Camryn Mata

Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Fingerprints
Forensic science used: Superglue Fuming
Summary of the Science:
Fingerprint analysis is used to identify suspects and solve crimes. It helps link suspects
to other crimes and also can help investigators track records, their previous
arrests/convictions, to help determine sentencing, probation, parole and pardoning
decisions. Fingerprinting has been used for over 100 years and is still being used to
date. Before superglue fuming was discovered investigators used a dusting method that
is still used today, just not as much due to new advancements in the forensic science
field.
No two people have the exact same fingerprint, due to this fingerprints are very valuable
pieces of evidence that can link people to crime scenes, there for associative
evidence. The Locards Exchange Principle states that every contact leaves a trace.
This means that every time an object comes in contact with a person or other object, a
trace a trace is taken with them and a trace is left behind. Everytime you touch
something you leave a fingerprint and also take a trace of the object with you. So by
fingerprinting evidence investigators can easily link a suspect to a crime scene because
when they came into contact with the evidence they left a fingerprint. Fingerprints are
categorized into three categories; visible, impression, and latent. Visible prints
usually are directly visible to the human eye and can photographed without having to
do much processing. An example of a visual print would be when suspect has mud on
their hands and touches a door knob leaving behind a visual print. Impression prints can
often be visual but may require a special lighting to be accurately analysed. An example
of an impression fingerprint could be if someone presses their hand on a sticky surface
leaving behind a print in the stickiness. Latent fingerprints are not visible and have to be
processed to become visible. Latent prints are created every time someone touches
something. A latent print if left behind due to a mixture of sweat, organic compounds(
amino acids, glucose, riboflavin, etc.) ,and inorganic chemicals( sodium, chlorine, etc.).
One method investigators use to make latent prints visible is cyanoacrylate fuming.
This is when evidence is placed in a chamber in which cyanoacrylate fumes(super glue
fumes) are released into the chamber, after just a few minuted latent prints can be come
visible. This happens because when the cyanoacrylate is heated, and forms into a gas
state, it reacts to many acids and proteins that are in the latent print. The moisture in
the air when combined with the super glue fumes will also help make the prints visible.
In order for cyanoacrylate to reach a gas state it has to reach it boiling point which is
around 54 to 56 degrees Celsius. To get it to its billing point it is squirted into a dish

which is then placed in an incubator along with the evidence being tested. A dish of
water is also flaced in the incubator to create the humidity necessary to make the prints
visible. Once the cyanoacrylate has reached its boiling point and transfers to it gas state
it takes roughly an hour to process the latent prints completely.
Once the fuming process is over the latent print is then a white color and is dusted with
a black powder to help make it even more visible. As I stated earlier, this is the dusting
method, just in this case not the full process.
In conclusion the fingerprints found on the tequila bottle, rum bottle, and cups
links Michelle Lee and Scott Henderson to the crime scene. Narrowing our key
suspects to the two people. According to previous test one of these two could possibly
be the killer of Aron Lee.
Sources:
http://www.forensicsciencesimplified.org/prints/how.html
http://makezine.com/laboratory-85-revealing-latent-fing/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint_powder
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/feneric/cyanoacrylate.html