Homicide Investigation

Victimology: Homicide Investigation
Name
Institution
Introduction
Homicide investigations are quite challenging and very complex (Carter, 2013). Nevertheless, some agencies have been very successful in executing their homicide investigations. This is only achievable when the investigating officers investigate the case in a competent way; that is known what should be proved and how to prove it (Assi, n. d). Success in investigation mission may have a moral significance to the officers who carry out the investigations because the victim and the society at large rely on them to execute justice. In homicide cases, the suspect’s identity is easily determined or known when the crime is being reported. As such, the major task of the investigators is to review reports, document files, locate and interview victims and many investigations are done without expecting to develop any lead but to satisfy the expectations of the victims (Braga et al, 2011). This essay is aimed at constructing a victimology aimed at establishing information regarding a homicide victim.
A man was found dead and his body damped in a bush. The report was made by a man who was passing on a path in the bush. The investigative offers started the investigative process which comprised of several steps. It was important to start compiling data related to the crime and this started by visiting the crime scene as soonest as possible. To ensure that key data was obtained from the scene of crime, the investigative officers got prepared psychologically in a way that they knew that they were going to determine whether a crime was committed or not, the nature of crime committed and how the crime was committed, as well as who committed it.
On arrival at the crime scene, the officers secured the area and data collection started. Just as it is proposed by Howell (1999) the officers ensured that the scene was protected and nothing at the scene was allowed to be touched or moved not unless when it was absolutely necessary to do so because the victim was dead and the suspects had left the scene of crime. Individuals such as members of the media, politicians, family members, friends as well as police officers not assigned to the case were also excluded from the scene.
The information that was expected to be obtained included; checking the condition of the victim, identify the people who were present at the scene and any other items that were present at the scene and are not expected to be there as well as identifying the items that were missing from the scene and are expected to be there (Carter, 2013). The bush around was combed and this was an indication that the man was killed at that sport. This information helped the officer to infer that the man had struggled to flee himself but was overcome. The officers searched for any form of weapon but none was recovered. The body of the victim of badly mutilated and it had scars on the face, chest and hands. The cloths were intact but there was no document that would have helped in identifying the body. The victim’s phone was also not present at the scene.
The onlookers were also involved in giving data. They were asked to identify the body and luckily, the victim was from that village and some people coul...