and relapse are common due to the highly addictive nature of the drug. Methamphetamine is approved by the FDA for the treatment of extreme obesity and ADHD.

Notable Case Involving Drugs:
In 2009, singer Michael Jackson died of Cardiac Arrest after overdosing on several prescription sedatives. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was present when he died. Murray was later sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter
 

Handwriting Analysis

The differences in handwriting play a role in everday life. Checks and official documents are confimed by a signature. Items with the signature of famous athletes and celebrities can sell for thousands of dollars. Experts can identify if a signature is the authentic signature of someone by examining distinguishing characteristics of the handwriting. This analysis is also used in forensic science. Whenever handwriting is found on the scene of a crime, such as a note left by a killer or a suicide note, the identity of the writer can be found by comparing it to a sample from the suspected writer's handwriting. The characteristics used to distinguish handwriting are:

• Line Quality: Can be used to identify the speed that the document was written at
• Spacing of Words and Letters: How far apart are words and letters from one another? Is the spacing between them consistent?
• Ratio of Relative Size of Letters
• Pen Lifts and Seperations: Where are letters connected or seperated? Where did the writer lift up his hand? Pen lifts in unusual places are a key sign of forgery.
• Connecting Strokes: How are letters connected to each other?
• Beginning and Ending Strokes: Straight or curled, long or short, upstroke or downstroke
• Unique Letters: Are any letters formed in unusual ways or with unusual strokes?
• Shading/Pen Pressure: How dark is the shading? Is the pressure placed on the upstroke or downstroke?
• Slant of Letters and Words: Left, right, or none? How sharp is the angle of the slant?
• Baseline Habits: Does the writing stay in the middle or do strokes go above or below the line?
• Flourishes and Embellishments
• Diacritic Placement: How/where are i's dotted and t's crossed?

Famous Case of Forgery 

In 1983, a German news magazine published what it believed to be authentic diaries from Adolf Hitler. The "diaries" had been purchased for 10 million German Marks from journalist Gerd Heidemann. They were later discovered to be fakes, and poorly disguised fakes at that. The diaries were actually written by Konrad Kujau, who was sentenced to 42 months in prision. Heidemann was also imprisioned for his role in the forgery.

Handwriting Analysis Lab
To practice handwriting analysis, we conducted a lab in which we first wrote a sample sentence and attempted to forge the handwriting of others, both freehand and by tracing. We then wrote a fake check using a false name, ripped up the checks, and attempted to piece together the check and identify who wrote it. The ripped up check simulated an enviroment in which a handwriting sample was ripped up or shredded.

Crime Scene Investigation Lab

To conclude our study of forensics, we completed a simulated crime scene investigation, which required us to analyze clues to determine who committed the crime and how it was committed. My group's scenario was a body found in the middle of an open area near a forest.

We determined that the killer was Lucas Moore. The body found was his son, who he tried to kidnap after he broke out of his mental institution. He was divorced by his wife after she determined that his mental disorder posed a danger to her and her child. He was then sent to a mental institution, and subsequently broke out. He wanted custody of his son, but the court decided that he did not have visitation rights or split custody. He returned to his wife's home during the night, and left a note saying "I'm sorry. I really do love you all". Moore then kidnapped his son and tried to run away with him. His son resisted, and in the struggle Moore severely beat his son and his son was critically injured. Moore was frightened and ran away, leaving his son to die.

Evidence:

Two Footprints: One small footprint and one large footprint were collected. The small footprint is a child's footprint, likely a boy

Ripped up note: Reads "Please forgive me. I do love you all". We determined that this note was left by Moore for his family. Handwriting closely resembled that of Lucas Moore.
Caucasian Hair: Several hairs were found in a bunch, which indicates that there was a struggle between the killer and the victim

Photo of Skull and Maggots: Body was determined to be approximately 20+ days after death

Single Fiber: Determined to be nylon. Likely came from clothing of suspect or victim.

Fingerprints: Matched fingerprints of Lucas Moore

Unidentified Yellow Substance: This presented a problem in our invesitgation process. It did not respond to any poison or drug tests. We determined that it was probably incidental to the crime.

Syringe: Another puzzling piece of evidence. We were not able to connect this syringe to the cause of death of the victim

This investigation was the final piece of our study of forensics. It was the culmination of all the knowledge and techniques that we have learned over the past several weeks. It required all of the group members to combine our knowledge of forensics and our investigation skills to come to our conclusion about the crime.

Hair/Fiber Analysis

History

An important part of forensic science is the anlysis of hairs and fibers found on the crime scene. When a crime is committed, the perpetrator will nearly always leave some trace in the form of a hair or fiber from clothing. Even if there is no trace of the perpetrator, fibers from the victim can also be an important clue to who committed the crime and how it occurred. Analysis of hair and fibers has played a key role in many investigations since it first became used widely in the 20th century. The first crime solved by hair analysis occurred in 1899, when a hair that was foudn to be dyed linked a suspect to the crime. Another case in which this analysis was critical was the Atlanta Child Murders. In this case, at least 28 African-American residents of Atlanta,Ga were killed by Wayne Williams. Police staked out a river where he had been dumping bodies, and followed his car. They pulled him over and recovered dog hairs and other fibers that they would later use to convict him of the murders. He was sentenced to two consecutive lifetimes in prison.

Use of Fibers in Investigations

Fibers can link a suspect to a victim when a certain fiber is found on both the victim and the suspect. Fibers can easily be transferred from one person to another though physical contact. There are several considerations that investigators use to determine if there is a link between a victim and a suspect of item. These include

• Type of Fiber
• Fiber Color
• Location of Fiber
• Number of Fiber Associations

Using this criteria, the investigators can determine if there is a strong link between the fibers found on the crime scene and in other locations. These can also give clues to how a crime was committed. For example, if many similar fibers are found on both a victim and a suspect, it could indicate that there was significant violent physical contact between the victim and the criminal/
Hair/Fiber Analysis Lab
We conducted a study of various hairs and fibers by viewing them under a microscope and drawing the fiber in detail. Every fiber and hair was unique, and we learned to distinguish between hair of different races and genders.

Examples of Types of Fibers:


Nylon:

Silk: