Forensic Blood Spatter
A Closer Look
Lab One: Single Drops
- What did you notice about the diameter of the parent droplets as you increased the height of the drop?
- The diameter gradually increases as the height increases
- How do the spines compare from the different heights?
- The spines become more elongated and sharpen
Lab Two: Multiple Drops
- What happened when one drop landed on top of the another one?
- The initial parent drop creates more satellites
- What did you notice about the diameter of the parent droplets as you increased the height of the drop?
- The diameter of the intial parent drop widens
- What do you notice about the diameter of the satellite spatter as you increased the height of the drop?
- The satellites doubled in population
Why Were the Labs So Important?
Lab 3: Motion Droplets
Sketch of the Droplets (Distance)
- The type and velocity of the weapon used
- Number of blows
- Handedness of the assailant (if he/she is right or left handed)
- Position and movement of both the victim and assailant during and after the attack
- Which wounds were inflicted first
- Type of injuries
- How long ago the crime was commited
- Whether or not death was immediate or delayed
Walking Rate
Slow
Normal
Fast
- What did you notice about the shape of the droplets as you increased your walking speed?
- They gradually became more of an oval shape as walking speed increased
- What did you notice about the spines as you increased your walking speed ?
- The spines became more elongated in the opposing direction
- What did you notice about the distance between the droplets as you increased your walking speed?
- The distance between the droplets increases dramatically
Lab 4: Angle of Impact
- What did you notice about the shape of the droplets as you increased the angle of the paper?
The Basics
- The droplets become dramtically become elongated at 40 degrees and above
Spines - The pointed edges of a stain that radiate out from the spatter. This can help determine the direction from which the blood traveled
- Parent Drop - The droplet from which a satellite spatter originates
- Satellite Spatters - Small drops of blood that break off from the parent spatter when the blood droplet hits a surface
What is Blood Spatter?
- Blood spatter is the bloodstains created from the application of force to the area where the blood orginated.
Point of Impact/ Origin