Page 141 - CFDI Guide

Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) Program
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI, CFDI-Expert and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, CFDI-SME
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CDITC) Accredited

In communicating with the client, we issued a letter of our findings and opinion. We further advised that

our conclusive findings in a written report could be used against the client in any judicial proceeding, and
result in extensive time and costs for which we would not be indemnified. We therefore declined to issue a

report detailing our conclusions as to if the client were poisoned, or how the urine specimen was

collected, frozen and tested resulting in a ‘record level’ of fluoride which should have been fatal.

As part of our findings, we concluded, “… the information and evidence does not conclusively support a

specific source or introduction…” Two years after this consultation, the client was charged and convicted

related to the claims.

Unusual Rural Gunshot Death - Homicide or Suicide? (Expert Consultation)

Our agency was retained by family members with notable concerns of the official investigations, and

finding of suicide, in the death of a relative. The circumstances themselves were unusual – alone in his
truck, in a very remote area, and only a rifle found by the responding deputy – in the backseat and muzzle

towards the decedent in the driver’s seat. The rifle was sitting on top of a pile of personal effects, and the
entire truck – including truck bed – was filled with belongings, except for the driver’s seat where the

decedent was. He had a gunshot wound in the left chest – at an angle not consistent with the trajectory of
the rifle. The family was told by the responding deputy this was because after the decedent shot himself

while driving his truck, he went off the road and hit a utility pole, causing the rifle to go over the decedent
and to the back seat.

None of this made any sense to the family. They provided all the records, reports and photographs

provided to them by the Coroner’s Office and Sheriff’s Office. In reviewing this initial information, we
found several unusual circumstances – and agreed with the family concerns. However, we also found

several discrepancies, failure to follow standard and protocols; and indications of missing records, reports,
and photographs. We made official requests and began receiving more information – which had

‘inadvertently not been previously found’. We reviewed this second set of materials – and yet still found
missing materials. We made a third request and received more materials – but not everything; we learned

some photographs taken with a personal cell phone (referenced in a report) were lost forever. We found
additional information on bodycam video and audio – including statements from the responding deputy to

others on scene as to how the rifle 'used' in the suicide went from the in front of the decedent to the back

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