for Legal Medicine Students

1. Death Scene Investigation
&
The Medicolegal Death
Investigator
Kelly Green B.A., F-ABMDI
Senior Forensic Death Investigator
Tarrant, Parker & Denton County
Medical Examiners District

2.  What is a Medicolegal Death Investigator?
 Why is the Medical Examiners Office Here?
 What can the Medical Examiners Office do to help me?

3. Duties of the Death Investigator
 Scene Investigation
 Scene Photography
 Secure property that is on the deceased
 Arrange for proper transportation of the
body
 Preserve Trace Evidence
 ID the Deceased
 Notify the Next of Kin
 Obtain medical records of the Deceased

4. In Other Words:
 TheForensic Death Investigator is the “Eyes and
Ears” of the Forensic Pathologist

5. Goal:
To conduct a thorough,
independent, investigation
of the circumstances surrounding
a death to provide the
Forensic Pathologist factual
data to be used in conjunction
with the examination findings
in order to reach a conclusion
as to the Cause and Manner of
Death

6. Types of Jurisdictions in Texas
 A) Medical Examiner
 B) Justice of the Peace

7. Medical Examiners Authority
Texas ccp. Art.49.25
 Death occurring outside of a hospital, within 24 hours of
admission, or due to possible trauma or foul play.
 Death that occurs in custody
 Death of a child under age 6
 Any death in which an attending physician is unable to
certify as to the cause of death

8. Scene Investigation.
 Thorough examination of the scene seeking details
or items that may be related to the death

9. Be alert for potential Hazards

10. Document:
 Postmortem changes
 Position of the body
 Trauma
 Notes, or messages (computer, audio & Video
Tapes)

11.  Illegal
drugs
 Alcoholic beverages
 Weapons
 Medications

12.  Blood Evidence (stains, spatter)

13. Useful Information
 Medical History
 Medications and Container
pharmacy, physician, amount filled, date
filled,amount remaining
 Identification Documents

15. Photography
Photograph Surroundings
And Items that may be
Pertinent to the investigation

16. Exam of Body
 General description of body and clothing
 Assessment of trauma
 Post-mortem changes
 Blood evidence
 Physical and trace evidence
 Presence or absence of valuables

17. Rigor Mortis
 Starts in ½ to 1 hour at room temperature
 Peaks in approximately 12 hours
 Gradually declines after another 12 hours
 Can be affected by environment, antemortem
activity, and drug use.

19. Livor Mortis
 “Pooling of the blood”
 Is “blanchable” at first then gradually becomes
fixed.
 Can indicate if a body has been moved after death.
 Color can indicate possible CO poisoning

20. Body Temperature
 Algor Mortis

21. Decomposition
 Begins at death.
 Is strongly affected by environment.
 Is caused by action of body enzymes, and bacteria
on tissue.
 Is slowed by immersion, burial, cold.
 1 week in air = 2 weeks in water = 8 weeks in soil

22. Types of Trauma
 Blunt Force
 Sharp Force
 Electrical
 Chemical
 Thermal

23. Trace Evidence Preservation
 Bags on Hands, Feet ect….
 Paper not Plastic
 Wrapping in clean white sheet
 Placement in transport pouch.
 Alerting Prosector if biological evidence is
possibly present.

24. Identification
 Done on scene if situation permits.
 Otherwiseaccomplished at the TCME Office
using Forensic methods

25. Types of Identification
Circumstantial
Visual
Forensic

26. Methods of Circumstantial
Identification
Clothing
Jewelry
Place, Time, and/or Event

27. Methods of Visual Identification
 InPerson
 By Photograph
 Remote Viewing

28. Methods of Forensic Identification
 Dental
 X-Rays (Anthropologic)
 Fingerprints
 DNA

29. Position of the body
 Isit consistent with observed rigor, and lividity?
 Has the body been “posed”?
 Has the body been moves or dumped?

30. Autopsy Elements
 Examination of the scene
 Identification of the decedent
 External and internal examination
 Toxicological and histological studies
 Interviews with witnesses, doctors, etc.
 Evaluation of relevant records

31. Autopsy Findings
 Type of weapon used
 Consistency of wounds and evidence
 Determination of fatal wound
 Length of time of victim survival
 Post-injury abilities of decedent
 Whether body was dragged or dumped
 Vectors of applied force

32. Autopsy Purposes
 Establish cause and manner of death
 Identify, recover, and preserve evidence
 Provide factual, objective medical report
 Separate natural deaths from unnatural
 Provide interpretation and correlation of
facts and circumstances

33. Cause Of Death
 Gunshot wound to head
 Transection of aorta due to stab wound
 Cardio-respiratory Arrest

34. Manner of Death
 Natural
 Accidental
 Homicide
 Suicide
 Undetermined

35. Services Provided by the Tarrant-Parker&
Denton County Medical Examiners District
 Examination
 Identification (Forensic Odentologist)
 Toxicology
 Firearms examination
 Fingerprint Examination
(In House AFIS)
 Questioned Document Examination

36.  Photography Lab
 Anthropology Lab
 DNA Testing
 Histology Lab
 Courtroom Testimony

37. Conclusion
 TheMedicolegal Death Investigator gathers Facts ,
and acts as the liaison on the scene between the
Law Enforcement Investigator, and the Forensic
Pathologist.
 TheMedical Examiners Office is present to
determine the cause and manner death

38.  TheMedical Examiners Office can assist your
investigation through the collection and scientific
analysis of facts and evidence.