Tue, 17 Jan 2012
UEA's Dr Stephen Day talks about how forensic science could unlock the mystery of the body found at the Queen's residence.
FORENSIC science could be the key to help police unlock the mysteries surrounding the body of a young woman found on the Sandringham estate. Scientists will be scouring an isolated line of trees where the body of a young woman was discovered on Sunday to find important clues to solve her murder. Detectives leading the investigation have revealed that a woman was aged between 15 and 23 and has been lying in the copse off King’s Avenue, Anmer, for up to four months.
University of East Anglia’s forensic science lecturer Dr Stephen Day said that investigators will be wanting to answer four key questions – who was the victim? Where did she die? How did she die? And can she be associated with another crime scene?
Dr Day, who has 30 years of experience in forensic science, said that the body will also hold clues to unlocking some of the mysteries. Clues can be found within soil samples, insects and examination of the body.
Dr Day said: “Science can be very powerful in answering those questions for the police. What it doesn’t do is provide the final answer - that has to be done by good police work. “What it can do is provide evidence which they can test against various scenarios. I would say that advancement in science, particularly in DNA, makes investigation much more effective than it used to be.”
Dr Day says the team could use a DNA sample from the body or finger prints or dental records to try to discover who the victim was. Initially the DNA or finger print would have to match a sample which is already on the national databases. Alternatively police could be asking relations of missing people for a sample to try and provide an identification through familial DNA.
Dr Day said: “It is very reliable. They will be looking at brothers and sisters or even cousins.” Samples of soil or insects could also provide scientists with evidence of where and when the victim was killed.
Dr Day said that the state of decomposition of the body could provide clues on whether the victim had been killed at the site or brought there later. The development of insects would be able to help explain how long the body has been at the site while pollen and soil could pinpoint whether it has been moved from another area.
Police have refused to divulge whether or not the victim had been clothed. But particles of paint, brick dust and glass from clothing could also give evidence of where the victim has been. The final question of how she died could be solved by the body.
As the victim has been on site for up to four months, the body could be fairly decomposed. This could leave the pathologist without soft tissue to show any bruises. Dr Day said: “They would be looking at damage to the bones to see if it was caused by any implement.”
Numerous photographs of the body and its surroundings along with soil samples would have also been taken before it was moved.
University of East Anglia’s forensic science lecturer Dr Stephen Day said that investigators will be wanting to answer four key questions – who was the victim? Where did she die? How did she die? And can she be associated with another crime scene?
Dr Day, who has 30 years of experience in forensic science, said that the body will also hold clues to unlocking some of the mysteries. Clues can be found within soil samples, insects and examination of the body.
Dr Day said: “Science can be very powerful in answering those questions for the police. What it doesn’t do is provide the final answer - that has to be done by good police work. “What it can do is provide evidence which they can test against various scenarios. I would say that advancement in science, particularly in DNA, makes investigation much more effective than it used to be.”
Dr Day says the team could use a DNA sample from the body or finger prints or dental records to try to discover who the victim was. Initially the DNA or finger print would have to match a sample which is already on the national databases. Alternatively police could be asking relations of missing people for a sample to try and provide an identification through familial DNA.
Dr Day said: “It is very reliable. They will be looking at brothers and sisters or even cousins.” Samples of soil or insects could also provide scientists with evidence of where and when the victim was killed.
Dr Day said that the state of decomposition of the body could provide clues on whether the victim had been killed at the site or brought there later. The development of insects would be able to help explain how long the body has been at the site while pollen and soil could pinpoint whether it has been moved from another area.
Police have refused to divulge whether or not the victim had been clothed. But particles of paint, brick dust and glass from clothing could also give evidence of where the victim has been. The final question of how she died could be solved by the body.
As the victim has been on site for up to four months, the body could be fairly decomposed. This could leave the pathologist without soft tissue to show any bruises. Dr Day said: “They would be looking at damage to the bones to see if it was caused by any implement.”
Numerous photographs of the body and its surroundings along with soil samples would have also been taken before it was moved.
