Page 51 - 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

at the time in question. This may also assist in determining chronology of a crime and multiple
scenes.

• Instrument to scene – this can be determined by trace evidence found at the scene that is proven
to have been caused or left by the instrument. Tool marks from a screwdriver to a door jamb is an

example. Multiple scenes with the same tool marks will link the scenes. Further investigation will

determine if that instrument was used by a suspect or victim at the scene at the time in question.
• Instrument to person and/or victim – this can also be determined by trace evidence found at the

scene, and also on the person or victim, and is proven to have come from the person(s) in
question. Further investigation will determine if the person(s) was/were at the scene at the time in

question.

Scientific Methodology is a series of techniques, processes and protocols for investigating phenomena,
acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. The Scientific Method is a

way to ask and answer these questions by making observations and verification processes. The CFDI
review and analysis specific to death / SBI includes. Let’s call the following purpose Part 2:
• How - Did the event happen as reported (i.e. Cause)?

• What - Did the event happen as charged (i.e. Manner)?

• Who - Did the event happen by the defendant as reported and charged?

These three must be answered, together with the previous connections, or there is reasonable doubt. In a

gunshot wound homicide, we may have the decedent, firearm and defendant at the scene with proof –
even an admission – the defendant shot and killed the decedent. This gives no reasonable doubt to Part 1

above – now for the skill of the CFDI - Part 2. We can take several real-life examples: home and/or
personal self-defense, law enforcement justified shooting, negligent shooting (i.e. hunting accident) and so

on. These all have affirmative defenses. There may also be the death charged as a legal Homicide, and
determined to be a Suicide – we have seen these with firearms and knives with defendants charged.

We’ve seen the news of related wrongful convictions to all of these.

The recommended methodology for reviewing Death / SBI events follows this protocol, and the ACE-V
protocol of Analyze, Compare, Evaluate and Verify:

1. Initial review of the photographs for general familiarization;

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