Blood Spatter Analysis

Chapter 8: Blood Spatter Analysis : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 1 Chapter 8: Blood Spatter Analysis By the end of this lesson you will be able to: conduct a blood splatter analysis find and process blood evidence All Rights Reserved South-Western / Cengage Learning © 2009

Blood Splatter : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 2 Blood Splatter In 1939 the meaning of the splatter pattern was first analyzed. When a wound is inflicted, a blood splatter pattern may be created. It takes a grouping of blood stains to make a blood splatter pattern. The pattern can help to reconstruct the events surrounding a shooting, stabbing, or beating.

Blood Splatter Analysis : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 3 Blood Splatter Analysis Analysis of a splatter pattern can aid in determining the: direction blood traveled. angle of impact. point of origin of the blood. velocity of the blood. manner of death.

Blood Splatter Analysis : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 4 Blood Splatter Analysis When blood falls from a height or at a high velocity, it can overcome its natural cohesiveness and form satellite droplets . When it falls onto a less-than-smooth surface, it can form spiking patterns around the drops.

Blood Splatter Analysis—Six Patterns : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 5 Blood Splatter Analysis— Six Patterns Describe each of these: a. passive drops b. arterial gushes c. splashes d. smears e. trails f. pools

Blood Splatter Analysis—Impact : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 6 Blood Splatter Analysis— Impact Patterns can help investigators determine the type of weapon used. What kind of a pattern is produced by a gun shot? What kind of a pattern is produced by a hammer blow?

Blood Splatter Analysis—Directionality : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 7 Blood Splatter Analysis— Directionality The shape of an individual drop of blood provides clues to the direction from where the blood originated. How will the point of impact compare with the rest of a blood pattern?

Blood Splatter Analysis—Location of the Origin of the Blood : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 8 Blood Splatter Analysis— Location of the Origin of the Blood Lines of convergence Draw straight lines down the axis of the blood splatters. Where the lines converge, the blood originated.

Crime Scene Investigation of Blood : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 9 Crime Scene Investigation of Blood Search for blood evidence. If any is discovered, process it determining: Whether the evidence is blood. Whether the blood is human. The blood type. Interpret the findings: See if the blood type matches a suspect. If it does not, exclude that suspect. If it does, decide if DNA profiling is needed.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary : 

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary Blood splatter evidence can be used to recreate a crime scene. Investigators endeavor to (a) locate, (b) identify, and (c) interpret blood splatter patterns at crime scenes.