Dr. Maggot and Mr. Worm: Application of Entomological Evidence to Criminal Investigations

Professor Lee Goff
Chaminade University of Honolulu

Date: Thursday, May 25, 2006
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Place: Engineering II, Room 3361

ABSTRACT

Forensic entomology is the field where the study of the biologies of insects and related arthropods collides with the legal system. The field has generally been subdivided into three somewhat distinct subdisciplines: Urban Entomology, Structural Entomology and Medicolegal Entomology. This presentation will center on the area of Medicolegal Entomology of the use of insects in the analyses of criminal events. The most common applications are to the investigations of murders. In any homicide investigation, determination of the time since death or postmortem interval is an essential first step. In cases where the postmortem interval is greater than 24 hours, analyses of insect activity on the decomposing body frequently becomes the most reliable technique. While estimation of the postmortem interval is the most commonly encountered application of entomological techniques, insects can also provide valuable data concerning other aspects of the crime. For example, insects may demonstrate that the body has been moved following death, provide information concerning timing of wounds present on a body, allow a suspect to be tied to a victim or crime scene, and provide alternate specimens for toxicological analyses or suspect DNA materials. In some instances, these techniques can be applied to living individuals, as in cases of child or elder abuse and neglect. Techniques involved in these types of analyses will be illustrated using actual cases from Hawaii and other parts of the world.