Identification of wooden instrument by scanning electron microscopy from splinters left in victim

Case presentation concerns a twelve-year-old boy who was sexually assaulted, beaten, and murdered. A broken wooden broomstick was used in the attack to impale the victim through the rectum. Following the autopsy, splinters from the body were found by light microscopy. Macrodissected splinters were removed from the anus, rectum, and urinary bladder of the victim and examined by scanning electron microscopy. The splinters were identified as the same type of wood as the broomstick.     

Dr. Walter McCrone's contributions to microscopy workshops and the certification of criminalists

Walter McCrone was not only a remarkable forensic microscopist, but also a skilled grants man and devoted scientific professional. This article briefly recounts his activities in the 1970s and 80s where he played a major role in securing grant funds to sponsor microscopy training around the country, and in using his considerable professional influence to advance the cause of certification.