Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

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.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

If somone ejaculated in a girls or guys mouth they swallow can u find dna can it be found in 5 hoursborbis itbalredy gone

Asked by jim almost 10 years ago

i don't know. It would be worth a try.

Is it possible to find any semen or blood samples in an abusing crime scene after a while ? Certainly the scene is being cleaned by the janitors but even so with luminol or Christmas Tree Stain can any results of the criminal identity still be found ?

Asked by Mekos over 9 years ago

Who knows? It all depends on where the samples were and how thoroughly the surface was cleaned. If blood was on a glass window and it was thoroughly cleaned, then all of it is probably gone for good. If it's a porous bare wood, then probably not...unless it was thoroughly soaked with a bleach solution. If it's a large area, even if it's cleaned there might still be some left in the nooks and crannies--like in a tile floor, the ceramic may be clean but the more porous grout between the tiles might hold a substance. So there is no way to say it's always possible or it's always not possible. PS Luminol helps you find blood. Christmas Tree stain is used to stain a dried semen sample on a glass slide. It doesn't help you find the semen in the first place.

Girl claims rape, boy says didn't happen. DNA came back inconclusive from rape kit except something in girls underwear they say is boys. How is that possible when nothing was discovered on girls body of boys, anywhere?

Asked by Momma almost 10 years ago

Because human bodies are in constant flux. Cells slough off, fluids wash out other fluids, but a stain on a piece of cloth doesn't change.

My brother-in law, 24y.o. healthy male is with friends chat/laughing and laughs extra long, stops, head hangs down. Within minutes he passes away. At the time, drinking an energy drink and ate a peanut bar before. Post mortem, just scorched stomach??

Asked by Curious over 10 years ago

I'm sorry, I wouldn't have any idea. You'd have to ask a pathologist.

Have you ever gotten emotionally attached to a case?

Asked by Jordan Hall almost 10 years ago

No. There are cases and victims that I feel sorrier for than others, but nothing reaching the level that I would call emotionally involved. Everything is over by the time I get there, and then I don't usually see the victims or other parties again so there isn't an opportunity to bond.

Is it possible to get someone else's DNA on underwear from a toilet seat... As in touching bowl when sitting?

Asked by Momma almost 10 years ago

If there was semen on the toilet seat and it was still wet and sticky enough to stick to skin and then be transferred to underwear, then I suppose it would be possible.

I have read information regarding chemical enhancement techniques to view fingerprints in blood, however this got me thinking, does the use of fingerprint enhacement techniques such as powders suspension harm the confirmatory test for blood

Asked by Emily almost 11 years ago

No. Almost all blood enhancement reagents will not destroy the blood for DNA testing. I don't think it would affect confirmatory tests either, but If we wanted to do a confirmatory test for blood such as phenolphthalein we would probably just do it on a spot where the marks were smeared or otherwise not useful as fingerprints.