ABSTRACT
Recovery and collection of evidence in sex-related homicide and death investigations are of paramount importance to the overall investigation. Although the general principles of collection, chain of custody, and preservation remain the same, there are unique aspects to the types of evidence encountered in sex-related events. Sex-related homicides frequently result in various kinds of personal evidence, including body fluids, such as semen, sperm, blood, and saliva, as well as hairs and fibers and other microscopic evidence that may be lost or contaminated due to a number of variables ranging from the dynamics of the event and the environment of the scene to the actions of police personnel at the scene. The focus of this chapter is on the practical applications of collection, chain of custody, and preservation of evidence in sex-related homicide and death investigations.*
General Types of Evidence
Physical evidence Testimonial evidence Documentary evidence Behavioral evidence
In Geberth (1996), each of these general types of evidence becomes crucial in the identification, apprehension, and subsequent prosecution of offenders. However, the investigator should appreciate the nature of physical evidence.
