When a death is investigated as a homicide the investigation is overwhelming, frustrating and confusing for loved ones. Of course, we want answers immediately.
CSI Effect
Television would have all of us believe that DNA results take hours; a muddy tire imprint can identify any vehicle; all fingerprints are in some grand, international database; and detailed information is a few keystrokes away.
Netflix writers show a small team of familiar characters performing interchangeable job functions. Detectives analyze carpet evidence, coroners perform autopsies, and lab techs conduct interrogations.
It teaches us a lot of bunk.
The term for this chicanery is the “CSI effect.” It influences survivors, their supporters, and jurists. We may need to remind ourselves that it’s critical to avoid basing our understanding of the investigation on dramatizations. They are for entertainment. Not education.
The Investigation: What to Know
Step Aside
Law enforcement investigates homicides and suicides. They will treat suicides as homicides until an investigation says otherwise. They do not carry out forensic evaluations on evidence nor perform autopsies. They are often present during autopsies to document evidence and will likely testify in court.
The investigation is a fluid situation new to everyone. No two are alike. For us, it’s a major upheaval of monstrous proportions that divides our lives in two. The detectives don’t know us, the deceased, or our situation. We don’t know them or their forensic investigators. As harsh as it sounds, the investigators’ primary duty is to the deceased and the government, not us. We cannot look to them (or the justice system) to heal us. That’s not their purpose.
We wait on the sidelines while investigators work backward to re-create the deadly events. We have no influence over the investigation or who’s involved. It is unwise to try.
Investigators share our goal of determining what happened to hold the guilty responsible. To this end, we can cooperate until there’s a reason not to, and remain involved for the long haul.
Confidential Information
Because confidential information can end up on social or traditional media and jeopardize the investigation or legal proceedings, investigators seldom share much information with us. As difficult as this is, it’s in everyone’s best interests.
In the rare instance where an investigator shares privileged information, we must trust no one in our social group with it—not our best friend, clergy, in-laws, or dog. No one! We also need to respect the obligation of others to do the same. We mustn’t press detectives for confidential information during an open investigation.
We Will Be Considered a Suspect
Since 18%–21% of homicides occur between family members, we will be viewed as suspects. It’s law enforcement’s job to rule out the innocent. (If we or a family member are wrongly accused of the death, see the post from August 16, 2023, or Chapter 9 in my book, What Now?)
Case Loads
Investigators often work on several cases at once, especially in large cities. Their time is stretched, their attention is divided. If we badger them, we’ll become an annoyance. How will that help? Our best course of action is to remain open-minded, cooperative, and patient. In time, we’ll know the details. This does not mean to refrain from contacting law enforcement with an urgent question, or to hesitate to offer new information. It means we should recognize this mammoth event in our lives is but a normal work day for them. On the other hand, they should agree to provide us with an annual update on a cold case, especially if they have a dedicated cold case unit (most do not).
Priority Treatment
Large departments with more homicides prioritize cases by the likelihood of being solved. Top-priority homicides are referred to as “hot cases.” These are the homicides with solid evidence, solid suspects and a solid motive.
I spoke to the detectives quite a bit. They didn’t give me much information because they were trying to build a case. They did confirm it looked like a homicide of my grandson. They were waiting on the autopsy. When it came, they got warrants. Brittany and her boyfriend, Christopher’s, parents, were arrested in Washington State and extradited to Utah.
—Chris Bell
Typical Steps in a Homicide Investigation
Every death investigation is unique, but each tends to adhere to a general structure. Usually, investigators will start by sealing off the death scene and tracking down witnesses and CCTV footage. Evidence is measured, labeled, cataloged, and photographed or videotaped from many angles. Forensic specialists contribute as needed. An analytical chemistry scientist evaluates water, pills, plastic, and food; a computer forensic investigator studies computers, tablets, or phone data. Some evidence is further analyzed in the lab.
But errors can happen, especially in small departments with few murders and inexperienced investigators. There are occasions when the death scene is not sealed off properly. This happened during the Sandy Hook mass homicide tragedy. Evidence was compromised by people walking through it – people outside of law enforcement who had no business walking the halls. I had a guest on Domino Effect of Murder who reported that the chief suspect’s cell phone was placed on top of the squad car, slid off, and was run over before it was tagged into evidence. Some departments have shortcomings when it comes to cataloging evidence. They have no written policy for how long it must be retained or any formal electronic way of managing what they collect. So evidence can get lost or tossed. Other times the issue is with the backlogged crime lab. This is such a problem in some high-crime districts that empty jail cells have been used to store rape kits and other information awaiting analysis.
Detectives differ in their skills, strengths, approaches, and experience—just like any worker. Some are more socially adept, but all must remain emotionally detached to do their job, just like an emergency room doctor. Physicians can’t be spending valuable time calming us and answering questions while our loved one needs immediate medical attention. The same goes for detectives and the investigation.
Here is what Detective Cloyd Steiger had to say about his work in the Seattle P.D.
I met every victim’s family—everyone. We had victims’ advocates for the family, but I always made myself available. I’ve looked into the eyes of a mother whose child was murdered or the eyes of a mother whose child is missing.
We want to solve the case as much as they want it solved. This whole bit of, “They’re not working on my son’s case ’cause he was a gangbanger . . .” I used to say, “If I only worked on victims’ cases who didn’t have problems, I’d have nothing to do.” Everybody has a history, a background. But I always remembered that every gang banger has a mother that loves them. It’s rewarding when you get to call the family and say, “We got him. We got the son of a bitch who did this.”
I had empathy for every victim and their family, but I also had an all-business work mode. If I got upset over every death, I’m not doing that victim or his family any good. I must be emotionally detached. My job is to solve the crime. I’ve seen a lot of murdered people in 22 years. You can be sincerely, and deeply empathetic, but to do my job, there must be that emotional detachment.
—Cloyd Steiger, Senior Homicide Detective, Seattle Police Department (ret.)
The body of our loved one is always considered the primary piece of evidence. No one outside the investigation can touch it—including us. It cannot be moved without the medical examiner’s authorization.
It’s common for the lab to analyze DNA, fibers, fingerprints, weapons, shell casings, and related items, like rocks and cigarette butts. Useful DNA is entered into CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), which is a database of known offenders, to look for a possible match.
Five Motives for Murder
Most murders are motivated by jealousy, hatred, greed, love (mercy killing), thrill-seeking, or some combination.
Detectives question witnesses, sometimes more than once. They probe the victim’s background and consider motives as they learn more. Why might someone have wanted them dead? Did they have gambling debts? A history of violence? What was the victim’s medical, social, and legal history? Who spoke to them last? What will phone or computer records show? Can witnesses or CCTV footage be found? What did the medical examiner’s report say? Is this a suicide rather than a homicide or a homicide disguised to look like a suicide? This part of the investigation can uncover details our loved ones kept hidden. (This was a major factor in the murder of my husband. A truckload of ugly facts were uncovered and released to me and the press).
The Medical Examiner’s Role
Once the crime scene is released, our loved one is taken to the medical examiner’s building for examination. All suspicious or violent deaths are treated as homicides until proven otherwise (Whidden, 2017).
The medical examiner conducts tests and takes photographs. An autopsy may or may not be performed.
As mentioned, the primary duty of the medical examiner is to decide the “cause and manner” of death. The cause is the specific injury that led to the death (like drowning), while the manner of death is listed as natural, accidental, homicide, suicide, or undetermined. An undetermined manner of death often leads to cold-case status until new evidence justifies reopening the case. It’s a special kind of hell for waiting families. This is what happened in the murders of Todd Boczkkowski’s mother and stepmother. Their murders were “undetermined” until the two cases were eventually put side-by-side and his father arrested. (See podcast interview from January 5, 2022.)
Once the medical examiner has finished, the body is released in days or weeks. The medical examiner’s office will contact the next of kin or funeral director, who then arranges the transportation of the body to a funeral home, crematorium, or occasionally to the family.
It’s beneficial to obtain a copy of the medical examiner report, even if you don’t want to read it right away—or ever. It’s better to have it and not need it than the reverse. Once you’ve requested a copy, it can take two to four months to receive it. Unless you have a background in medicine or forensics, I strongly recomend that you read it with a medical professional when that day comes.
Time
The investigation takes time also. There are a lot of moving parts we aren’t privy to.
In his diary, For the Love of Family, father Kevin McCall wrote the following,
January 2, 2012: Happy New Year. Whatever… It’s been three years and still no arrest for Ryan’s murder. I couldn’t wait to get the holidays behind us. I’ve already started taking the decorations down. Everything will be put away before the end of today. We’re just going through the motions anyway.
May 24, 2012: The sun will be up soon. I watch the sunrise and the boats on the water from a bench by the bay. The water is flat. So is my heart. Yesterday Joanne and I had a great day. She smiled and looked so beautiful. It’s been 33 years and I love her more than I did on our first day as husband and wife. It makes me happy to see her smile. It does not happen often.
Detective Sal called. Our key suspect confessed to everything but the murder. He admitted to going through Ryan’s wallet.
June 2, 2012: The state attorney sat us down. We went over the case. There was a lot of information. This is a death-penalty case. A grand jury will convene within ten days. Then the legal stuff will start. We will probably not go to trial for two years. But an arrest has been made.
The road is long and lonely as a homicide survivor. The more time that passes the less support we get from friends and neighbors. Perhaps they get compassion fatigue. Perhaps their own lives just eclipse what is going on in ours. But homicide survivors need patience, realistic expectations, the support of other homicide survivors, basic knowledge of the criminal justice system and, oh…. did I mention patience?
Canty, J. (2020). What Now? Navigating the Aftermath of Homicide and Suicide.
McCall, K. (2019). For the love of family. Newman Springs.
Whidden, N. (2017, July 16). Investigators use many methods to tell difference between homicide and suicide. The Daily News.
