Activity 1.3.3: Was It a Crime?

Introduction:
Anna Garcia was discovered dead in her home. The question is whether her
death was an accident or not. Evidence was collected as well as a few suspects that
were addressed. With the evidence collected from the crime scene a physical
autopsy was done. The information form the autopsy was used to try to get closer
to know the truth behind Anna Garcia's death.
Summary of Findings:
After Annas death a group of suspects were gathered. The group of
suspects were people that were involved with Annas life; ex husbands, neighbors,
and bestfriends. The people were Alex Garcia, Annas former husband, Doug
Greene, Annas neighbor, Erica Piedmont, Alexs new wife, and Lucy Leffingwell,
Annas bestfriend.
Anna Garcia was found in her home laying face down in a pool of her blood.
There was also a puddle of blood on the corner of a table and blood splatters
between the body and table. The people in her life were suppesets and blood
samples were taken. With the blood samples that were taken form both the suspects
and Anna a blood test was done by finding out the type of blood each person had
and comparing it to the type of blood found at the crime scene. The results showed
that the blood at the crime scene was either Alex Garcias or Anna Garcias. An
experiment was conducted to find the height from which the blood splatter dropped
and the results showed it dropped from arouncd 6 centimeters. Another DNA
comparison was done with the DNA from all suspects and Anna that were
compared with the DNA from the crime scene. The comparison was completed
and the evidence came to show that both Anna and the DNA from the crime scene
were in the same pattern and were cut in the same place.
More experiments to eliminate suspects were completed. One of them being
the fingerprints being tested found at the crime. All of the fingerprints were
examined and placed in a ridge pattern category. The fingerprint at the crime scene
was place in the radial loop ridge pattern catrgory and was a match to Alex
Garcias fingerprint.

The shoeprint found at the crime scene was compared to all of the suspects
shoeprints and eneded up matching Annas shoe print. Comparing the patterns on
the bottom of the shoe proved this.
The strand of hair that was found at the crime scene was also tested to
eliminate suspects. The way the piece of hair at the crime scene was compared to
the other suspects by examining the three differnet types of hair: the cuticle, the
cortex, and the medulla. After comparing all parts of the hair fro all of the suspects
to the hair founded at the crime scence shows that the hair belonged to Anna
Garcia.
There was an unknown substance found at the crime scene. Throught test
that required examinging the substance found at the scene and other coomon white
drugs very carfully and using an indicators to see the chemical reaction and using
the evidence found to find the reall substance which turned out to be acetylsalicylic
acid.
Another key part of digging deeper into the case is to determine the time of
death. The time canbe found be finding the rate of the cooling of the body or algor
mortis. Using the ambiebent temperature, the surrounding temperature, and the
temperature of the body when found determined that Anna died around 8:00 am.
Using the evidence from the autopsy report it show that ther was an injury to
the right temple of Annas head the was 2 centimeters in length and 5 milimaters
deep at the center. Also an open wound with pre-mortem brusing. There is also
evidence that she had digns of edema and moderate fluid accumulation. Also
strong evidence of oxygen deprivation and fingernails/toenails that wer found a
blueish grayish color that supports the evidence of oxygen derprevation. There
was also brusing to her right elbow that was 2 centimeters in diameter. The lack of
bleeding suggests that there was a lack of blood flow.

Conclusion:
Through out this unit the mysterious death of Anna Garica has been
examined. Evidence such as acetylsalicylic acid, or better known as aspirin, were
found present and the evidence of oxygen deprivation that caused the fingernails
and toenails to turn a blue tented color, and the major indications of head trama
that had many other effects from it was recorded. All of the evidenced presented
and found up to this point has lead to the belief that her death was because of heart
problems that made her pass out and hit her head while falling that can be ruled as
an accident.