You are the lead investigator of a small agency, which means your forensic lab is limited. You are called to a report of a decomposed body. Your scene is a decaying body lying in the shrub along a busy freeway. What are your steps in securing the scene and evidence? What steps will you take to correctly process this scene? Include and specifically address the following: How to thoroughly record a crime scene including searching the scene Packaging physical evidence Maintaining proper chain of custody In your opinion, will this case be easy to solve? Why or why not? This Assignment above is already complete your next assignment is to: Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts. You Must Provide Feedback on what they have written. “Each response should be a minimum of 200 words and should include your thoughts associated with their posted information. Additionally, you are to contribute to the discussion by adding support or constructive alternatives to your classmates’ posts. “ First Student Response from Frank Rameriz When you are enroute or arrive to the scene you begin to take measures to control of scene. There must be measures taken to secure the area and ensure it is not disturbed. This can be accomplished by taping, coning off the area and closing the nearest lane of traffic. Also, keeping the area staffed to ensure no further disturbances to the body. You must also determine the extent to which scene has thus far been protected by other reporting parties. You must also ensure adequate scene security this can be accomplished by obtaining and recording all who has been at scene and have knowledge about the area’s its original condition. You must take extensive notes while keeping out unauthorized personnel. To correctly process this scene you must conduct a preliminary survey to determine what evidence is likely to be present. Concentrate on the most likely temporary evidence and work to the least. Focus on the easily accessible areas in open view first, then move on to areas which are more out-of-view / or hidden. Consider whether the evidence appears to have been moved inadvertently or staged. To properly record a crime scene you must consider preparing a diagram, sketch, photo of scene. Photograph all items before they are touched or collected, make sure they are properly logged where they are retrieved. Make sure you package all items separately. Make sure all pertinent information is written on each evidence container and initialed by collector. Seal all evidence at scene and do not excessively handle after recovery. In order to maintain a solid chain of custody you must document the initial time and date of release of the scene. Also to whom it was released and by whom. Ensure a correct inventory has been constructed. “Once the scene is released, they cannot correct errors or omissions, because there is no guarantee that the scene has not been tampered with, or that changes have not occurred in the int.

1. You are the lead investigator of a small agency, which means
your forensic lab is limited. You are called to a report of a
decomposed body. Your scene is a decaying body lying in the
shrub along a busy freeway.
What are your steps in securing the scene and evidence?
What steps will you take to correctly process this scene?
Include and specifically address the following:
How to thoroughly record a crime scene including searching the
scene
Packaging physical evidence
Maintaining proper chain of custody
In your opinion, will this case be easy to solve? Why or why
not?
This Assignment above is already complete your next
assignment is to:
Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts. You Must
Provide Feedback on what they have written.
“Each response should be a minimum of 200 words and should
include your thoughts associated with their posted information.
Additionally, you are to contribute to the discussion by adding
support or constructive alternatives to your classmates’ posts. “
First Student Response from Frank Rameriz
When you are enroute or arrive to the scene you begin to take
measures to control of scene. There must be measures taken to

2. secure the area and ensure it is not disturbed. This can be
accomplished by taping, coning off the area and closing the
nearest lane of traffic. Also, keeping the area staffed to ensure
no further disturbances to the body. You must also determine
the extent to which scene has thus far been protected by other
reporting parties. You must also ensure adequate scene security
this can be accomplished by obtaining and recording all who has
been at scene and have knowledge about the area’s its original
condition. You must take extensive notes while keeping out
unauthorized personnel.
To correctly process this scene you must conduct a preliminary
survey to determine what evidence is likely to be present.
Concentrate on the most likely temporary evidence and work to
the least. Focus on the easily accessible areas in open view
first, then move on to areas which are more out-of-view / or
hidden. Consider whether the evidence appears to have been
moved inadvertently or staged.
To properly record a crime scene you must consider preparing a
diagram, sketch, photo of scene. Photograph all items before
they are touched or collected, make sure they are properly
logged where they are retrieved. Make sure you package all
items separately. Make sure all pertinent information is written
on each evidence container and initialed by collector. Seal all
evidence at scene and do not excessively handle after recovery.
In order to maintain a solid chain of custody you must document
the initial time and date of release of the scene. Also to whom it
was released and by whom. Ensure a correct inventory has been
constructed. “Once the scene is released, they cannot correct
errors or omissions, because there is no guarantee that the scene
has not been tampered with, or that changes have not occurred
in the interim” (Gaensslen, R.E., & Larsen, K. 2013). Once you
leave the scene it may be necessary to maintain it for a period
after. You may have to dedicate an officer to the scene for
control because reentry may require a warrant.

3. This case would not be difficult to solve, if you realize it that
most likely you will need to venture away from this scene to
gather further evidence. In some cases enough evidence can be
found on the body or in immediate area. Most instances the
evidence takes you to other locations where follow up
information will break the case wide open.
References:
Gaensslen, R.E., & Larsen, K. (2013). Introductory forensic
science. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Second Student Response from Giselle Murrell
Since the body is decomposed then the threat at the scene is
already at a minimum. The next thing I will do is set up a
perimeter of barriers since it is a public area and no search
warrants are needed. Setting up the barriers will preserve as
much as possible since the body already started to decompose
and since it is a busy freeway I don’t have to worry about too
much foot traffic. Note the initial condition of the scene to
avoid forgetting any pertinent information, like the time of day,
weather conditions, unusual features, odors, or sounds
(Gaensslen & Larson, 2013).
Survey the scene and formulate a hypothesis of what happened
at the scene. To figure out how much searching, documentation
and collection activity I have to do. After figuring out the
hypothesis this will guide the how the search will go either
collecting what is left at the crime scene like blood, body fluid
residue, fingerprints, footprints, or automobile tire impressions.
Anything in that area like cigarette butts, clothing and drinks.
Then start taking the photos, sketches and notes of the area
where the body was found and make sure that all the possible
angles are taken. Next, then make sure that all the evidence that
are collected are preserved and labeled for the lab analysis. The
evidence must be labeled with a detailed description and they
must properly store, like zip lock bags and containers like

4. screw-cap vial or a sealed paint can.
After collecting the evidence they will then be stored for an
undisclosed amount of time in frozen areas at the lab or law
enforcement agency until and when it evidence is found and if
it makes it to court then the evidence can be traced from its
seizure and introduced into a courtroom. If the state cannot
adequately account for who had care, custody, and control of an
item between seizure and courtroom, that item may be deemed
inadmissible, which is why documentation and sealing of the
evidence is so important (Gaensslen & Larsen, 2013).
In my opinion this case will not be easy to solve because, one it
happened on the busy freeway and maybe there are no witness
and then the body already started to decompose and the crime
scene is not fresh and if the weather was bad then tire prints and
footprints can be destroyed and many evidence can be washed
away or melt away.
References:
Gaensslen, R. E. & Larson, A. K. (2013). Introductory Forensic
Science. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.