Latent prints and bombs

[Kathy Saviers]

Can anyone note any literature references or personal experiences of successful methods to obtain latent prints from surviving surfaces near bombing events? If so, what methods on different types of surfaces were successful?

I looked at Ernie Hamm's site (thanks for having such a helpful guide, Ernie) but didn't find anything. A general Google search gives me lots of newspaper accounts, but nothing detailed or scientific.

Thanks for any help on this matter.

Kathy

[Steve Skowron]

Kathy,
We had a bomb/arson case once where many of the recovered items were incrusted with a charred like material. The charred material was removed with fingerprint tape and we found visible impressions on the surface of a gas can that were identified. Unfortunately, much of the evidence we receive in these types of cases has been subject to the "Evidence Eradication Team"....also known as the fire dept.

Good Luck, Steve.

[Kevin]

There is an article in JFI done by the Israeli National Lab that looked at obtaining prints from arson-type evidence. They experimented on molotov cocktails I believe-maybe around 1992??? They discussed some of the trauma(i.e. fire, accelerants, charring) that the print is exposed to as well as their method for removing exposing the print if it is on a soot covered surface. They used a sonicator with a water or Toluene solution to clear the soot-they had some other solutions they recommend in there as well...I've personally used a toluene and water rinse on sooty items in the past and had one identifiable print I can think of on a glass surface. Hope this helps.

[Shaheen]

Hello,

Here are the references Kevin refers to:

Shelef, R., Levy, A., Rhima, I., Tsaroom, S. and Elkayam, R. (1996) Development of latent fingerprints from incendiary bottles: I. Development of latent fingerprints from unignited incendiary bottles. Journal of Forensic Identification, 46, 556-560.

Shelef, R., Rhima, I. and Elkayam, R. (1996) Development of latent fingerprints from incendiary bottles: II: Optimization of small particle reagent for the development of latent fingerprints from glass surfaces washed in accelerant fluids. Journal of Forensic Identification, 46, 561-565.

Shelef, R., Levy, A., Rhima, I., Tsaroom, S. and Elkayam, R. (1996) Development of latent fingerprints from incendiary bottles: III: Recovery of latent fingerprints from soot-covered incendiarized glass surfaces. Journal of Forensic Identification, 46, 565-569.

They are all part of one sort of "bumper" article. You are probably more interested in part III.

I hope this helps,
Shaheen

[firechem98]

Kathy,

Our group did some IED/post-blast debris experiments looking at how the latent prints survive. Nonporous items did not do well, except for protected surfaces (batteries inside cell phones, etc.). The porous items, and tape, on the other hand did fairly well. We used standard (common) techniques of development. The best overall recoveries were obtained on cardboard pieces using DFO.

Hope it helps.

Terry

[Kathy Saviers]

Thanks, everyone, for your input and references. My bomb guy wants to do a test for his purposes and invited me to do latent print work on the samples. I wanted to be prepared with any reference materials available.

Hopefully, next year, he and I will publish an article on our findings.

Kathy

[Kathy Saviers]

Thanks, everyone, for your input and references. My bomb guy wants to do a test for his purposes and invited me to do latent print work on the samples. I wanted to be prepared with any reference materials available.

Hopefully, next year, he and I will publish an article on our findings.

Kathy