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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

• DNA (includes blood, semen, saliva from the scene and body)
• Bite marks

• Trace evidence (hairs, fibers, chemicals, ashes, gunshot residue)
• Physical evidence (anything, including vomit, feces, liquids on scene, drugs, alcohol, weapons,

writings and other documentation, pornography)

• Bloodspatter

For suspicious deaths, at autopsy a homicide or rape kit may be collected. These include multiple collections
of potential trace evidence, and standards (known samples – i.e. the decedent’s hair): pulled and combed

head and pubic hair, fingernail scrapings, swabs of the mouth, anus, and genitals, DNA cards (blood samples)
and any other specific to the crime and injuries. These may be duplicated for law enforcement and/or

completely turned over to them for custodianship and processing.

II. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION
This is the component of investigations which receives the most attention, and has its obvious importance.

We recommend reviewing “Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement” from the National
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Institute of Justice .

Law enforcement should investigate any unattended and suspicious death, and for non-fatal events (Serious
Bodily Injuries – SBI) the medical examiner does not respond. Not with the tunnel vision focus to find a crime

and suspect to charge; but, because there is only one chance to do it right. Doing so may exclude a crime
and/or suspect as much as determine them. It is as important to not rely solely on law enforcement (or

medical examiner) investigations and evidence. Apply the same ACE-V and investigative methodology to the
review and analysis as an independent CFDI investigation.

Like deaths to autopsies, not all deaths are autopsied – not all law enforcement investigations result in

criminal charges. Law enforcement investigations will otherwise be the same as the medical examiner in
general processes and purposes:

• Secure the incident scene and body, as well as any witnesses;
• Investigate, document, and collect all physical and witness evidence of the incident and scene;

2 https://shop.nfstc.org/product/crime-scene-investigation-guide/
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