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standard equipment. It is important to check for all available recordings. These should be copies of the

original files – not PDFs, scanned photocopies or any other format except copies of original files. This
includes the original file names or ability to verify if the file names are changed. See our Basic Forensic

Scene Photography course for details.

Too often a standard request for photographs is made and a response may include only those taken with
standard equipment and uploaded to the evidence system. However, there are many responding and

investigating personnel to a death investigation; less to a hospital patient – and as important to look for
(many healthcare facilities take their own photographs as part of the medical record). A responding officer

may have a vehicle camera and body camera, then their cell phone. A responding detective may have their
cell phone. A responding evidence technician (CSI, etc.) may have their cell phone and standard

equipment. A responding coroner investigator may have their cell phone and standard equipment. Each
may have communicated with their dispatch center – creating additional reports and recordings. Then at

autopsy may be a detective and/or evidence technician, and the forensic pathologist and autopsy assistant
– each may have their cell phone and standard equipment. Within any response to a death or non-fatal

event, there is fire, paramedics, and ambulance services – each may have had vehicle and body cameras,
cell phone cameras, and standard equipment.

Evidence and Disposition

Every case and scene within will have evidence documented, collected and examined – or should. All

elements presented here are also evidence – from photographs to records, and affidavits to warrants. The
evidence developing the case includes both physical and circumstantial. Here specifically is the physical
evidence collected and examined – from trace evidence, such as hair, fibers, blood, fingerprints and DNA,

to personal effects, weapons and other artifacts of the scene.

The law enforcement investigation may include affidavits and warrants for searches; this is ‘may’ because

there are limited circumstances in death investigations where this may not apply. The medical examiner,
to take custody of the body and any evidence to determine identification and cause and manner of death

a warrant is not usually needed. Jurisdictions may vary and it is important to be knowledgeable.

In reviewing the collection of evidence, the CFDI will check and verify the following:
• Any affidavits and warrants – and carefully review and analyze the details.

o Most affidavits are edited copy and paste from officer and investigator reports to provide the
probable cause required for the warrant. The reason and items to be searched and collected are

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