Crime Scene Staging Dynamics in Homicide Cases
Preview
Book Description
Individuals who perpetrate murder sometimes pose or reposition victims, weapons, and evidence to make it look like events happened in a different way than what actually transpired. Until now, there has been scarce literature published on crime scene staging.
Crime Scene Staging Dynamics in Homicide Cases is the first book to look at this practice, providing a methodology of identifying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the evidence of each case by learning to marry the physical evidence to the behavioral evidence.
The book begins with the history of crime scene staging and includes many case examples that illustrate how, when, and why criminals stage crime scenes. The characteristics of crime scene stagers and their victims are examined along with the intent of crime scene staging and dynamics of the staged crime scene. In addition, coverage of forensic victimology explores the reasons why a person might become a victim and why, based on this, staging may be performed.
The book emphasizes the importance of recognizing behavioral red flags which are often present in staged crime scenes. These indicators can be commonly overlooked by investigators when they focus only on the physical evidence of a crime scene. Early detection, crime scene analysis, and crime scene reconstruction of the staged crime scene are each supported—by the full body of literature and latest published research on staging as well as by proven real-world, field-based methodologies.
The book identifies and describes various types of crime scene staging behavioral patterns, presenting the complications and challenges that crime scene staging presents for investigators. This book will be an invaluable tool for forensic scientists, investigators, homicide detectives, and law enforcement to understand all aspects of crime scene staging dynamics.
Table of Contents
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION TO STAGING
History of Crime Scene Staging
Early Historical References to Crime Scene Staging
1514 The Story of Richard Hunne
1841 The Story of Mister
1859 The Budge Case
1882 Bloodstains on the Doorjamb
1882 Dr. Carl Liman and Staged Weapons
1887 Dr. Eduard R. von Hofman Murder Staged as Suicide
1892 Lizzie Borden
Glaister 1902
1924 Hans Gross
1936 O’Connell and Soderman
1962 Soderman and O’Connell
1972 O’Hara and Osterberg
1974 Svensson and Wendel
Contemporary References to Crime Scene Staging
1984 Puschel, Holtz, Hildebrand, Naeve, Brinkman
1989 Ueno, Fukanaga, Nakagawa, Imabayashi, Fukiwara, Adachi, Mizoi
1992 Douglas and Munn
1996 Geberth
1996–2006 Geberth
1996 Leth and Vesterby
1998 Yamamoto, Hayase, Matsumoto, Yamamoto
1998 Mallach and Pollak
1999 Adair and Dobersen
1999–2011 Turvey
2000 Turvey
2001 Meloy
2002 Adair
2004 Hazelwood and Napier
2004 Keppel and Weis
2006 Douglas and Douglas
Eke 2007
2007, 2011 Chisum and Turvey
2009 Cobin
2010 Geberth
2011 Ferguson
2011 Pettler
2012 Schlesinger, Gardenier, Jarvis, and Sheehan-Cook
2014 Chancellor and Graham
2014 Ferguson
2015 Pettler
Summary of Crime Scene Staging Literature
References
Introduction to Crime Scene Staging
Introduction
Staging versus Scene Alteration
Staging versus Precautionary Acts
Deception
Crime Scene Staging Statistics and No Repository
Crime Scene Staging Is a Problem
References
Crime Scene Dynamics
Heart of It All: Ethics
Death Scene Characteristics Indicative of Homicide
Anatomy of a Homicide
Physical Evidence
Behavioral Evidence
Circumstantial Evidence
Body as Evidence
Staged Scenes versus Other Types of Scenes
References
SECTION II: OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS
Offender Characteristics and Behaviors
Introduction
Offender Characteristics
Offenders Are Most Often Male
Personality
Behavior
Emotionality
Cognition
Envirosocioculturalism
Crime Scene Staging Behavior
Categorizing Crime Scene Staging Behaviors
Crime Scene Staging, Research, and Typologies
Cleaner
Concealer
Creator
Fabricator
Inflictor
Planner
Evaluating Typologies
Building Theories about Crime Scene Staging
Development of a Substantiated Theory on Crime Scene Staging
Pettler’s 2011 Theory of Crime Scene Staging
Breaking Down the Theory: The Problem of Crime Scene Staging
Breaking Down the Theory: The Problem for Society
Breaking Down the Theory: Identifying Solutions
Breaking Down the Theory: Strengths and Weaknesses
References
Victimology
Introduction
Defining Victimology
Victimology Theory
Case Example
Victimology and Politics
Importance of Victimology
Case Example
Research-Based Forensic Victimology: A Suggested Approach
Taxonomic Hierarchal Arrangement of Victimological Components
Conceptual Model of Research-Based Forensic Victimology
Implications of Research-Based Forensic Victimology
Physiological: Victim’s Physical Demographics and Attributes
Safety: Victim in Relation to Personal, Familial, Financial, and Occupational Safety
Love and Belonging: Victim in Relation to Relationships
Esteem: Victim in Relation to Personality, Cognition, Emotionality, Behavior, and Achievement
Self-Actualization: Victim in Relation to Relative Adoption of Worldly Concepts
Appendices
Victim–Offender Relationship
Importance of Victim–Offender Relationship Examination
Importance of Victim–Offender Relationship: Circumstantial Evidence
Facilitation, Precipitation, and Victim Risk
Case Example
Case Example
Assessing Risk Level
References
Purposes and Motives
Introduction
Disconnecting the Victim–Offender Relationship
Deception
Misdirect Investigations
Self-Preservation
Avoid Apprehension
Motives for Murder
Motive 1: Argument/Conflict/Confrontation
Motive 2: Property Gain
Motive 3: Robbery
Motive 4: Sexual Assault
References
Intimicide
Introduction
Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate Partner Violence and Risk Factors Indicating Lethality
Case Example
Physical Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Psychological Abuse (Mental Abuse)
Sexual Abuse
Economic Abuse
Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence
Physical Consequences
Psychological Consequences
Lifestyle-Related Consequences
Intimate Partner Homicide
Intimicide
Intimicide Characteristics
Intimicide Dynamics
Power–Anger Conceptual Continuum
Intimicide Homicidal Pattern
Criminal Profiling and Its Value toward
Predicting Risk and Preventing Lethality in Intimicide
Intimicide Offender Characteristics
References
Types of Staging
Introduction
Homicides Staged as Suicides
Case Example
Suicide and Firearms
The Betty "Bea" Lafon Johnson Malone Flynn Sills Gentry Neumar
Case Example
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Robberies, Home Invasions, and Burglaries
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Accidents
Case Example
Arson
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Car Accidents
Homicides Staged as Sexual Homicides
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Self-Defense Cases
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Missing Persons
Case Example
Case Example
References
SECTION III: VICTIM-CENTERED DEATH INVESTIGATION METHODOLOGY
Crime Identification: Detecting Deception
Introduction
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Phase 1: Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application
Phase 2: Analysis
Phase 3: Synthesis and Evaluation
Victim-Centered Death Investigation Methodology (VCDIM)
Suggested Approach
Overview of the VCDIM Process
VCDIM: Outline
VCDIM Stage 1: Crime Scene Knowledge
Staging Identification Trilogy
Conflict and Confrontation
Victim Discovery
Verbal Staging
Crime Scene Investigation
Assumption of Integrity
Constellation Theory
VCDIM Stage 2: Crime Scene Comprehension
VCDIM Stage 3: Application of the Crime Scene Processing
Technology
References
Crime Analysis
Introduction
Victim-Centered Death Investigation Methodology: Outline
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 1 (Victimology)
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 2 (Crime Scene and Lab Reports)
Victim Discovery and Notification
Time, Date, Location, and Number of Crime Scenes
Initial Contact Location
Murder Scene Location
Victim Recovery and Disposal Site Location
First Responders
Crime Scene Logs
Points of Entry and Exit
Documentation
Notes
Photographs
Measurements
Sketches and Maps
Evidence Lists
Reports
Evidence of Staging
Cleaning the Crime Scene
Hiding and Removing Evidence
Creating Evidence
Destroying Evidence
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 3 (Autopsy: Wound Pattern Analysis)
Physical Evidence on the Body
Time of Death
Evidence of Injury
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 5 (Suspectology)
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 5 (Statement Analysis)
"How-To": Organize to Multiple Statements
Detecting Deception
Types of Narratives
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 6 (The Scientific Method)
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
Shooting Incident Reconstruction
Kaleidoscope System
References
Crime Synthesis and Evaluation
Introduction
Summary of Crime Scene Staging Behaviors and Characteristics
VCDIM Outline
VCDIM Stage 5: Crime Synthesis
Before, During, and After the Death of the Victim
Victim-Centered Modified Triangulation: Empirical, Quasi-Empirical, and Nonempirical
Tying It All Together
VCDIM Stage 6: Crime Evaluation
References
Custom Art
Introduction
Crime Scene Staging Awareness Initiative
Recommendations for Future Research
Expanded Sample Sizes
Staging Prevalence and Frequency
Staging and the CSI Effect
Offender Characteristics and Behaviors
Victim Characteristics: Victimological Studies
Victim–Offender Relationship
Conflict and Confrontation
Victim Discovery
Weapons
Verbal Staging
Behavioral Taxonomy
Crime Scene Staging and Law Enforcement Professionals
American Cold Case Epidemic
American Investigative Society of Cold Cases
Cold Cases and Crime Scene Staging
Conclusion
References
Appendix A: Research-Based Forensic Victimology
Appendix B: Victim-Centered Death Investigation Methodology Outline
Appendix C: Crime Synthesis Matrix
Appendix D: Physical Evidence Inventory and Information Worksheet
Appendix E: Crime Scene Photo Log Worksheet
Appendix F: Wound Pattern Analysis Worksheet
Appendix G: Statement Analysis Worksheet
Appendix H: Prereconstruction Checklist
Index
Author(s)
Biography
Laura Gail Pettler is a forensic criminologist, author, educator, and inventor. She is a crusader for justice for victims in homicide cases. Laura is dedicated to using her life to make a difference. Laura holds a bachelor of science degree in preprofessional psychology; a master of science degree in criminal justice where she focused on death investigation, forensic psychology, and aspects of forensic science; and a doctor of philosophy degree in public safety specializing in criminal justice where she focused on forensic criminology and specifically on the study of intimate partner violence and crime scene staging behaviors. Laura is an International Association for Identification (IAI) Certified Senior Crime Scene analyst and is the chairwoman of the IAI’s Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Subcommittee.
Laura was inducted into the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases (AISOCC) and served one year on its honorary review board while simultaneously serving as AISOCC’s Director of Development before being promoted to vice president in 2014. Laura dedicates a tremendous amount of time and resources toward furthering AISOCC’s mission in support of cold case victims and their family in the pursuit of justice.
Reviews
"...it is my hope that this book, the first one written on staging, will help investigators, prosecutors, and academicians to begin building a body of work that will bring more killers to justice. Laura Pettler has proposed new conceptual and practical theories here that I hope will get the readers’ creative juices flowing and aid investigators in convicting more of the guilty and sending more of the innocent home."
—From the Book’s Foreword by Michael D. Parker, Esq., Retired Former District Attorney, Prosecutorial District 20A, North Carolina, USA