Crime Scene Examination of Murder Case

This case study is based on a crime scene examination murder of a young person. This case was reported in the police station located in the north-northeast district of Delhi, India. An unknown dead body was found lying on the roadside with a head injury, suspected to be a road accident. A team of forensic experts was called for a crime scene examination. After examination, it was observed that the body had multiple injuries. There was a blood pattern seen behind the hand and the head of the dead body. This was a suspicion of a murder case, instead road accident. After body identification by the family members and the last location of the victim, the place of murder i.e. house has been identified and examined by the expert team and found a lot of incriminating evidence from the scene of the crime. A two-wheeler was recovered suspected to be used to dump the dead body on the roadside. After examination of the vehicle, clue material found it was found. After a complete examination of the spot and vehicle, sufficient forensic evidence was collected and preserved to establish the crime was murder, not a road accident. This case study involved the application of scientific tools, interpretation of the sequence of evidence at the scene, systematic study of case-related information, and the logical formulation of a theory to give the proper information to the investigating agency. It has been concluded that the boy was murdered in the room and dumped roadside by using the bike.

Forensic science begins at the crime scene, which can provide useful information that must be carefully, systematically, scientifically, and legally collected. Crime scene experts gather important information at the crime scene that must be used later in reconstructing the sequence of events, the modus operandi, and the motive for the crime. The main reason to carefully analyze the crime scene is to learn what happened and to gather evidence that can be used to identify and, ultimately, convict the offender [1].

Crime scene investigation is a very important part of any investigation. The objective of crime scene examination is to systematic documentation of the crime scene along with the proper collection of physical biological and other evidence, packaging, and preservation of all the evidence encountered at a specific crime scene. A crime scene examination is a process aimed at recording the scene because it is the first encounter, identifying and collecting all the physical shreds of evidence relevant to the key of the case [2].

Homicide case examination

While examining homicide cases referred to as tasks, tactics, and tools. Examination goals include preserving the crime scene and gathering evidence, establishing the victim's identity, determining cause and time of death by the medical professionals, finding and interviewing witnesses by the investigating agencies, reconstructing the victim's last hours or days, establishing suspect identities, locating suspects, and arresting suspects for prosecution [3].

The examination of a death scene and subsequent collection of potential evidential material requires special skill, knowledge, aptitude, and attitude. How a death scene investigation is conducted may be a critical factor in determining the success of the investigation. The thorough examination of a death scene requires a disciplined and systematic approach to recording the various observations made and collection of potential evidential material. This must be combined with the analysis of various observations and the interrelationship of potential evidentiary material [4].

Crime scene boundaries

The importance of crime scene boundaries is to Identify, Establish, Protect, and Secure the scene of the crime. This provides information about potential points and paths of exit and entry of suspects and witnesses. Crime Scene boundaries are a set of physical barriers (e.g. ropes, cones, crime scene barrier tape, available vehicles, personnel, other equipment) or use existing boundaries (e.g. doors, walls, gates) [5].

After protecting of scene of crime forensic photography and videography must be carried out and fixing the location of the crime scene. Forensic photography has been carried out by using a calibrated scale for accurate measurement of the object or exhibits. Documentation of the scene of the crime should be carried out by recording all minor and major points which are crucial in the conclusion of the crime scene [6].

Importance of forensic photography

Crime scene photography is important for several reasons. Firstly, it provides visual evidence that can be used in court proceedings to aid investigators in their pursuit of justice. Secondly, it can help identify potential suspects, as well as help the forensic team gather important physical evidence. Additionally, crime scene photography can also play a role in reconstructing the sequence of events that led to the crime. Overall, crime scene photography is an essential tool in law enforcement and can greatly impact the outcome of a criminal investigation. All precautionary measures like masks, gloves, and other protective gear should be used as per the nature of the crime scene. A team of forensic experts examined three spots after correlating information and clue material found at the scene of the crime (Figure 1).

One case was registered in the Police Station located in the North East District of Delhi, regarding a crime scene examination of the death of a young boy. The dead body of a boy was found lying on the roadside, suspected to be a roadside accident. The concerned police authority has called a team of Forensic Experts to examine the scene of the crime to conclude the motive of the death.

There were three spots identified for the crime scene examination, the team reached the spot where a dead body was found lying on the roadside, and the scene of the crime was thoroughly examined to find evidence to conclude the suspected death of the said person. The crime scene examination of said case was concluded in a few days after continuous efforts by the team and investigating agency. The case was rediscovered as murder instead of accidental death. The team visited the following spots and concluded the case based on facts and findings of a murder.

The expert team visited the three spots that were identified during the crime scene examination, these spots were visited one by one after clue material was found on the spots accordingly the examination findings were prepared.

Crime scene spot examination

Spot-1: Where unidentified body was found lying on the roadside and forensic team examined the spots and the following observations were made during the crime scene examination for further investigation and conclusion.

1. Injuries were observed on the back side of the body.

2. Cut mark and blunt force observed on the head.

3. Hair smeared with blood.

4. One arm was observed injured.

After examination of Spot-1, it was confirmed that the case was not a road accident. Now it was the challenge to find out the place of murder, weapon of offense, and physical and biological shreds of evidence that were supposed to be helpful to establish the case of murder. The information shared by the family members of the deceased to the IO and details of the last location of the mobile number police reached the spot and called the forensic team again on spot no. 2 for further examination. Spot 2 was a house.

Spot-2: The expert team along with the investigating team visited spot-2, where the crime could have been committed. After an examination of the house, it has been observed that one room on the ground floor, was cleaned by the accused to destroy vital pieces of evidence. One double bed was found lying in the room which has a mattress, bed sheet, and pillow. After a thorough examination, reddish brown stains were observed on the pillow after a preliminary test, blood was detected. On examination of household items present in the room, blood stains were observed and were detected on the pillow, bed sheet, mattress, inner side plywood of the bed, and bricks kept below the foot of the bed. One pair of scissors were found in the hidden place on the back side of the bed, and reddish brown stains were observed after preliminary test blood was detected. After examination of the room team started to search the whole house. One piece of wooden log was found hidden in the store room at the turning of the stairs having reddish stains. This wooden log was wrapped with paper after examination blood was detected. After examination of Spot-2 exhibits were collected and preserved in the proper packaging material with clear labeling.

Now question arises of how the body reached the isolated place on the roadside. After interrogation by the investigating agency, the suspects revealed that they had used one bike to carry the deceased to the isolated place on the roadside to dump the body and disguise the agency as a road accident.

Spot-3: After examination of spot-1 and spot-2, the investigating agency spotted one bike which was suspected to be used to dump the dead body on the road roadside. This bike was found hidden in an isolated place near the house. After examination, it was found this bike was washed with water to destroy the shreds of evidence. Blood was detected between the split seats of the bike. After the interrogation of the accused by the IO, it was revealed that the person was murdered on the spot 2 with the help of scissors and a wooden log.

The real fact comes out after forensic examination

The real facts of the incident came out after the crime scene investigation by the forensic expert. The said boy came to meet with his girlfriend as informed by IO. Her family members attacked with scissors and wooden logs (danda) and murdered the boy in the room of the house. Scissors and danda (weapon of offense) were found hidden collected and preserved. The blood-stained bedsheet and pillow cover changed, but a few reddish-brown spots were suspected on the head side of the bed. Reddish brown spots, after preliminary examination tested positive for blood. After a thorough examination, blood seepage was found foot side of the bed. Blood was percolated to the foot side of the bed. It came to know that one bike used to dump bodies on the roadside to suspect an accident. After examination of the bike blood stains were observed between the seat and a preliminary test of the blood was found positive.

The above-said case was finally resolved by the forensic expert team, by examining the three different spots and the highlights of the case are as follows-

➢ The missing complaint of a young man could be solved by the examination of spot 1, spot 2, and spot 3 as bikes, to link the body with the place of occurrence.

➢ The place of occurrence and the place where the body was dumped could be linked by the evidence finding of the vehicle (two-wheeler) used by the accused to dump the body.

➢ Weapon of offense found on the place of occurrence (i.e. Spot-2) and injuries mark on the body was physically observed to resemble.

➢ Finally, the Expert Team could be solved by linking the three spots that were connected with the collected number of vital physical and biological shreds of evidence.

➢ This case was concluded as murder as the person killed in the home by using various weapons of offense collected on the scene of the crime.

The authors are thankful to Shri K.C. Varshney, Deputy Director, and Shri Sri Narain, Head of Office, Forensic Science Laboratory, Rohini, Delhi, for their encouragement and support. The authors are also thankful to Shri Santosh Kumar Jatav, Junior Forensic Assistant Chemical Examiner, for extending support for the conceptual design, presentation, and interpretation of data.

Ethical standards

All data/information used in this study were collected maintaining standard procedure and informed consent from the concerned. This study did not disclose the identity of anybody by any means.

1. https://www.casdschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=7201&data id=6178&FileName=03-CrimeScene.pdf
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