Preliminary Investigations

Stage 2 – Preliminary Investigations

This stage of the investigation will be individual to the case in hand and the procedures followed and resources required applicable to the crime that is being investigated.  For example, a bank robbery would require the crime scene to be cordoned off for evidence to be secured and collected, scene of crime officers (SOCOs), CCTV footage collected and viewed as well as witness statements taken and recorded while the assault of a person in the street would require medical attention to be given to the victim, physical evidence from the victim to be collected and analysed, photographs of any injuries sustained by the victims, and CCTV footage to be collected and viewed, victims statement and any witness statements to be taken.

It is the objective of this stage of the investigation process to aid in the identification of a suspect/s and ascertain whether enough evidence has been collected to proceed further.

If the preliminary investigations are not carried out correctly it can have a direct bearing on how the case proceeds and its ultimate outcome.  Evidence that is overlooked/been cross contaminated/tampered with/not collected using the correct procedures, a lack of evidence and intelligence, incorrect organisation of evidence and intelligence can lead to no arrest for the crime or the acquittal of the suspect/s at trial, making this an essential stage of the investigation process.

In the case of Aileen Wuornos all victims were located in a secluded area and the evidence that the members of the police force discovered was enough to carry out further lines of enquiry such as establishing a perimeter in order to carry out a search for further forensic evidence or any other individuals who may be injured.  It was also necessary that the scene of the crime was protected from members of the general public and the media in order to protect any forensic evidence from contamination or destruction.

The preliminary and follow up investigation carried out on the victims of Aileen Wuornos was based on evidence uncovered at the scene of the crimes and intelligence gathered, it was individual to each victim;

Richard Mallory

Following the arrival of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement the scene would have been cordoned off and a common approach pathways (CAP) used, it became apparent that more than one individual was present at the scene.  Photographs of the crime scene and any forensic evidence would have been taken prior to the removal of any forensic evidence.  The reasoning behind the belief that two individuals were involved stems from the evidence, as a glass bottle of alcohol and two plastic cups were located at the scene not far from the vehicle.  The preliminary investigation also enabled the location of a driving licence to be discovered which in turn revealed that the vehicle belonged to a Mr Richard Mallory.  It was also noted that the seat located directly behind the steering wheel was adjusted to enable an individual, of a smaller stature than Mr Mallory, to drive comfortably.  Following a thorough search of the interior of the vehicle the scene of crimes officer (SOCO) also identified an indentation that was present in the vehicles boot which appeared to match a tool box, however there was no toolbox present.  At the scene the vehicle was analysed for latent fingerprints, however, not a single fingerprint was collected.  In my opinion the fingerprint collection technique, although the method that was used by the scenes of crimes officer (SOCO) was not stated in any documentation available, the technique that would have worked most effectively on the vehicle would have been magnetic powder.  Using magnetic powders has several advantages; Latent fingerprints can be developed on vinyl, car door panels and dashboards as well as imitation leather.  This is due to the fact that the ‘brush’ does not touch the surface of the area being processed unlike fingerprint powders that use a synthetic brush and can clog the low places which makes it impossible to develop a usable latent fingerprint.  When using magnetic powder the ‘brush’ does not touch the surface being processed only the powder does.  Using magnetic powders allows the scenes of crimes officer to gather evidence from areas that would otherwise be unobtainable using other methods.

Prior to the preliminary investigation of the vehicle and the surrounding area, the scene would have been cordoned off to ensure that only the individuals that were required were present.  As the vehicle suggested to the Florida Police Department of Law Enforcement came to the conclusion that a crime had in fact been committed.  The decision was therefore made to delve deeper into the circumstances of the scene.  The vehicle was relocated to the Violusia County Sheriff’s Office for a period of time, prior to its transportation to the Orlando Regional Crime Laboratory.  At the Orlando Regional Crime laboratory the vehicle was thoroughly examined in order to gather any forensic evidence of value to the investigation by a specialist named Daniel Radcliffe. 

David Spears 

Upon arrival at the scene the scene of crimes officer (SOCO) recovered a single hair from the interior of the vehicle and an open condom packet as well as various other items of property.  Amongst the personal items, I can only assume that there was a driving license present or the vehicles registration was ran through a police vehicle checking system in order to identify the owner.  Although the circumstances are unavailable in documentation the vehicle was found to belong to a Mr David Spears.  The investigators present at the scene also noted that the seat that the driver would occupy was adjusted to a position that would not have been likely for a person of Mr Spears to find comfortable to drive.  When the police secured and the scenes of crime officer (SOCO) arrived at the scene the area will have been cordoned off and Mathew Cocking will have been required to give a statement.  It will have been the responsibility of the investigators and scene of crimes officer (SOCO) to decide upon the distance of the search site.  The evidence that was collected by the scene of crimes officer (SOCO) included a used condom, the packet it had been extracted from and multiple cans of alcohol, which in turn led the authorities to conclude that the deceased was not alone.  The deceased was then transported from the scene in order to be taken to a facility that would enable an autopsy to be carried out that would determine the cause of death.  The victim was found to be a Mr David Spears as a result of dental records being matched.  The cause of death was determined to be as a result of numerous gunshot wounds, six to be exact.  It was also noted that the same make of murder weapon that killed Mr Spears also killed Mr Mallory.  The weapon was a .22- calibre pistol. 

Charles Carskaddon

Following the discovery of the deceased the investigators from the police department and the scene of crimes officers (SOCO)’s would have been dispatched to further investigate the scene.  The scenes of crimes officers (SOCO)’s discovered multiple personal items in the interior of the vehicle such as a .45- calibre pistol.  When the deceased’s body was transported to a facility that enabled an autopsy to be carried out the cause of death was ruled as being a result of numerous gunshot wounds.  The murder weapon was revealed to be a .22- calibre pistol. 

Peter Siems

Upon arrival at the scene the area would have been cordoned off by the scene of crime officer (SOCO) and statements would have been taken from all of the witnesses that saw the vehicle on at the time of its discovery by the police present at the scene.  The area surrounding the vehicle would have been searched in order to identify any forensic evidence that may be able to identify the whereabouts of the owner of the vehicle.  The presumed blood identified in the interior of the crashed vehicle would have been collected by a scene of crimes officer (SOCO) and sent back to the forensic science laboratory for further analysis.  There were numerous other items of evidence collected from Peter Siems car which included various types of alcohol, the cans would have been processed either at the scene or back at the forensic science laboratory, by a scene of crimes officer (SOCO), in order to reveal a latent fingerprint that would be valuable to the investigation. 

Eugene Burress

When investigator and scene of crimes officers (SOCO)’s were dispatched to the location of the body, they recovered documents relating to the firm that the victim worked for.  The deceased was transported to a medical facility that enabled an autopsy to be carried out which revealed that the cause of death was a result of a double gunshot wound.  The bullets would then have been sent to the forensic science laboratory in order for analysis by a ballistics expert.  The weapon was identified as a .22- calibre pistol which was also the same to type of weapon used to murder Richard Mallory, David Spears and Charles Carskaddon.  Although traumatic the partner of Eugene Burress identified the deceased as being that of her husband. 

Charles Humphreys 

Following the arrival of the scene of crimes officers (SOCO)’s a cordon was set up and they conducted an investigation into the interior and exterior of the vehicle.  Various items were recovered from the interior of the vehicle such as; personal documentation and can that had contained alcohol.  However the scene of crimes officers (SOCO)’s, for reasons unknown, chose not to analyse the can using fingerprint powder which would have enabled any latent fingerprints to be identified and lifted if they were present on the can.  The deceased was transported to a medical facility were an autopsy could be performed which revealed that the cause of death was as a result of seven gunshot wounds to the body.  The murder weapon, responsible for the death of Mr Humphreys was identified as a .22- calibre pistol and his identity was confirmed.

Walter Gino Antonio

Upon arrival the scene of crime officers (SOCO)’s would set up a cordon and a common approach pathway (CAP) that lead directly to the deceased.  The surrounding area would be thoroughly searched and photographed to enable any relevant forensic evidence to be collected, if present.  The body would have been photographed and the pathologist would then examine the body in order to identify the approximate time of death and the apparent cause of death, prior to its transportation to a medical facility for an autopsy to be conducted.  The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was as a result of four gunshot wounds to the body and the murder weapon was identified as a .22- calibre pistol.

The vehicle that was later discovered and identified as being registered to Mr Antonio was thoroughly photographed and analysed by scene of crime officers (SOCO)’s in order to determine if any forensic evidence was present.  A vital piece of evidence that was a can which had contained alcohol was analysed using fingerprint powder but no latent fingerprints were discovered.