the primary role of a criminal investigator
Principally, the primary role of a criminal investigator is to investigate heinous crimes such as murder, burglaries, home invasions and sexual assaults. As part of their responsibilities, investigators interview suspects, informants and witnesses to get clues regarding the particular crime. Additionally, they collect and use forensic evidence to get to the bottom of criminal acts. Investigators process crime scenes with a keen reference to the objectives and basic principles involved in crime scene searches. Admittedly, these objectives and principles play a significant role as they enhance precision and prevent possible evidence tampering.
In this case study, there are five items of physical evidence that I would examine as the responding officer. Primarily, I would collect the cell phone lying near the victim and use it as one of the tools to document the crime scene. I would then collect evidence of fingerprints found on the clear paint tarpaulin within which the victim’s body was wrapped in. Moreover, I would examine the footwear impressions around the area where the victim lay. Footprints are one of the implications of corroborative evidence. Further, it would be prudent to examine the victim’s clothes and check for fingerprints. The stabs wounds on the victim’s body would also form a basis for tool mark traces which are also physical evidence.
Considering the information postulated in the report, I am inclined to think that the physical evidence supports an act of homicide. For instance, the victim’s body was wrapped in a tarpaulin with the ends tucked under her body. This implies that there is a perpetrator of the crime. Moreover, the stab wounds on the victim’s stomach are an outright implication that she was murdered. The supine position in which the victim’s body lay also shows that she must have been strangled to the ground.
On the underscore, there are pieces of evidence that associate the victim’s body with another individual. The cell phone that lay near the victim could be a possible link to the perpetrators of the crime.
For instance, the cell phone is one of the pieces of evidence that will provide investigative leads in this case. This is because forensic examination of the phone may provide investigators with fingerprints that are critical in analyzing the crime. Besides, there is a possibility that the cell phone belonged to the perpetrator. Consequently, getting crucial information about the perpetrator would be easier. Another crucial piece of evidence is the tarpaulin with which the victim was wrapped. Fingerprints found on the paper would be critical to providing investigative leads in the case.
Admittedly, one would be considered a suspect in this case if one of the above pieces of evidence showed an association between them and the victim. However, there are still other pieces of evidence required to support the guilt or innocence of such an individual. Remarkably, applying DNA testing to forensic evidence would enhance the identification of suspects and thus help determine whether they are guilty or innocent.