Conclusion 103
From: Forensic Science and Medicine: Criminal Poisoning, Second Edition By: J. H. Trestrail, III © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
103
Chapter 10
Conclusion
“If all those buried in our cemeteries who were poisoned could raise their hands, we would probably be shocked by the numbers!”—John H. Trestrail III
As Sir Arthur Conon Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stated to his partner, Dr.
Watson, “The game is afoot,” so it is with investigators and the criminal poi- soner. As homicide investigators, we must always remember that unless we remain ever vigilant, we will lose the game. Unless the possibility of poison- ing is considered in the first place, the critical evidence of the crime will most likely be buried with the victim, and the poisoner will walk off into the sun- set, with a feeling of superior intellect and smugness.
The prime directive for any criminal investigation is that every death must be considered a homicide until the facts prove otherwise. To this we must now add a new subdirective for the criminal investigation of homicidal poisonings: Every death with no visible signs of trauma must be considered a poisoning until the facts prove otherwise.
The investigative key is to put all the clues together, and where they overlap, one should be able to match the most probable offender. So let us review the basic categories of clues as they relate to poisoning homicides:
• WHO was the victim? Was the victim a specific or random target? Could it be a camouflaged poisoner hiding behind a tampering? Why would anyone want to kill this individual, as determined by their “victimology”? (see Fig. 10-1).
• WHAT was the poisoning weapon? Remember that whether it is a solid, liquid, or gas, they are just atoms and molecules, which carry out their biochemical de- struction in the manner of a “chemical monkey wrench.” Never forget that it is imperative that the poison be proven to have been in the victim’s systemic circu- lation (see Fig. 10-2).
104 Criminal Poisoning
• WHERE did the crime take place? Remember that a poisoning may have mul- tiple crime scenes (procurement, preparation, administration, disposal, and ulti- mately the death scene) (see Fig. 10-3).
• WHEN was the poison administered to the victim? Remember that the time from administration till death is dependent on the concentration and toxicity of the substance. With an acute dose one sees sudden onset. Carry out analyses on blood, urine, and gastric contents (BUG). Look for poisons that have a rapid action (e.g.,
Figure 10-1
Figure 10-2
Conclusion 105
Figure 10-3
Figure 10-4
cyanide, strychnine). With a chronic dose situation, look for prolonged symp- toms. Carry out analyses on the victim’s hair looking for heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, antimony, lead, thallium) (see Fig. 10-4).
106 Criminal Poisoning
• WHY was the victim chosen? Did the victim stand between a goal that was so important to the offender that elimination of this individual led to obtaining the goal? (see Fig. 10-5).
• HOW was the poison administered? Look at the items used routinely and solely by the victim (see Fig. 10-6).
Figure 10-5
Figure 10-6
Conclusion 107
Figure 10-7
The clues provided by the answers to these questions will point to an individual who is a likely offender (see Fig. 10-7). The bottom line is that if investigators do not consider poisoning they will never detect it.
The entire purpose of this important reference work can be summarized in the single graphic representation in Fig. 10-8. The results of our missing
Figure 10-8
108 Criminal Poisoning
Figure 10-9
deaths from poisoning over the years have resulted in a situation which is best depicted by Fig. 10-9. Think about it! And now on the following page, a concluding poetic challenge, from the poisoner to the newly educated
“Toxic Avengers.”
Conclusion 109
“The Poisoner”
by
John H. Trestrail III, RPh, FAACT, DABAT The Borgias, DeMedicis and all those past—
you may have thought you had seen the last.
But, we poisoners are still around today.
And if you miss my crime, I’ll get away.
The body lies there neat and clean, as the cause of death is seldom seen.
And the coroner may take time to pause—
“is this death due to a natural cause?”
An autopsy or tox screen may reveal death’s why, but I hope the case will just slip by.
My crime is quiet and well thought through.
For you’re used to violence—can I fool you?
The event’s rarity is on my side.
For I count on you burying my homicide.
And though I roam free round the nation, I live in fear of an exhumation.
The clues I leave may be hard to find, you see, to me, I have a superior mind.
My weapons are there before your eyes, but they are so very small—of molecular size.
I don’t think you’ll have a notion, for mine is murder in slow motion.
It gives me time to just slip by, and create my perfect alibi.
Where to look for me isn’t clear.
I may be far, or I may be near.
I could be a stranger, though it is quite rare, for I’m probably related to the victim there.
I chose the place, the means, and time, for poisoning is usually a household crime.
The knowledge gained by my living close, made it so very easy to deliver the dose.
Seeing it as poisoning would be profound, but I think you’ll miss it as you look around.
I’m a different kind of killer as you can see.
I am a POISONER—can you catch me?
