Page 33 - 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

of the coroner / medical examiner death investigator. Until they arrive on scene no other person can
touch, move or remove the body, or those items on or about the body. The assessment includes complete

photography, documenting wounds and injuries, or lack thereof, rigor and livor mortis, body position and
relationship to the scene and condition of the body due to postmortem interval and environment. If the

body has been moved, possibly to a remote area, there will be another incident scene, or where the death

actually occurred.

II. WHAT IS DEATH?

The obvious signs of death may include traumatic injury – from a fractured neck determined by

palpitation, to visible brain avulsion. Other obvious signs include early to advanced decomposition and
skeletal remains. Deaths fall into two primary categories – Natural and Other. Natural deaths, as later

explained, have a medical history and/or diagnosis. Natural deaths are typically not the result of any
contributory event. However, altitude or exertion are two examples of possible contributing events to a

natural death. Other deaths may be the result of Accident, Homicide or Suicide – and even Undetermined.
There has been an outside contributory event causing the death. Can a death in ‘Other’ be mistaken for

‘Natural’? Yes, and as an example may be seen in elder deaths and is a more advanced questioned death
involving medical records and toxicology. The CFDI will be involved after the initial and official death / SBI

investigation, usually in a criminal defense or civil plaintiff role, or possibly in the civil defense or insurance
investigation role. To properly evaluate and conduct a death / SBI investigation in any of these roles it is

first important to understand the components presented in this course.

The conclusion of the official death / SBI investigation are the Cause and Manner of Death, including the
Mechanism of Death. These are important to the CFDI to review and analyze evidence – the official

investigative records, reports, photographs, etc. of law enforcement agencies and coroner / medical
examiner offices. DO NOT review only reports of conclusion, i.e. autopsy reports, as they are the same as

the CFDIs report – a conclusion, not the evidence used to reach the conclusion.

➢ Cause of Death [COD] is the medical reason for death, the underlying disease or injury that is the
specific and immediate medical reason for death.

• The cause of death is determined from the investigative and forensic evidence – both direct and
circumstantial.

• This includes a review of the medical records, investigation and, if warranted, an autopsy.

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