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

About 6 mos ago i lived w people who want to steal my dna to get a rape conviction and sue me for 2.6 million. Can forensic stuff tell that my nail was shed 6 mos ago,not now?

Asked by Samuel waller over 7 years ago

No.

Okay. Also, won’t my own skin cells like disturb her skin cells? Like over the course of 6 months? I have touching many things like in the bus and train handles and then touching my phone. Won’t the new germs like destroy her germs and dna as wll?

Asked by HELena over 8 years ago

As far as I know germs don’t ‘eat’ other germs. But they can’t live long by themselves so on an inanimate surface, they would die sooner rather than later.

A criminal stabbed to death two victims and then inflicted wounds upon themselves The killer's shirt was covered in blood. Is it possible to determine that one victims blood was on top of another persons blood? Can they tell who was stabbed 1st or 2

Asked by Chunky Monkey almost 8 years ago

I"m sorry, I know I posted an answer to this question but apparently it disappeared into cyberspace. As far as I know, no, it wouldn't be possible. The DNA results would show a mixture so that you could say 'it could be a mix of these two people, meaning there's no alleles that could NOT have come from them' but you couldn't positively state that it is a mixture. And it wouldn't be possible to tell which came first as the sample is put in a liquid medium and mixed to analyze.

Hello Lisa! I am doing a essay on pattern and impression evidence for college. One of the requirements is to email someone who works in this field. Why is pattern and impression very important in investigations? An overall description of your job

Asked by Lyubov Barbin about 8 years ago

I'm sorry but that's a very broad question. What kind of pattern and impression evidence are you talking about?

I went to a forensic lab that day and I remembered them saying something about using gas chromatography to know if it wasa suicide or done by others. How do they know?

Asked by Junz about 8 years ago

What was it they were testing?

Can u plz tell me how to become a forensic scientist.....can i get a scolarship in your land

Asked by Litty about 8 years ago

Stay in school and take lots of science courses. Scholarships would be offered by different schools and/or organizations. What land are you in now?

How do forensic scientists determine time of death or how long a person has been deceased?

Asked by Adel over 7 years ago

That determination is made by the pathologist doing the autopsy, and there are a number of ways--body temperature, rate of decomposition, rigor mortis, but it will be an estimate, not the precise number that you might see on TV. All those things can depend on the environment where the body is, temperature, exposure, physical characteristics of the victim, medical conditions etc. Entomologists can help if there is distinct bug activity at the scene as well.

Hope that helps!