Forensics Project

Evidence of Work

For this project, each group was presented with the same mock crime scene and evidence. Our goal was to discover who we believed to be the guilty person in the situation. To do this, multiple labs were had to analyse evidence like blood, fingerprints and DNA. All of this information, and our final decision is presented on the slideshow below.

Carelton Comet was murdered at 7:35 pm at Chalk Hill on January 11th, 2020 by one of the people at the picnic. He was found slumped over his food with a steak knife in the back of his neck Evidence of all different types was found at the murder scene and most all of it pointed towards Nancy Normal, proving she is the killer. Fingerprints were found on glass near the victim which have been successfully identified as Nancy’s. Both of the prints were whorl pattern. A murder note was found on the body of Carelton Comet and ink chromatography was done to identify the pen owner. The ink combinations of the note match those of the pens found on Nancy Normal and Sam Sophomore. Two different types of blood were found on the murder weapon and samples were taken from every suspect. The crime sample 1 was O type blood, matching Carelton Comet and Sam Sophomore and crime sample 2 was A type, matching Nancy Normal and Glen Glee. From the blood, DNA samples were extracted and examined using DNA fingerprinting. The results from the gel electrophoresis match Carelton’s and Sam’s DNA with the first crime scene and Nancy’s with the second sample. We have gone one step further in DNA identification and looked at the chromosomes from the crime scene and the suspects. Both the crime scene sample and Nancy Normal have three x chromosomes meaning she had trisomy x disorder. We suspect that Carelton’s real name is Thomas Sandstone and if this is true he is connected to her. He had an affair with her aunt that resulted in a child. When that child was kidnapped and subsequently killed, he abandoned their family. Nancy may be trying to get revenge and that is why she killed him.

Content

Fingerprints: To uncover the fingerprints of the perpetrator, we learned how to dust them and analyse the patterns. Each group dusted and used tape to copy down a version of the print and compare it to each suspect's provided fingerprint.

Ink Chromatography: This is where a dot of ink is placed on a piece of paper and the bottom of the paper is submerged in alcohol. As the the liquid creeps up the paper, it separates the dyes of the ink, allowing it to be matched to a sample based on color combinations.

Blood Types: For this lab, we mixed mock blood samples with anti-A and anti-B solutions to see which blood type each sample was. If the solution clumped with anti-A, the blood type was A and if it clumped with the B it was B. Clumping with none meant it was O while clumping with both meant it was AB.

DNA Fingerprinting: DNA fingerprinting uses gel electrophoresis to lay our fragments of DNA that can be analysed and matched. Each fragment is dyed and the color combinations at each gel slot were compared to the suspects' to find a match.

Pedigree Charts: These are used to trace a disease or trait through a family's history using predetermined shapes. We made a pedigree chart for the project to see how the families are connected and to see which of the suspects could be carrying certain inherited diseases.

Karyotyping: This is used to look at the chromosomes in someones DNA which allows you to discover any missing or added chromosomes that could cause genetic disorders. We used this to match genetic disorders to the victim and the suspect.