Modus Operandi Page 12

  4. The distant wound occurs when the muzzle of the gun is more than fifteen to eighteen inches from the victim and no injury other than the bullet passing through the skin is apparent.

  When investigating gunshot wounds, the official will take into consideration the size or caliber of the weapon. Basically, the smaller the weapon, the closer the weapon needs to be for powder tattooing. When examining the body, the official will also look for the direction or path of the bullet. This is determined through a number of observations and can give clues to the type of killing. For instance, a person usually does not commit suicide by holding a gun to the back of his own head.

  The entrance wound is where the bullet enters and is identified by powder tattooing, if the weapon is close enough, and/or the abrasion wound, which happens when the bullet passes through the skin. The rotating action of the bullet causes the skin around it to abrade where the bullet enters. This abrasion appears as a reddish mark around the hole itself. Entrance wounds are usually small, the size of the projectile including the abrasive ring.

  Exit wounds, no matter the distance from which the weapon is fired, are larger, more irregular and usually do not have the abrasion ring.

  Experts use the aforementioned characteristics to determine the path of the bullet and the distance of the weapon from the victim. This is extremely helpful in verifying the suspect's account of what happened.

  When dealing with homicides that occur indoors, it is important to remember that, whether it be a domestic dispute or a sexual sadist, most of the bullets will hit the mark. This is mainly because of the close proximity of the weapon to the victim.

  Things to Remember

  Most criminals are apprehended because they don't realize the clues they leave behind. This is especially true of homicides. Even the most carefully laid plan can result in an arrest. Here are a few ways the manner of death can lead to an arrest.

  Strangulation. Here's an example of killing someone for greed, an important motivation. One scenario is the business partnership where one partner wants to buy out the other partner and is unsuccessful. The business contract indicates that upon death, the surviving associate will maintain controlling interest. Our greedy partner decides that he will kill his partner to obtain control.

  He has decided that the best way is to have the victim appear to hang himself and sets his plan into action. He will speak with employees and other associates about how he feels that his partner is down in the dumps lately to plant the idea of suicide among co-workers.

  After work one night he uses the associate's personal typewriter to type a heart-felt suicide note and then signs the note by tracing the signature. The day of the killing, he will ask the victim to stay a little later to go over some business details. When the office is empty, the killer will make his way behind the victim and using a piece of clothesline, which he retrieved from his garage earlier that day, strangle the victim.

  Now, you are all thinking that the victim sees the rope and starts to fight back. What we must remember here is that the victim has no idea of what is happening. He feels entirely comfortable with his partner. The killer has no need to wear gloves because his fingerprints would normally be found throughout the office. Once the victim has succumbed to the attack, the clothesline is removed and the victim is moved to a coat rack and the clothesline is replaced with the victim's telephone cord. The rope is taken from the scene by the assailant and prior to leaving, the suicide note is placed in an obvious location on the victim's desk.

  The next day the killer will be late for work so that someone else finds the body. Now, remember, he told coworkers and friends of his partner's depression and placed the suicide note in an obvious location. The police respond and observe the suicide note and the lack of any signs of struggle in the office. There's only one problem, our killer left a handful of clues. The victim's secretary knows that the victim worked late with his partner. The victim's wife is aware of the attempted takeover of the company. The victim's body shows the rope imprint. Through handwriting analysis, it is determined that the signature was indeed forged by tracing.

  Accidents That Aren't. A husband returns home and finds his wife lying face down in a water-filled bathtub. Apparently, a slip and fall resulted in accidental drowning. The police arrive and examine the scene and observe no signs of foul play in the residence especially in the bathroom area. The scene is documented and the victim removed.

  The next day, an autopsy is performed, and the victim's body is carefully examined. Close examination of the victim's neck reveal injuries from abrasions and lacerations. These injuries were not visible until the victim's body was thoroughly dry.

  The lacerations are from the fingernails of the killer as he strangled her and the victim's own fingernails as she attempted to free herself. The other abrasions are from the killer's hands squeezing the life from her. During the autopsy, we found that the tissue on her neck contained hemorrhages. The victim's larynx was fractured and we found an additional fracture in the thyroid and the cricoid cartilages. The hyoid bone was also fractured, indicating signs of strangulation.

  When examining the injury to the head, which at first appeared to be from slipping on the slick surface of the tub, an autopsy revealed quite a different scenario. The injury was to the top of the victim's head. The hemorrhages were linear and caused by an impact with a hard rounded object consistent with a small piece of metal pipe found in the garage. Upon examination in the laboratory, the pipe showed blood stains.

  Decomposition. Decomposing victims can help an investigation in some ways and severely hinder it in others. The rate of decomposition helps detectives determine the time of death. The medical examiner must take into consideration the temperature and condition of the body. If the victim is placed in a refrigerated box, the rate of decomposition will be quite slow. Think of it as chicken stored in your refrigerator versus chicken stored in the freezer. Which will last longer?

  Another factor in decomposing is the effects that animal and insects have. Animals eat the flesh, which increases the decomposing.

  When examining a severely decomposed body, it is hard to determine any soft tissue damage caused by sharp or blunt objects. The skeleton will show broken bones and bones that were cut by stab wounds. Animal activity and gravity will separate bullets from the victim over time. Careful excavation is necessary when dealing with decomposed bodies and skeletons.

  Mutilation. In passion killings, the injury to the victim is done out of rage and will continue until the weapon is spent or the rage subsides. Psychotic mutilations can be surgically precise and sexual in nature, e.g., the removal of the nipples. In sadistic killings, mutilation will be to terrorize and cause pain by slashing the victim with a knife or assaulting the victim with fist or other implements like metal pipes.

  In sexually sadistic killings, ropes or cords will be used and placed around the breasts, neck and hands, not only to secure the victim but also for the sexual pleasure of the perpetrator. Elaborate, erotic gags and blindfolds may also be used.

  Suicide or Homicide

  Let's see how good all you supersleuths really are! Or, are you reading the last chapter first? What we are going to do now is give you a real-life scenario so that all you Dick Tracy's out there can solve the crime.

  Suzy Sweetheart is an attractive woman in her late thirties. Suzy has dated frequently, but never married. It has been said that Suzy dresses a little bit too sexy for her own good. Suzy lives in an apartment building a few blocks from her job.

  A co-worker becomes alarmed at the fact that Suzy, who has never taken a sick day, has not reported to work and failed to call in. She contacts the police and reports her fear. The police dispatch a patrol car to Suzy's apartment.

  The patrol officer knocks on Suzy's door and receives no response. The officer then knocks at the next apartment and is informed by the neighbor that Suzy was last seen returning from work the previous evening. The officer then attempts to locate Suzy by again knoc
king on her door. The officer, upon receiving no response, turns the door knob and finds it to be locked.

  The officer summons the superintendent and requests that the door be opened. Once the door is opened, the officer locates the victim on the floor of her bedroom, bound with rope. At this time, the officer secures the scene and summons the Major Crime and Forensic Units. The Forensic Unit responds and after properly documenting the scene, a cursory examination is conducted.

  The victim is lying on her bedroom floor at the foot of the bed. She is face down and completely naked. Her legs are bent at the knee and her feet are resting against her buttocks. Both feet are secured with rope and another rope connects them to a loop of rope around her neck. Also around her neck, under the rope is a very expensive silk scarf. The victim's hands are bound loosely behind her back just above her buttocks. Under the victim's body is a sheet from the bed, which appears to have been placed there in an attempt to cover or carry the victim from the scene.

  Nothing else is out of place and no signs of a struggle are observed. The only other item is that a patio door leading from her bedroom is unlocked and slightly ajar.

  The Major Crime detectives canvasing the area have located two neighbors, one living across the hall and one in the apartment next to the victim, who report that in the past they have overheard the victim arguing violently with her boyfriend. Upon interviewing the boyfriend, he admits to having had arguments with the victim, but states that he never hit her and the last time he spoke with her was over the phone at her job the day before she was found.

  The victim's cause of death was determined at the autopsy to be asphyxiation. No other injuries were observed on any location of the victim's body. Livor Mortis is consistent with the position of the body after death. No signs of sexual assault were found. OK, now, go bring the suspect in for processing. So, what do you think? Definitely a homicide, probably by the boyfriend? Well, if you want to find out, you have to purchase our next book!

  Kidnapping occurs when a person removes or unlawfully confines another person for the purpose of a shield, hostage, reward or ransom. Kidnapping is one of the most terrifying and cruel crimes that can be committed against another human being. In our opinion, kidnapping has more impact than homicide because of the uncertainty of the victim's whereabouts, condition and the likelihood of being reunited with the victim. It is difficult for the family to move on while these uncertainties weigh upon them.

  Gang Kidnappings

  Organized Crime

  Organized crime has used kidnapping throughout the years to gain control over rival gangs and government offi-

  cials. Key personnel or their family members are kidnapped and used as negotiating pawns.

  Their goal is to complete the kidnapping with little or no outside interference. The kidnap target will be followed by one or perhaps two vehicles. When the kidnappers believe it is safe, they block the target's vehicle to prevent escape. Once the victim's vehicle is stopped, he is forcibly transferred to the kidnapper's vehicle.

  The victim is then secured with handcuffs or other binding. If the victim is struggling, his feet will be secured too. Sometimes mace or another chemical agent is sprayed in his face to debilitate him. Eventually, the victim will be blindfolded and gagged with a piece of cloth or duct tape. His eyes will be covered with duct tape, cloth or perhaps a hood.

  The kidnapper's vehicle is usually stolen to prevent any chance of tracing the vehicle. Following successful completion of the kidnapping, the vehicle may be set ablaze to conceal any evidence that may have been left in it. In some cases, the kidnappers will use their own vehicles. But, if they feel that they were observed during the kidnapping, they will drive the vehicle to a remote location and report it stolen. The victim is driven to a safehouse, maybe the basement of a gang member's house, where chances of being discovered are minimal.

  Money is only one type of ransom. In organized crime kidnappings, the ransom is often control over a situation such as not giving testimony, signing over property or control of a business, and agreeing to do their bidding, which may include buying or shipping products from the kidnappers. If the demands are met, the victim will be returned to his family. If not, there is a good possibility that he will end up dead.

  Ransom demands could be made through a number of different routes. It could be as simple as using a pay phone to call a newspaper or the victim's family and make the demands. When using a pay phone, it is a good idea to use a different phone each time a call is made to prevent a trace and subsequent surveillance of the area. Other methods of delivering demands are by U.S. mail using hand-written letters from the victim or the notorious letters made of words cut from newspapers or magazines. In some circumstances, a typewriter may be used for the letter.

  Asian Gangs

  Asian gangs perform their kidnappings in a very flamboyant way because their main purpose is to terrorize their victims. A common scenario: The gang enters a restaurant where the victim's family is having dinner, and at gun point removes the victim from the premises. Or, they kidnap a family member at home as he arrives from work. Family members are often assaulted and, if enough resistance is given, a family member may even be shot. The victim will be bound and gagged with rope, duct tape or handcuffs, placed into the rear of a van or the trunk of a vehicle and transported to an apartment or warehouse.

  The ransom demands will be given at the scene and little or no communication will occur between the kidnappers and the victim's family. Once the demands are met, the victim may or may not be released to his family. Ransom will most likely be for control over a business, for protection money, money laundering or to silence a witness.

  Another method may be to have a family member who is still living in their country of origin receive threats of death or incarceration if the family members in the United States do not cooperate.

  Drug Lords

  Leaders of narcotic trafficking gangs find kidnapping a useful tool in conducting business. They target judges to throw a monkeywrench into prosecution efforts or political leaders to suppress additional laws against narcotic trafficking. Narcotic traffickers usually do not seek money because they make substantial money from their narcotics trafficking. When a government official refuses a bribe, the drug lords attempt to gain control over them by kidnapping. When all efforts fail, they are generally murdered.

  Drug lords differ from other organized crime leaders because they have extraordinary power over their communi-

  ties. This power comes from supplying employment and other basic needs for their communities especially in developing countries. These needs can include education, medical care, housing and transportation. This power not only protects the drug lords, but assists them in hiding their victims.

  The drug lord will assign members of his organization to kidnap a victim at his residence. The victim could be a family member or the official himself. Once in control of the victim, the demands will be given to him and he will be released. The victim knows that the drug lords mean business, and since they kidnapped him once, they can easily do it again.

  Ransom Seekers

  The ransom seeker chooses his target for the express purpose of making money. Surveillance is conducted and a plan is formulated, including methods of restraint and transportation, time and location of the kidnapping. The time and location are picked to minimize the possibility of outside interference. A location, which has no connection to the kidnappers, is picked to house the victim. The kidnappers use disguises or masks to cover their faces, wear gloves, and travel in stolen vehicles.

  Once the kidnapping is performed, the victim will remain at one location, and the kidnappers make their ransom demands either through the mail or at various pay telephones. If it is through the mail, the correspondence may be cut and pasted, typewritten or handwritten. Delivery instructions are given once the kidnappers know the victim's family will pay the ransom. No matter how much pre-planning was involved, someone physically has to pick up the mon
ey and return to a location, making apprehension almost certain. Kidnappers, in an attempt to elude apprehension, will demand that the pick-up man return safely before the victim is released. The pick-up man will not return to where the victim is located, but instead will travel to a location where he feels that no one has followed him.

  In some cases, victims, instead of being returned to their families, are found dead. This is because of an unexpected event like a medical condition or an escape attempt which fatally injures the victim. From time to time poor directions to the victim's location cause a delay in finding him, and the victim dies from exposure or the binding the kidnapper used to restrain him.

  Once a person is kidnapped and the ransom demand is made, a charge of extortion can also be levied against the kidnapper. Extortion is the threat of harm for the purpose of obtaining property (in this case, a person's money).

  Cults

  Fanatic religious cults kidnap by seeking out potential members. These victims come from all walks of life, but they all have a desire to belong. Cult members slowly seduce their victims with promises of happiness and spiritual fulfillment. This procedure is time-consuming and is carried out over an extended period of time. Eventually, victims are asked to attend a series of lectures or meetings where the brainwashing begins. These meetings are choreographed in such away that the leader appears to be a deity, apostle or disciple of God. Cult members appear affectionate during these meetings, but behave so the victim feels intimidation and a need to participate. This is usually done by telling the victim of all the good and miracles performed by the spiritual leader.

  The brainwashing usually starts off with an overload of information designed to cause confusion and a belief that friends and family are outsiders and are attempting to, in some way, harm or prevent the spiritual transformation the victim is seeking. This is often performed by sleep deprivation. Upon entering a cult, meetings and worship will continue for days. The cultists will not actually say that you cannot sleep, but they will tell the victim that to achieve enlightenment, he must continue to worship no matter how tired he feels. Depriving the victim of water, food and bathroom facilities re-enforces the brainwashing. The cultists do this by explaining that the ability to control one's basic needs is the first step to controlling one's thoughts.