Abstract
The unusual body deposition site described comprised three elements of concealment: i) a covert stream-based ravine some 60 m from the suspect’s home; ii) partial grave dug into the ravine bank and iii) final concealment using concrete slabs. Disaggregation and sieving of concrete samples from the site, suspect residence(s) and control samples was carried out. These allowed informative exclusion of all but one control sample and provided
a range of possible comparisons that may reflect the sequence of concrete slab selection, transport and use in covering the victim. The textures/colours of disaggregated, dried ediment size fractions also proved useful in conveying principles of exclusion to the court and jury at a subsequent murder trial. This work flows from basic (visual) observation of dry, cut blocks, through regular laboratory procedures of thin section work to disaggregation and size separation of aggregate-cement fractions. Graphical presentation of each analysis provided effective communication of geological science during the trial at court, concluding with a verdict of guilty by aggravated murder.
a range of possible comparisons that may reflect the sequence of concrete slab selection, transport and use in covering the victim. The textures/colours of disaggregated, dried ediment size fractions also proved useful in conveying principles of exclusion to the court and jury at a subsequent murder trial. This work flows from basic (visual) observation of dry, cut blocks, through regular laboratory procedures of thin section work to disaggregation and size separation of aggregate-cement fractions. Graphical presentation of each analysis provided effective communication of geological science during the trial at court, concluding with a verdict of guilty by aggravated murder.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100360 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Forensic Science International: Reports |
| Volume | 9 |
| Early online date | 07 Mar 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2024 |
Keywords
- Body-deposition site, Concrete Petrography,Thin-section,Particle size,Crime scene
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics(all)
Access to Document
- Concrete evidence: analysis of aggregate and cement in a homicide investigation
Copyright 2024 the authors. This is an open access Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and reproduction for non-commercial purposes, provided the author and source are cited.