The bloody handprint found on the wall in the living room (Evidence number LMW-5) had the potential to positively link a suspect to the crime scene. The handprint was photographed so that fingerprint comparison was possible.

Photography and swabbing of bloody handprint.

The photograph of the bloody handprint was first digitised, in order to improve the clarity of the fingerprint ridge detail. Each fingertip section was individually digitised, so that the maximum amount of information could be gained from the handprint. Digital imaging technology was applied to the fingerprint in order to further enhance the available ridge detail, by removing any background interference that the wall may introduce.

Students carrying the digitising process on one of the fingerprints.

Once the fingerprints had been digitised, they were compared to fingerprints from known individuals, via an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The handprint was successfully matched, via the thumb and all four fingers, to a Mr Chris Beddows, aged 30, recent boyfriend of the deceased. This proved that Mr Beddows was present at the crime scene.

Comparison of digitised fingerprints to entries on the AFIS system.

All police forces in England and Wales have access to NAFIS (the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System) which holds millions of fingerprints, making it possible to both establish the identity of an individual as well as providing reference fingerprint entries that fingerprints recovered from a crime scene can be compared to. Here at Staffordshire University we have three AFIS systems, so students can compare finger and hand prints recovered from a prepared crime scene to entries on the AFIS system to search for a 'match'.

As well as being able to identify who deposited the bloody handprint it was possible to identify the origin of the blood. A section of the handprint where the ridge detail was smudged was swabbed and DNA was extracted from the blood on the swab. This DNA was analysed using a Genetic Analyser in order to produce a DNA profile, which was then compared to the DNA profile of the victim. The DNA profile matched that of the victim at all of the 11 different loci, providing a positive identification that the blood in the handprint originated from Miss Stetson.

DNA samples being loaded onto the Genetic Analyser .

A DNA profile was also obtained from the swabs taken from blood smears on the steering wheel of the abandoned vehicle (Evidence number LMW-13), which also matched the profile of the victim, Miss Stetson.

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