In most murder cases a firearm is used . After someone is shot , blood is usually present at the crime scene . Can homicide detectives use blood found at the scene to make their case ? The blood left behind may provide some clues as to what happened . One method of bloodstain analysis is blood spatter .
Blood spatter is defined as a dispersion of blood spots of varying size , created when a source of fluid blood is subjected to an external force. Blood spots within the dispersion exhibit characteristics that indicate the location from which they originated . Blood spatter is commonly found at crime scenes where bloodshed has occurred .
Analysis of blood spatter may do the following :
- Where did the spatter events occur ?
- Link the accused’s clothing to the location of a blood spatter producing event .
- Link the accused to the murder.
- Allow for the determination of the mechanism by which the spatter was created .
- Be used to corroborate or refute an accused’s statement of how the blood was deposited on their clothing .
- Link an item of evidence to a blood spatter-producing event .
Blood stain analysis is one piece of the puzzle in a murder investigation . Here is a link to a presentation of blood spatter evidence that may be helpful .