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.
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you!
Yes, fingerprints are impressions made by the oil and sweat on our fingers. If a surface is very dusty, we take away dust on our fingers instead of leaving prints on the object. It will look like fingerprints should be there because there will be finger marks in the dust, but actually we just removed dust.
Hope that helps!
That’s really a question for a pathologist, but apparently lividity develops before rigor, so it shoudn’t shift much after rigor has set in. However that can vary depending on temperature and physical/medical conditions. Blood will pool following the law of gravity but if the legs were bent, restricting the blood vessels, then it might pool in the torso. Sorry I can’t be more help.
That is a great question that I can’t answer! So sorry, but I never worked with a GC or Mass Spec. That was the toxicology department.
Because that's not our job. That's the detective's job. They're in charge of and responsible for the investigation.
Aircraft Mechanic
Did you ever catch something critical right before a plane was about to take off?
Chef
Is it true that the "specials" are usually the stuff that's been sitting around awhile?
Day Trader
What's the difference between a trader and a hedge fun guy?
I don’t know what you’re referring to.
Usually simple black powder will show gloveprints as well as fingerprints. The bubbly sort of pattern they make will be visible.
I wouldn't be involved with cases like this so I don't know. In my experience with homeless camps the people are usually not too cooperative and don't want to leave, so I haven't seen this happen.
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