Cold Case Investigation

Transcription

1 1 Cold Case Investigation Expanded Course Outline and Hourly Distribution For Two-Day, 16 Hour Course INSTRUCTOR: Michael Gaynor Third Degree Communications, Inc. Learners: Approximately 20 In-Service Police Officers from various California Law Enforcement agencies Length of Instruction Two 8-Hour Days: 16 Hours Total Objective: The student will learn the basic investigative skills necessary to evaluate and conduct a Cold Case investigation by understanding each of the following topic areas: Day : I. Goals and introductions II. III. IV. Cold Case Definition A. What are Cold Cases B. Why cases go cold 1. Agency issues 2. Money Issues 3. Staffing 4. Knowledge base 5. Perceived lack of progress Cold Case Units A. Formation B. What types of cases C. Evaluating Cases D. Solvability determinations Legal Issues Related to Cold Cases A. Statute of Limitations 1. Homicide, sexual assault, manslaughter 2. Changes in laws B. Evidence 1. Chain of custody 2. Evidence status 3. Evidence Code Changes 4. Prior examinations 5. Storage 6. Witnesses statements 7. Suspect statements C. Other Issues 1. Jurisdiction 2. Other agencies involved

2 2 D. Case Law 1. Various court decisions used to illustrate the above points as they relate to cold case investigations. 2. Interrogation Law V. Basic Cold Case Investigation A. Obtain Case File 1. Locate and inventory the file 2. Identify missing parts of the file and locate them B. Review Case file 1. Review the file, including all interviews 2. Review all recordings 3. Examine photographs 4. Examination of evidence 5. Examine crime scene 6. Organize the file 7. What wasn t done 8. Retesting the evidence 9. Locate witnesses/suspects/victim s family/friends etc. 10. Determine if it is worth investigating at this time and what needs to be done 11. Priorities of cases C. The next steps 1. Visit crime scene 2. Visit all other scenes 3. Speak to all prior investigators 4. Meet with medical examiner 5. Protocols at time of investigation 6. Crime Scene Examination and analysis 7. Determine any forensic tests performed previously and needed now 8. Law Enforcement databases 9. Outside sources of information 10. Work investigative leads 11. Review Media Coverage 12. New technology 13. Geographic Profiling 14. Behavioral analysis 15. Interviews 16. Resources for additional assistance 17. Wire case? 18. Victim s financial records 19. Re-interview original witness, family, friends, suspects 20. Identify and interview new potential witnesses D. Experts 1. Reconstruction experts 2. Engineers 3. Medical 4. Forensic E. Case studies to reinforce the points of basic investigation :

3 3 The student will learn critical forensic components essential for investigating cold cases including homicides, missing persons, no-body cases, and sexual assaults. The student will also learn additional resources for cold case investigation. VI. Forensics A. Latent Prints and ten-prints 1. Identifications 2. Searching 3. Reprocessing 4. Reexamination 5. Unknown and known prints 6. Major case prints 7. AFIS searches 8. Print surfaces 9. Orientation and location 10. Databases B. Trace Evidence 1. Hair 2. Paint 3. Glass 4. Fibers 5. Other trace evidence C. Firearms 1. NIBIN 2. Casings/Bullets 3. Identifications 4. Databases D. Bloodstain Analysis 1. Scene Examination 2. Basic patterns 3. Blood Enhancement 4. Reconstruction 5. Testing E. Forensic Art 1. Age progression 2. Skeleton 3. Facial Reconstruction F. Documents 1. Types of forensic documents 2. Patterns created 3. Written documents 4. Reconstruction damaged documents G. Exhumation 1. Why 2. The process 3. Usable DNA 4. Reconstruction H. DNA 1. Scene Examination

4 4 2. Evidence Examination 3. Testing process 4. Identification 5. CODIS 6. Databases 7. Familial testing 8. Phenotyping 9. Transfer 10. PKU Cards 11. Public databases 12. Ancestor testing 13. Legal issues I. Forensic Anthropology 1. Locate remains 2. Recovery, documentation, analysis 3. Identification J. Forensic Dentistry 1. What and how in the case 2. Where are dental records located? 3. Identification K. Case studies to reinforce the points of forensic investigation VII. Missing person and no body cases A. Review File 1. Locate file 2. Reconstruction and organization of file 3. Review file B. Investigation 1. The 5 W s and the H 2. NAMUS and other databases 3. Speak to previous investigators 4. Financial activity 5. Forensic examiner 6. Family 7. Neighbors, friends, co-workers 8. Social security 9. Requests for records 10. Social media including blogs 11. Examination of victim s life (Victimology) 12. Activity on other records 13. Law Enforcement databases 14. Search local records 15. Behavioral analysis 16. Suspect investigation VIII. Other Resources A. Public 1. National Archives 2. State Archives 3. Local Archives 4. Public records

5 5 5. Recorder s office 6. Media print 7. Television/Shows 8. Libraries B. Volunteers 1. What do they offer 2. Organize 3. Necrosearch 4. Texas EquuSearch 5. Caine services 6. Water search and recovery 7. Other services C. Case studies to reinforce the points of the investigation of missing person and no-body cold cases. Day Two: The students will learn to examine two cold case homicides. The students will not be told which case has been solved and will examine files and photographs to develop an investigative plan. I. Goals II. Cold Case Examination A. Students will be placed into small groups B. Students will be given a cold case file (solved case) C. Instructions on the examination process will be provided D. Students will examine the file E. Each group will present their investigation plan. Day Two: III. Cold Case Examination A. Students will be placed into small groups B. Students will be given a cold case file (unsolved case) C. Instructions on the examination process will be provided D. Students will examine the file E. Each group will present their investigation plan. Facilities, Materials, Personnel Needed: Class time is from hours 4 Flip Charts 4 Flip Chart Stands Laptop Computer (PowerPoint Presentation) Computer Image Projector Handout Packets All Audio/Visual Media is in WAV/MPEG format to be played through Computer Image Projector via attached Stereo Speakers: