Application of forward‐looking infrared (FLIR) imaging from an unmanned aerial platform in the search for decomposing remains

Traditional methods of cadaver detection in outdoor environments include manual ground search, cadaver dogs, and manned aerial reconnaissance during daylight. These methods have limitations; however, a potential low‐cost alternative may be to employ thermal imaging equipment mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to detect heat emitted by insect and bacterial activity on the decomposing remains. No studies have addressed the influence of wrappings on detection of maggot mass thermal signatures nor assessed thermal detection of smaller body fragments. We addressed these knowledge gaps by utilizing a two‐phase experimental approach to explore thermal detection of carcasses using UAV‐mounted infrared imaging. In Phase 1, pig body fragments were deposited on the surface or shallow buried. In Phase 2, whole pig carcasses were deposited in four conditions: on the surface uncovered, wrapped in plastic or carpet, or buried. Our results demonstrated that observable heat emissions from remains corresponded to peak insect activity during active decay and could be readily detected in uncovered whole carcasses and fragments. Although plastic and carpet wrappings partly impeded detection of insect heat signatures, these materials were clearly detectable themselves because of their contrast to the background ground surface. Thermal signatures of buried partial remains and disturbed gravesoil were also observed; however, the buried whole carcass transitioned to adipocere prior to the decay stage and without any insect colonization or heat signature. These data can inform operational implementation of this technique to complement existing search strategies to offer a robust, low‐cost alternative for use where scene characteristics allow.     

3D forensic facial approximation: Implementation protocol in a forensic activity

The primary objective of this paper is to report on the successful implementation of forensic facial approximation in a real case in the forensic context. A three‐dimensional (3D) facial approximation protocol of the skull was performed with free software, applying techniques in a virtual environment that have already been consolidated in the literature. The skull was scanned with the photogrammetry technique, the digital replica was imported in the Blender software (Blender Foundation, Amsterdam) and individualized model sketches of the face were traced with the MakeHuman software (MakeHuman Org) according to the anthropological profile of the victim. The face created was imported in Blender, where it was adapted, modeled, and sculpted on the 3D skull and its soft tissue markers, using an American open‐source application of the technique in the digital environment. The face created in a virtual environment was recognized and legal identification procedures were started, resulting in the more agile delivery of the disappeared body to its next of kin. It is therefore concluded that facial approximation may not be a primary method of human identification, but it can be satisfactorily applied in the forensic field as an individual recognition resource. It has great value in narrowing the search, reducing the number of alleged victims, and leading to identification tests, therefore significantly reducing the number of genetic DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) tests—which are considered costly for the State or Federation—and consequently reducing the waiting time before delivery of the body to its family.     

Research on detection techniques for pattern modifications of playing cards used in illegal gambling operations

We investigated pattern-modified marked cards used in fraudulent gambling cases in Korea. These cards are printed with modifications to some of the repeated marks on the back, revealing the hand on the front and enabling fraudsters to deceive their victims. We proposed a method for identifying the modified part by first enhancing the card's color difference using an image processing technique and then calculating the similarity between the repeated basic patterns with a Siamese network. This method is fast and convenient, as it can determine the deformation with only 1 or 2 cards and can be implemented in mobile applications, allowing law enforcement officers to investigate quickly. The proposed method serves as a useful tool to aid document examiners in making judgments, as it does not require expensive equipment and effectively visualizes the alterations.     

Cue utilization in the product authentication process: a framework and research agenda for product counterfeit prevention

Scholars suggest that consumers rely on heuristics to evaluate products. They employ both extrinsic and intrinsic cues to evaluate product quality and utilize the same cues to differentiate between counterfeit and genuine products. This has far-reaching public health, economic, product authentication, and even criminal justice policy implications due to the emerging ideas of criminalizing the purchase of counterfeit goods. In order to predict the viability and the possible effects of such a policy, a thorough understanding of consumer attitudes toward counterfeits, purchase motivation, and behavior, as well as of their ability to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit goods, is imperative. Building on cue utilization theory, this article develops a framework for understanding how consumers develop and utilize heuristics for product authentication in the context of intellectual property infringements and outlines a research agenda. Additionally, it helps to inform the development of prevention and enforcement efforts, in consumer education and enforcement agent training, as well as a basis for policy decisions.     

The frequency of alcohol,illicit and licit drug consumption in the general driving population in South-East Hungary

In the framework of the DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol, and Medicines) EU-6 project, a roadside survey was performed in South-East Hungary to determine the incidence of alcohol and the most frequent illicit and licit drug consumption (amphetamines, THC, illicit and medical opiates, cocaine, ketamine, benzodiazepines, zopiclone and zolpidem) in the general driving population. All 3110 drivers stopped between 01 January 2008 and 31 December 2009 were checked for alcohol, and among them 2738 persons (87.7%) participated in the further examinations, on a voluntary basis. Licit and illicit drugs were determined from their oral fluid samples by GC–MS analysis.Illicit drugs were detected in 27 cases (0.99%), licit drugs in 85 cases (3.14%), and alcohol (cut off: 0.1 g/l) was found in 4 (0.13%) cases. Illicit drug consumption was the highest among men of the ages 18–34, during the spring, and on the week-end nights. With respect to licit drugs, the highest incidence was found among women over the age of 50, during the summer, and on the week-days. All alcohol positive cases were men over the age of 35. In comparison to international European averages, the alcohol and illicit drug consumption was low, but the licit drug consumption was over the European average.     

Prevalence and blood concentrations of benzodiazepines and opioids in opioid-positive death investigations in Ontario,Canada, from 2017 to 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of benzodiazepines in opioid-positive death investigations, including trends in frequency and combination of drugs, as well as demographic data and blood concentrations, where available. Additionally, naloxone concentrations in polysubstance compared to opioid-only cases were analyzed. This was a retrospective study that consisted of all post-mortem toxicology cases in Ontario, Canada, from January 01, 2017, to December 31, 2021, with an opioid finding in any analyzed autopsy specimen. There were 11,033 death investigations identified. The overall rate of benzodiazepine co-involvement was 54.5%. Males accounted for the majority of cases (71%), and the most affected age group was 30- to 39-year-olds. The most frequently detected opioid was fentanyl and the most frequently detected benzodiazepine was etizolam, which was also the most frequently observed opioid/benzodiazepine combination. Findings related to differences in concentrations of opioids when naloxone was also present were mostly non-significant, except for methadone. The rate of benzodiazepine detection with opioids grew faster than opioid detections overall, potentially due to the increasingly toxic drug supply. Detection of novel psychoactive drugs fluctuated more unpredictably than opioids and benzodiazepines associated with clinical use. These findings can help inform policy decisions by public health agencies in exploring harm reduction efforts, for example, education and drug-checking services.     

Radiographic age estimation based on degenerative changes of vertebrae

Age estimation is an important component of decedent identification. When assessing adult remains, anthropologists frequently use gross examination of skeletal elements, such as clavicles, ribs, and pubic symphyses. For fleshed bodies, this requires the removal of these elements and maceration prior to analysis. A new method was developed using radiographic imaging to estimate age from degenerative changes of the lower thoracic and upper lumbar vertebrae. This technique will complement anthropological age estimation methods in young and middle-aged adults and may serve as a stand-alone method for older individuals. Digital radiographs from 240 medical examiner cases were evaluated. The sample included 120 females and 120 males between the ages of 18 and 101 years. A 3-phased scoring system was used for the target vertebrae. Transition analysis was conducted on binned average scores and a Bayesian approach was used to assign age intervals. At the 90% credible interval, individuals in Bin 1 were under 36 years of age while those in Bin 3 were over 47 years of age. Individuals in Bin 2 showed too much age variation to be informative. No significant differences were found between males and females. These findings will be especially useful in the age estimation of older adults and may eliminate the need for skeletal sampling in medicolegal cases where advanced degenerative changes are radiographically observed in the lower thoracic and/or upper lumbar vertebrae. This method was developed for use on fleshed individuals but may also be applicable to skeletonized remains.     

IoT forensics: Exploiting log records from the DAHUA technology CCTV systems

CCTV surveillance systems are ubiquitous IoT appliances. Their forensic examination has proven critical for investigating crimes. DAHUA Technology is a well-known manufacturer of such products. Despite its global market share, research regarding digital forensics of DAHUA Technology CCTV systems is scarce and currently limited to extracting their video footage, overlooking the potential presence of valuable artifacts within their log records. These pieces of evidence remain unexploited by major commercial forensic software, yet they can hide vital information for an investigation. For instance, these log records document user actions, such as formatting the CCTV system's hard drive or disabling camera recording. This information can assist in attributing nefarious actions to specific users and hence can be invaluable for understanding the sequence of events related to incidents. Therefore, in this paper, several DAHUA Technology CCTV systems are thoroughly analyzed for these unexplored pieces of evidence, and their forensic value is presented.     

Analysis of friction ridge evidence for trace amounts of paracetamol in various pharmaceutical industries by Raman spectroscopy

The detection of potentially harmful substances presents a multifaceted challenge. On one hand, it can directly save lives, on the other, it can significantly aid and enhance police work, thereby increasing the effectiveness of investigations. The research conducted in this study primarily aims to identify paracetamol in fingerprints, considering situations involving direct contact of a person with paracetamol either chronically or in a single dose. The identification procedure presented, utilizing Raman spectroscopy, aims to rapidly detect the xenobiotic following ingestion by an individual, which involves touching the tablet with their fingers—this can be termed as touch evidence in forensic science investigations. Additionally, the authors focus on assessing the impact of additives present in drugs containing paracetamol as the main active ingredient. The screening results obtained will enable us to analyze the composition of drugs in terms of potentially toxic substances, and their influence on the physicochemical activity of the active substance. We successfully identified the paracetamol molecule using a noninvasive forensic trace detection method. Samples in the form of common drugs containing 500 mg of paracetamol were studied. Throughout the study, comprehensive validation of the method was ensured through the utilization of a statistical model, which excluded sensitivity to the presence of other substances, whether additives or from the external environment. The proposed approach to trace the content of substances in fingerprint using Raman scattering analysis provides a useful starting point to enhance current analytical methods not only in forensic science but also in toxicology.     

Phenibut screening and quantification with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and its application to driving cases

An analytical strategy for identification by an LC–MS/MS multitarget screening method and a suitable LC–MS/MS based quantification were developed for the psychotropic drug phenibut. The samples analyzed were collected during traffic control and were associated with driving under the influence of drugs. A positive sample for phenibut was identified in a single case of driving under the influence. The quantification revealed a drug concentration of 1.9 μg/mL. An interaction with blood alcohol (BAC = 0.10%) was discussed as the explanation of the way of driving and deficit manifestations observed (swaying, nystagmus, quivering of the eyelid, and reddened eyes). According to the available information, the quantified phenibut concentration could be explained by an intake of four tablets (self-reported) during the day containing 250 mg of the drug. Chromatography was performed with a Luna 5 μm C18 (2) 100 A, 150 mm × 2 mm analytical column, and a buffer system consisted of 10 mM ammonium acetate and 0.1% acetic acid (v/v) included in mobile phases marked as A (H₂O/methanol = 95/5, v/v) and B (H₂O/methanol = 3/97, v/v). An effective limit of detection (LOD = 0.002 μg/mL) could be achieved for the multitarget screening method. The quantification of phenibut was performed on a second LC–MS/MS system with LOD/LOQ values of 0.22/0.40 μg/mL. Since phenibut quantification data are rare, the presented information can be used with caution for evaluation of positive cases in the future.