Footprint Evidence Solved the Mystery in a Suspicious Death: A Rare Case Report

Volume 3 - Issue 2

Nataraja Moorthy T*

Received: January 10, 2019;   Published: January 22, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/PRJFGS.2019.03.000156

Full Text PDF

To view the Full Article   Peer-reviewed Article PDF

Abstract

Death investigation is complicated endeavours, taking an immense amount of time to take in a scene. The general rule of thumb in death investigation is that all death investigations are handled as homicide until proven otherwise. The three critical components of any death investigations are medical/social history, examination of the body and scene investigation. Sometimes in death investigation, the body posture may cause confusion or complication and difficult to explain. A death is suspicious if it is unexpected and its circumstances or cause are unexplained in the early investigation. Normally, this occurs in the context of suicide or suspected criminal activity. The following is a case report in a death scene wherein a young woman was found hanging by a rope around the neck under suspicious condition in her residence, as it was claimed to be a homicidal hanging, allegedly murdered and hanged. But the presence of dust footprint in the scene identified as suicidal hanging and solved the mystery. The fact was explained to the blood relatives in the crime scene itself by the criminalist and made them to understand. The blood relatives understood the scientific fact and accepted the forensic explanation.

Keywords:Crime Scene Investigation; Case Study; Suspicious Death; Partial Hanging; Footprint

Abstract| Case report, a Real Crime Scene Investigation| Discussion| Conclusion| References|