NCJ Number
232500
Journal
Victims & Offenders Volume: 3 Issue: 2 & 3 Dated: April 2008 Pages: 150-164
Date Published
April 2008
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article presents a case study on the importance of equivocal death analysis in death investigations.
Abstract
An equivocal death investigation should be comprised of an extensive and thoroughly documented analysis of the body recovery scene, the autopsy, the forensic evidence, laboratory tests, and the victimology and behavioral history of the deceased. Equivocal death analysis is an investigative process that can aid in determining the manner of death by examining existing forensic evidence and the behavioral and psychological history of the deceased. Although equivocal death analysis has long been regarded as an effective process that can assist investigators in many cases, it has recently received increased scrutiny from members of the scientific community. This scrutiny is likely the result of the limited research and literature that exists on the topic of equivocal deaths and the techniques used to investigate them. (Published Abstract)