Page 69 - 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

Most Criminal Defense Investigations will not find relevance to the decedent or victim having any medical
conditions. A person killed by a gunshot and having a history of heart complications are likely not

connected. However, a person who is the victim of an armed robbery and dies of a heart attack in the
course, or immediately consequential to the robbery may have a criminally charged connection. There

may be mitigating circumstances due to medical history. In the law enforcement investigation medical

history may not be included, as it often is in the medical examiner investigation. This is primarily where
medical history will be found, as it is the duty of the medical examiner to explore the decedent’s medical
history.

Social History
Social history includes relationships, work history, mental health, and any alcohol and other drug use and
abuse. Social history and medical history may find some commonalities, such as hospitalizations and

prescriptions.

It is as important to know the decedent’s social history as it is the defendants – and for many of the same

reasons. There may be contributing factors, more so than medical history, and mitigating information.
Each component of social history is important of itself, and of particular importance together and in the

investigation as a whole.

Like medical history, social history is usually not specifically found in the law enforcement investigation
and is found in the medical examiner investigation. To the latter social history may have significant factors

to Cause and Manner of Death; and to the former, incorrectly believed not to. In the law enforcement
investigation there are often references and snippets to social history: the decedent was a drug user, had

previous suicide attempts and ideation, was hospitalized for mental health evaluation, etc. – and these
may be by reference only and nothing more. If the crime charged involves drug use and dealing – medical

history may reflect how prescription drugs are illegally obtained, and social history may reveal chronic
addiction and a necessity to support the addiction. This may lead to the criminal incident. The CFDI will

explore Medical History and Social History together and in more detail than official investigations.

Photographs, Video and Audio Evidence
Every aspect of the scene should be documented by photographic and/or video recording, and interviews

by video and/or audio recording. This may include vehicle and body cameras, cell phone cameras, and

55 | P a g e