The car used in a kidnapping was processed for evidence, and an impression believed to have been made by an elbow was found on the inside of the driver's door window. After the victim was found alive, a suspect was arrested; investigators took his inked elbow prints, along with those of the victim and her boyfriend. The latent elbow print along with the elbow standard were sent to a laboratory for comparison. The latent elbow print was identified as having been made by the abductor's left elbow. The elbow print identification was made by using the creases, crevices, and texture of the skin. By comparing the shapes found in the latent and standard that are made by the creases, crevices, and texture of the skin, an identification can be made. The investigator found a shape in the latent elbow print that he called a "lizard's mouth." He found a similar shape in the inked elbow standard. He used this as his starting point for the identification. Before comparing the elbow print standards and the latent print in the abduction case, the investigator "practiced" identifying elbow print standards and latent prints. Working with a latent print expert, the investigator identified seven latent prints to their source elbows.
Smudge or Elbow Print?
NCJ Number
183911
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 27 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2000 Pages: 94-98
Date Published
May 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes how an elbow print left at the scene of a crime was used to place a suspect at the scene.
Abstract