Deck 8: Death Investigations

Question 1

The first priority in a preliminary homicide investigation is to:

A)render aid to the victim.
B)keep the media away from the area.
C)identify the suspect.
D)assess the safety of the scene.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Murder is classified as:

A)excusable homicide.
B)nonfelonious homicide.
C)criminal homicide.
D)justifiable homicide.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Rigor mortis is defined as:

A)desiccation.
B)stiffness of death.
C)adipocere.
D)loss of lividity.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

If death is caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, lividity is:

A)white.
B)dark blue or purple.
C)absent.
D)cherry red or strong pink.

Question 5

Premeditation would be a requirement in which case?

A)first-degree murder
B)second-degree murder
C)excusable homicide
D)justifiable homicide

Question 6

The postmortem cooling process of the body is called:

A)adipocere.
B)lividity.
C)rigor mortis.
D)algor mortis.

Question 7

A study of 800 homicide cases found that investigators are more likely to clear a homicide if:

A)there is at least one witness to the crime.
B)they arrive at the scene within 30 minutes of being notified.
C)the incident is reported within 30 minutes to a 911 dispatcher.
D)at least one witness attended the postmortem examination.

Question 8

Which of the following factors can assist in establishing time of death?

A)victim's clothing
B)presence of weapons
C)rigor mortis
D)hair color

Question 9

Noncriminal homicide includes:

A)justifiable homicide.
B)suicide.
C)voluntary manslaughter.
D)involuntary manslaughter.

Question 10

Premeditation is a requirement in which type of crime?

A)first-degree murder
B)second-degree murder
C)third-degree murder
D)manslaughter

Question 11

Deaths are classified by type as:

A)natural, accidental, suicide, homicide (noncriminal and criminal), and undetermined.
B)natural, accidental, suicide, and murder.
C)accidental, suicide, murder, and voluntary.
D)either by accident or by the hands of another.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true with regard to death investigations?

A)Body temperature drops 5 to10 degrees in the first hour after death.
B)Rigor mortis appears first in the smaller muscles, such as those of the face.
C)After about 24 hours, rigor mortis usually disappears in the same sequence as it appeared.
D)Maximum lividity occurs within 15 to 20 hours after death.

Question 13

A dead body that sinks in water usually remains immersed for:

A)five to seven days in warm water and three to four weeks in cold water.
B)8 to 10 days in warm water and 2 to 3 weeks in cold water.
C)two to three weeks in warm water and five to six weeks in cold water.
D)4 to 5 hours in warm water and 12 to 14 hours in cold water.

Question 14

Staging refers to:

A)the positioning of the victim's body.
B)the manipulation of the scene around the victim's body.
C)both the positioning of the victim's body and the manipulation of the scene around the victim's body.
D)neither the positioning of the victim's body nor the manipulation of the scene around the victim's body.

Question 15

A common indicator of suicide using a knife is:

A)no weapon present.
B)defensive wounds.
C)wounds made through clothing.
D)hesitation wounds.

Question 16

What may occur if a body is exposed to an extremely hot and dry climate?

A)decomposition
B)disarticulation
C)mummification
D)skeletonization within 24 hours

Question 17

The criminal or noncriminal, felonious or nonfelonious taking of life by another human or by an agency, such as a government, is called:

A)murder.
B)homicide.
C)manslaughter.
D)crime against nature.

Question 18

Rigor mortis is at its maximum at about hours after death.

A)six to eight
B)eight to nine
C)12 to 24
D)36 to 48

Question 19

It can be assumed that a victim has died on land if:

A)the victim's eyes glisten when the body is brought out of the water.
B)diatoms are found on the body.
C)part of the victim's eye looks dry when the body is brought out of the water.
D)the body is curled in a semi-fetal position.

Question 20

Most medical examinations of a deceased person are conducted primarily to:

A)prepare the body for burial.
B)determine the deceased's identity.
C)determine the time and cause of death.
D)satisfy the state's legal requirement.

Question 21

Examples of involuntary manslaughter include handling a firearm negligently; leaving poison where children may take it; and operating an automobile, boat, or aircraft in a criminally negligent manner.

Question 22

The study of poisons can determine the type of poison, the amount ingested, the approximate time ingested, and the effect on the body.This field is referred to as:

A)toxicology.
B)odontology.
C)homeopathy.
D)entomology.

Question 23

A person who is addicted to or uses crack cocaine regularly may have what is called a "crack finger."

Question 24

Lack of a note generally precludes the possibility of suicide.

Question 25

Equivocal death investigations are those inquiries that are open to interpretation as to the cause of death.

Question 26

Shotgun wounds produce than single bullets.

A)smaller exit wounds
B)smaller entry wounds
C)both smaller exit and smaller entry wounds
D)neither smaller exit nor smaller entry wounds

Question 27

Which of the below are the most common methods of homicidal poisoning?

A)arsenic and cyanide
B)strychnine and anthrax
C)cyanide and strychnine
D)anthrax and cyanide

Question 28

All murders are homicides.

Question 29

In assessing victim-offender relationships (VOR), violence that is goal-directed predatory behavior used to exert control-such as a carjacker who shoots his victim before stealing the vehicle-is referred as what type of violence?

A)expressive violence
B)instrumental violence
C)constructive violence
D)cognitive violence

Question 30

Most cases of hanging are:

A)homicides.
B)accidents.
C)suicides.
D)accidental homicides.

Question 31

More officers lose their lives to suicide than homicide.

Question 32

Two of the more difficult kinds of cases for a criminal investigator to handle are those related to missing persons and those involving unidentified human remains.

Question 33

The type of "lust murderer" who is usually of above-average intelligence, methodical and cunning, and socially skilled, and who tricks victims into situations in which he can torture and then murder them, is called a(n):

A)serial killer.
B)organized offender.
C)disorganized offender.
D)mass murderer.

Question 34

In Flippo v.West Virginia, the Supreme Court determined that there is a general "murder scene exception" to the search warrant requirements of the Fourth Amendment.

Question 35

The key element distinguishing manslaughter from murder is premeditation.

Question 36

A weapon found to be tightly clutched by a victim at death is a sign of what type of indicator?

A)suicide
B)homicide
C)manslaughter
D)noncriminal homicide

Question 37

First-degree murder requires premeditation and the intent to cause death.

Question 38

More Americans die by suicide than homicide.

Question 39

Researchers have identified more than 100 biological compounds called volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) found in the human body that are linked to decomposition in buried bodies.

Question 40

What type of murder usually includes the killing of three or more separate victims with a "cooling off" period between the killings?

A)mass murder
B)spree murder
C)serial murder
D)disorganized killing

Question 41

Killing an individual as part of a legally ordered execution is considered homicide.

Question 42

It is common procedure to exhume a body for medical examination.

Question 43

After 9/11, _______________analysis is the preferred method of identification of human remains from mass disasters.

Question 44

Criminal involves creating a situation that results in an unreasonable risk of death or great bodily harm.

Question 45

A key difference between first- and second-degree murder is the element of _______________.

Question 46

Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Andrew Cunanan were well-known _______________ murderers.

Question 47

"Heat of passion" is the alternative to premeditation and assumes an act was committed when the suspect suddenly became extremely emotional.It is commonly referred to as _______________ rather than murder.

Question 48

Insects can offer valuable clues as to the time a body was left or buried.

Question 49

Unfortunately, the U.S.Justice Department does not have a national program to help law enforcement agencies, medical examiners, and others identify missing persons who have been murdered or have died of other causes.

Question 50

The cornea clouds more rapidly if the eyes remain closed after death.

Question 51

Postmortem lividity, also referred to as _______________, is a dark blue or purple discoloration that can be seen on a dead body.

Question 52

A serial murder is a sex-related homicide involving a sadistic, deviant assault.

Question 53

Profiles of serial killers show they are usually insane and simply do not care.

Question 54

Investigators are more likely to clear a homicide if they arrive within 30 minutes of being notified.

Question 55

A forensic _______________ can examine various types of insects to assist in estimating the time of death.

Question 56

In _______________ asphyxiation, sexual gratification is sought by placing a rope around the neck and causing just enough restriction to result in semiconsciousness.

Question 57

_______________ is the killing of one person by another.

Question 58

Unlike workplace violence, school violence usually occurs without warning.

Question 59

In general, decomposition is increased by lower temperatures and decreased by higher temperatures.

Question 60

Violence that stems from hurt feelings, anger, or rage is called _______________ violence.

Question 61

Describe some of the signs of death that officers can use to determine if a victim is dead when they arrive at the scene.

Question 62

What are some examples of an equivocal death situation?

Question 63

Discuss the importance of the case of Flippo v.West Virginia (1999), and how it relates to searches at homicide scenes.

Question 64

How is investigating a murder committed by a serial killer different from investigating any other type of homicide?

Question 65

Compare the different indicators in gunshot wounds in an apparent suicide versus a homicide.

Question 66

Describe the difference between expressive violence and instrumental violence.

Question 67

Compare the key difference between murder and involuntary manslaughter or criminal negligence.What are two key elements that are missing from the latter two items?

Question 68

Discuss the difference between defense wounds and hesitation wounds.

Question 69

What were the lessons learned by the Miami-Dade homicide unit in their investigation of the "Moonberry Pond
Murder"?

Question 70

How can police departments address homicide proactively?

Question 71

Describe autoerotic asphyxiation.

Question 72

What are some factors that can help in determining time of death?

Question 73

What similarities exist regarding the killer in both school and workplace mass murders?

Question 74

Explain the purpose of the medical examiner's office and what types of deaths must be investigated.

Question 75

Why do you think the police have such a high suicide rate within their profession?