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

how often is DNA/fingerprint evidence actually left behind at crime scenes?

Asked by danielle over 9 years ago

That's impossible to say, since there's no way to know if perhaps it was left but simply not discovered. Perhaps they touched something that didn't appear out of place so we didn't fingerprint it. Perhaps they touched everything but have very dry skin so they didn't leave prints. Perhaps they left DNA on the steering wheel of a stolen crime but we didn't collect it because the state lab doesn't do touch DNA analysis on non-violent crimes. There are too many factors involved.

I can say that burglars cut themselves climbing through broken windows perhaps 2-5% of the time. But only a fraction of burglars break windows, so....

a car VW jetta traveling at 30 or 40 mph hits a 67" tall 160 pound woman how far will she be thrown.

Asked by Sarah over 8 years ago

I'm sorry but I have no idea. You'd have to ask an accident investigator.

Would you be able to tell the difference between hair that was taken from a victim's brush (and planted at a crime scene) and hair that just naturally malted? For example, would hair from a hairbrush have more of a root than a malted hair??

Asked by Caroline about 8 years ago

I don't know what malted means, but I suspect the answer is no. Just brushing hair can pull it out just as in a struggle.

can you tell the age of pharmaceuticals - specifically Ritalin/methylphenidate - like how many years ago it was made?

Asked by rogernono over 8 years ago

I'm sorry, I wouldn't have any idea. Do you mean dating the actual pills, or once they're in a person's system? If the former I think you'd have to ask a chemist, if the latter, a toxicologist. Sorry I can't help.

Pressure points on a car, Chevy Cavalier, between a 1198-2002 year model, I would like to know the metal density of the fender, when struck by a child less than 80lbs and less than 4ft tall, car traveling at a 50mph.Head lights density test, how much

Asked by Brandy Daugherty about 9 years ago

I'm sorry but I am not trained in accident reconstruction. That is a very specialized field. I would have no idea whatsoever.

If somone ejaculated in a girls or guys mouth they swallow can u find dna proving who ejaculated

Asked by jim amdiny over 9 years ago

See above.

Hi,
I'm worried I wouldn't be able to handle seeing the bodies knowing what they went through. Like I read about children that are abducted murdered and dumped and it scares me. Have you investigated a child murder? How do you distance yourself?

Asked by Landon about 9 years ago

I've been involved with a number of child murders but in every case the child was killed by someone in their own family, usually a parent. In one case a 6 year old was shot by an acquaintance of his older brother's, but the 6 year old wasn't the target, simply an inconvenient witness. I've never worked one where the child was abducted. I don't have chilidren so it's actually easier for me than for people who do. To me it's largely the same as any other murder, though harder in some ways because the victim looks so vulnerable. You handle it because there's so much to be done and you have to do it right, so thinking about all that keeps you from thinking about the tragedy of this young life.