Crime Scene Staging Dynamics in Homicide Cases

Behavioral Evidence
Circumstantial Evidence
Body as Evidence
Staged Scenes versus Other Types of Scenes
References

SECTION II: OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS
Offender Characteristics and Behaviors
Introduction
Offender Characteristics
Offenders Are Most Often Male
Personality
Behavior
Emotionality
Cognition
Envirosocioculturalism
Crime Scene Staging Behavior
Categorizing Crime Scene Staging Behaviors
Crime Scene Staging, Research, and Typologies
Cleaner
Concealer
Creator
Fabricator
Inflictor
Planner
Evaluating Typologies
Building Theories about Crime Scene Staging
Development of a Substantiated Theory on Crime Scene Staging
Pettler’s 2011 Theory of Crime Scene Staging
Breaking Down the Theory: The Problem of Crime Scene Staging
Breaking Down the Theory: The Problem for Society
Breaking Down the Theory: Identifying Solutions
Breaking Down the Theory: Strengths and Weaknesses
References

Victimology
Introduction
Defining Victimology
Victimology Theory
Case Example
Victimology and Politics
Importance of Victimology
Case Example
Research-Based Forensic Victimology: A Suggested Approach
Taxonomic Hierarchal Arrangement of Victimological Components
Conceptual Model of Research-Based Forensic Victimology
Implications of Research-Based Forensic Victimology
Physiological: Victim’s Physical Demographics and Attributes
Safety: Victim in Relation to Personal, Familial, Financial, and Occupational Safety
Love and Belonging: Victim in Relation to Relationships
Esteem: Victim in Relation to Personality, Cognition, Emotionality, Behavior, and Achievement
Self-Actualization: Victim in Relation to Relative Adoption of Worldly Concepts
Appendices
Victim–Offender Relationship
Importance of Victim–Offender Relationship Examination
Importance of Victim–Offender Relationship: Circumstantial Evidence
Facilitation, Precipitation, and Victim Risk
Case Example
Case Example
Assessing Risk Level
References

Purposes and Motives
Introduction
Disconnecting the Victim–Offender Relationship
Deception
Misdirect Investigations
Self-Preservation
Avoid Apprehension
Motives for Murder
Motive 1: Argument/Conflict/Confrontation
Motive 2: Property Gain
Motive 3: Robbery
Motive 4: Sexual Assault
References

Intimicide
Introduction
Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate Partner Violence and Risk Factors Indicating Lethality
Case Example
Physical Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Psychological Abuse (Mental Abuse)
Sexual Abuse
Economic Abuse
Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence
Physical Consequences
Psychological Consequences
Lifestyle-Related Consequences
Intimate Partner Homicide
Intimicide
Intimicide Characteristics
Intimicide Dynamics
Power–Anger Conceptual Continuum
Intimicide Homicidal Pattern
Criminal Profiling and Its Value toward
Predicting Risk and Preventing Lethality in Intimicide
Intimicide Offender Characteristics
References

Types of Staging
Introduction
Homicides Staged as Suicides
Case Example
Suicide and Firearms
The Betty "Bea" Lafon Johnson Malone Flynn Sills Gentry Neumar
Case Example
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Robberies, Home Invasions, and Burglaries
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Accidents
Case Example
Arson
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Car Accidents
Homicides Staged as Sexual Homicides
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Self-Defense Cases
Case Example
Homicides Staged as Missing Persons
Case Example
Case Example
References

SECTION III: VICTIM-CENTERED DEATH INVESTIGATION METHODOLOGY
Crime Identification: Detecting Deception
Introduction
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Phase 1: Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application
Phase 2: Analysis
Phase 3: Synthesis and Evaluation
Victim-Centered Death Investigation Methodology (VCDIM)
Suggested Approach
Overview of the VCDIM Process
VCDIM: Outline
VCDIM Stage 1: Crime Scene Knowledge
Staging Identification Trilogy
Conflict and Confrontation
Victim Discovery
Verbal Staging
Crime Scene Investigation
Assumption of Integrity
Constellation Theory
VCDIM Stage 2: Crime Scene Comprehension
VCDIM Stage 3: Application of the Crime Scene Processing
Technology
References

Crime Analysis
Introduction
Victim-Centered Death Investigation Methodology: Outline
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 1 (Victimology)
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 2 (Crime Scene and Lab Reports)
Victim Discovery and Notification
Time, Date, Location, and Number of Crime Scenes
Initial Contact Location
Murder Scene Location
Victim Recovery and Disposal Site Location
First Responders
Crime Scene Logs
Points of Entry and Exit
Documentation
Notes
Photographs
Measurements
Sketches and Maps
Evidence Lists
Reports
Evidence of Staging
Cleaning the Crime Scene
Hiding and Removing Evidence
Creating Evidence
Destroying Evidence
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 3 (Autopsy: Wound Pattern Analysis)
Physical Evidence on the Body
Time of Death
Evidence of Injury
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 5 (Suspectology)
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 5 (Statement Analysis)
"How-To": Organize to Multiple Statements
Detecting Deception
Types of Narratives
VCDIM Stage 4: Crime Analysis—Component 6 (The Scientific Method)
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
Shooting Incident Reconstruction
Kaleidoscope System
References

Crime Synthesis and Evaluation
Introduction
Summary of Crime Scene Staging Behaviors and Characteristics
VCDIM Outline
VCDIM Stage 5: Crime Synthesis
Before, During, and After the Death of the Victim
Victim-Centered Modified Triangulation: Empirical, Quasi-Empirical, and Nonempirical
Tying It All Together
VCDIM Stage 6: Crime Evaluation
References

Custom Art
Introduction
Crime Scene Staging Awareness Initiative
Recommendations for Future Research
Expanded Sample Sizes
Staging Prevalence and Frequency
Staging and the CSI Effect
Offender Characteristics and Behaviors
Victim Characteristics: Victimological Studies
Victim–Offender Relationship
Conflict and Confrontation
Victim Discovery
Weapons
Verbal Staging
Behavioral Taxonomy
Crime Scene Staging and Law Enforcement Professionals
American Cold Case Epidemic
American Investigative Society of Cold Cases
Cold Cases and Crime Scene Staging

Conclusion
References

Appendix A: Research-Based Forensic Victimology
Appendix B: Victim-Centered Death Investigation Methodology Outline
Appendix C: Crime Synthesis Matrix
Appendix D: Physical Evidence Inventory and Information Worksheet
Appendix E: Crime Scene Photo Log Worksheet
Appendix F: Wound Pattern Analysis Worksheet
Appendix G: Statement Analysis Worksheet
Appendix H: Prereconstruction Checklist

Index