LIsa Black
Cape Coral, FL
Female, 49
I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.
With all bullets a great deal depends on how much gunpowder is used--the charges can be underpowered or highly powered. But I asked my boss, a history major, and he says absolutely that one at close range entering the eye could go all the way through the head. Hope that helps!
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No, nothing is cleaned. It’s just dried and then kept as is. For one thing you might want to do more testing in the future so you’d never want to wash your evidence away.
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Contact your local PD and ask what their procedure is. You will probably have to fill out an application and a waiver. Best of luck!
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Yes, certainly. I didn't manage to find the one piece of evidence that solved the whole thing, but I have worked on several. In my department a double homicide finally broke open after 30 years: https://www.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2020/10/01/joseph-zieler-suspect-two-cape-coral-homicides-seeks-dna-expert/3584935001/
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I thought phlebotomy was the drawing of blood, so I assume its mostly used in medicine. But one person in my office is actually trained in it so she can draw our blood when we need samples for positive controls.
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That’s a good question…I know that the human body will either decompose or desiccate, so if the conditions were right and she dried out instead of breaking down, then the body might be largely preserved. But what could be determined from an autopsy would be a question for a pathologist, I’m afraid. Sorry I’m not more help.
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I didn't know there was a character limit. But yes, many people write 'how can I become a forensic scientist' without ever checking past questions to see that that has been asked 20 times. And I think others are trying to goad me into saying something non-PC. Apparently too many people have too much time on their hands.
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