CASE OF THE BLOODIED BULLY | Back to the Stories Home Page | Forward to the Case Report (Student Pages) |
| MAJOR EVIDENCE | TECHNIQUES | SET UP FOR A PARTICULAR CASE * |
| Blood Samples - from Samuel Herrick
- from Michael Brown
| Gas chromatography (ethanol) Gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (drugs) | - Herrick: ethanol (0.15 g/100 mL) ; cocaine (200 ng/mL)
- Brown: ethanol (0 g/100 mL) ; cocaine (400 ng/mL)
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| Gunshot Residue Samples (Handwashings: left hand / right hand) - from Samuel Herrick
- from Michael Brown
- from Donna Stevens
- from Caroline Stevens
| Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (lead) | - Herrick: 300 ppb / 400 ppb Pb
- Brown: background level
- Donna Stevens: 700 / 1300 ppb
- Caroline Stevens: 700 / 500 ppb
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| Arson Sample and Flammables - carpet from crime scene
- unburned carpet
- liquid from Stevens' home
- liquid from Herrick's apartment
| Gas chromatography | - Crime scene: kerosene added to carpet that is subsequently burned.
- Kerosene at the Stevens' home
- Gasoline at Herrick's apartment
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| Ink Samples from Pens - Suicide note
- from Samuel Herrick
- from Michael Brown
- from Donna Stevens
- from Caroline Stevens
| UV-Visible spectrophotometry (color) Liquid chromatography (components) | - Suicide note: UltraFine Flair
- Herrick: Flair B0
- Brown: PMOP; PaperMater
- D. Stevens: UltraFine Flair
- C. Stevens: Sanford Sharpie
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| White Powder from Michael Brown | Infrared spectrophotometry (bulk drug) | - Mixture of glucose and caffeine ("cocaine")
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* ONE POSSIBLE SCENARIO: Samuel Herrick did not kill himself; rather he was murdered by his abused lover, Donna Stevens. After shooting and killing Herrick, Donna started a fire in the apartment in hopes of covering her tracks.