The Case of the Murdered Mayor

Forensic Investigation

Case Overview• Victim: Robert Burlington, Mayor of Allenville• Background: • Born in Allenville and Elected to be mayor over Timothy Taylor by a narrow margin• Supporting the industrial park on the site of Lake Larson

Park • Having a heated and very public argument with wife: Nicole• Bullied the town council in the council meeting to push

industrial park plan• Missing one day before the planned town council vote to “a

silly meeting”

What We’ve Found• Car near Lake Larson with key• Blood on front seat of the car• A tire iron with blood in the woods near the car• A second set of tire tracks nearby and led to a cabin• In the cabin: shattered glass, scattered and broken

furniture a struggle (fight) had taken place• Also in the cabin: body of mayor Robert Burlington.• A single bullet hole in the chest• A large wound on the back of his head

Evidence Collected• Blood Evidence: from the victim, the

victim’s car, the cabin floor, the tire iron, and the six suspects• Hair Evidence: from the victim’s clothing,

the victim’s car, the cabin floor and the six suspects’ vehicles• Fingerprint Evidence: from the victim, a

piece of broken glass in the cabin, a bloodstained piece of wood in the cabin, the tire iron, and the six suspects

Evidence Cont.

• Impression Evidence: photo of the tire impression at the cabin crime scene and the photo of the tires of vehicles belonging to the six suspects• Entomological Evidence: insect larvae

(i.e., maggots) from the victim’s head and chest wound sites

The Suspects

• Chris Cunningham: a senior partner of Burlington and town council member•Matthew Maloy: a local veterinarian and an animal-right

activist• Pam Preston: an environmental scientist• Timothy Taylor: the former mayor• Vic Velto: a businessman investing in the recreation sports in

Lake Larson area• Nicole Burlington: mayor Robert Burlington’s wife

Fingerprint Analysis

• Evidence we have: 10 fingerprint slides from crime scene, victim, and suspects• Each group will be assigned at least one fingerprint to lift• I need volunteers or will assign groups to lift the rest• Follow the procedure to lift fingerprint• Share the fingerprints to do the analysis

Blood Analysis• Blood Typing• ABO Blood

Group• Rh Factor• Rh+: Rh

antigen• Rh-: no

Rh antigen

Blood Typing Cont.• Evidence we have: 10 blood samples from crime scene,

victim and suspects• Anti-A serum (blue), anti-B serum (yellow), and anti-Rh

serum (clear)• Follow the procedure in your packet to test the blood

evidence• Data analysis:• Example: If a blood sample agglutinates after adding anti-

A serum A antigen presents the blood type is A

Entomological Analysis

• Identify and separate the largest maggot specimens from the container•Measure the largest maggots• Determine the average length• Average length = (Length1 + Length2 + … + LengthN) / N

• Refer to the table to estimate the time of death

•Hair Analysis• Five hair evidence in petri dishes• Prepare the samples• Observe and compare under microscope

• Impression Analysis• Compare the tire impression evidence to the photos of

each suspects’ vehicle’s tire treads.

Report to the District Attorney’s Office• In form of PowerPoint, Poster, or a typed report

(Word/Pages)• A summary of all of the evidence collected (In Tables)• A detailed statement of the results of each analysis• Your primary suspect(s) and why•What do you think happened?•What additional information is necessary to further this investigation?

Group Assignment

• Group A: Faith, Diana, Laura – Blood analysis• Group B: Vicent, Cain, Erick, Breana – Blood analysis• Group C: Russell, Louis, Devin P., Miles – Entomological analysis• Group D: Talizejah, Delmari, Devin H., Precious – Hair analysis• Group E: Maia, Dasia, Shaiqwon – Fingerprint station

Group Assignment• Group A: Ashley, Cortez, Corey, Jada W. – blood analysis• Group B: Khyre, Latif, Alex, Chereace – blood analysis• Group C: Sierra, Terrez, Jalen, Jazzlyn – hair analysis• Group D: Jordan, Sanchez, Lorenzo, Jhamiel – hair analysis• Group E: Myles, Wyatt, Chris -- entomological• Group F: Esther, Kaija, Diamond, Micah -- entomological• Group G: Roosevelt, Rhalon, Jada P., Kora -- fingerprinting