Problems of Forensic Sciences 2001 Vol. 47 (XLVII) 300-307
COMPLEX ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE FOR ESTABLISHING CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH – A CASE STUDY
Zuzanna BROŻEK-MUCHA, Andrzej CHOCHÓŁ, Beata M. TRZCIŃSKA
Institute of Forensic Research, Cracow, Poland
Streszczenie
An example of performing complex investigations is presented in a case, when the clothes of a death N. N. was submitted for tool marks examinations in order to establish, the circumstances of his death. As the result of a visual inspection of the evidence it was found that on the surface of the jacket and the trousers multiple blood stains, frictional traces and damages such as tearing and disconnection’s of seams were present. Examinations with the use of optical microscopy provided an information on the presence of greasy material rubbed in the textile, as well as microtraces of paint and glass. The traces were separated from the substrate and studied using infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX). Physical and chemical examinations performed allowed to establish that on the surface of the clothes there were present stains of an anticorrosive material usually used for protection of chassis as well as car paint chips and glass microtraces possibly originating from a car window. All the performed complex investigations of the death’s clothes allowed to establish with a great probability that he was a victim of a car accident. Moreover, the results of physico-chemical examination provided information that could be utilised in identification of the car that took part in the accident.
Słowa kluczowe
Forensic toolmark examination; Criminalistic identification of microtraces; FTIR; SEM-EDX.