Police procedure when spouse claims suicide?

[walkintruth2019]

If a person calls 911 claiming their spouse has committed suicide with a firearm and was present when it happened or at least in the home, what are the police procedures for clearing the ground underneath their feet on arrival? I would think that the police don’t just take someone’s word for it that someone committed suicide if someone else was present when it happened. I’m just wondering how a situation like that is processed so that no stone is left unturned and no room is left for doubt.

 

[Lgreen]

I believe one step of the process of elimination is everyone's hands are swabbed and tested.

 

[walkintruth2019]

That's what I was thinking. I would certainly hope so. Surely no one's word is taken at face value.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

You'd be surprised how often this is a plot in Forensic Files.

The 'grieving' spouse's acting can sometimes arise suspicion. I'd say they typically overreact thinking it will make them look more grief stricken.

There could be inconsistencies that are found in their statement, found at autopsy, or at the crime scene. Maybe the victim had some unexplained injuries that weren't consistent with their manner of death, the spouse's story kept changing, or something found at the crime scene just didn't add up.

I'd say the most common inconsistencies would be related to ballistics. Like the bullet entry angle is found to not line up with how the victim would have to hold the gun and successfully pull the trigger. Other inconsistencies could be: the gun was found to be wiped clean of fingerprints, the victim being left handed when the gun was found in their right hand, the gun placement not being possible (as in the gun would not have naturally fallen in the location or position it was found in), or the absence of gun residue on the victim's hands.

Also if the spouse faked a suicide note handwriting analysts can determine if the victim wrote it or not, and if typed, linguistics can help determine if it is remotely accurate to the victim's syntax.

A lot of the time too I have noticed family members of the victims being suspicious of the spouse even before it reaches the polices radar. Especially in cases where the marriage had a history of being troubled. Another way I've noticed widowed spouse's raising suspicion among family members is after their wife/husband's death they immediately remarry or move-in with their mistress, etc.

The 911 call can also be telling. Overpanic and exaggerated hysteria are common. Then there is the little things that are telling. Like saying "my wife is dead" when they claim they just got home to the scene. You'd think they would be calling for a ambulance or trying CPR. And there was this one man that claimed his wife locked herself in a room then he heard a gunshot. But then he says he saw blood coming out of her mouth... He told the operator he couldn't get to her because of the door being locked.

I'd say it should be proper protocol to confirm the cause of death during autopsy as well.

 

[walkintruth2019]

Is it difficult to get a 911 transcript or a police report or autopsy report?

 

[lisaNYC]

If a person calls 911 claiming their spouse has committed suicide with a firearm and was present when it happened or at least in the home, what are the police procedures for clearing the ground underneath their feet on arrival? I would think that the police don’t just take someone’s word for it that someone committed suicide if someone else was present when it happened. I’m just wondering how a situation like that is processed so that no stone is left unturned and no room is left for doubt.

What makes you ask?

 

[walkintruth2019]

A situation involving the supposed suicide of a wife in the master bedroom while husband says he was in the bathroom. Hearing things that aren't adding up.

 

[walkintruth2019]

...

 

[katydid23]

Is it difficult to get a 911 transcript or a police report or autopsy report?

If you have some doubts, call the investigators in that precinct, and express your concerns. Can't hurt.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

Is it difficult to get a 911 transcript or a police report or autopsy report?

I'd say it depends on the relation of the person requesting to the victim as being a factor in how easily obtainable they are (as in it is probably easier if you are the victim's parent, sibling etc then the general public); however, authorities have easy access to that kind of thing during an open investigation.

A situation involving the supposed suicide of a wife in the master bedroom while husband says he was in the bathroom. Hearing things that aren't adding up.

If you have your suspicions alert the authorities and tell them everything you know. It also could depend on how recent this occurred. Sometimes it is harder to reopen older cases especially in the case where suspicion wasn't even present when it happened. Also if older they need significant amount of circumstantial evidence to exhume the body to confirm foul play.

I'd say be adamant with the authorities over your suspicion. Sometimes certain cases need a push to be investigated.

Just a forewarning, sometimes even if they find 'any' evidence proving guilt it for whatever reason sometimes isn't enough to arrest the person.

If you want to remain anonymous there should be an anonymous tip line.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't know your relation to her but hopefully she will get justice soon.

 

[Grammar]

You'd be surprised how often this is a plot in Forensic Files.

The 'grieving' spouse's acting can sometimes arise suspicion. I'd say they typically overreact thinking it will make them look more grief stricken.

There could be inconsistencies that are found in their statement, found at autopsy, or at the crime scene. Maybe the victim had some unexplained injuries that weren't consistent with their manner of death, the spouse's story kept changing, or something found at the crime scene just didn't add up.

I'd say the most common inconsistencies would be related to ballistics. Like the bullet entry angle is found to not line up with how the victim would have to hold the gun and successfully pull the trigger. Other inconsistencies could be: the gun was found to be wiped clean of fingerprints, the victim being left handed when the gun was found in their right hand, the gun placement not being possible (as in the gun would not have naturally fallen in the location or position it was found in), or the absence of gun residue on the victim's hands.

Also if the spouse faked a suicide note handwriting analysts can determine if the victim wrote it or not, and if typed, linguistics can help determine if it is remotely accurate to the victim's syntax.

A lot of the time too I have noticed family members of the victims being suspicious of the spouse even before it reaches the polices radar. Especially in cases where the marriage had a history of being troubled. Another way I've noticed widowed spouse's raising suspicion among family members is after their wife/husband's death they immediately remarry or move-in with their mistress, etc.

The 911 call can also be telling. Overpanic and exaggerated hysteria are common. Then there is the little things that are telling. Like saying "my wife is dead" when they claim they just got home to the scene. You'd think they would be calling for a ambulance or trying CPR. And there was this one man that claimed his wife locked herself in a room then he heard a gunshot. But then he says he saw blood coming out of her mouth... He told the operator he couldn't get to her because of the door being locked.

I'd say it should be proper protocol to confirm the cause of death during autopsy as well.

The wife of a friend of mine killed herself. They asked him a lot of questions but they didn’t do an autopsy. It was ruled a suicide.

 

[walkintruth2019]

I understand some things can be ruled suicide without a doubt. But a gunshot in the left side of the head when someone is right handed bothers me. By someone not super knowledgeable about guns. And no gun residue found on either hand of the deceased.

 

[katydid23]

I understand some things can be ruled suicide without a doubt. But a gunshot in the left side of the head when someone is right handed bothers me. By someone not super knowledgeable about guns. And no gun residue found on either hand of the deceased.

Why do you think they ruled it a suicide. I'd think an investigator would notice the same inconsistencies that you did. Hopefully....so why would they label it a suicide with no gun residue and using right hand for a left side of head shot?

 

[walkintruth2019]

I'm still trying to confirm what I've been told. And what little I know is apparently just the tip of the iceberg. I'm worried the police botched the crime scene. But again, still trying to confirm.

 

[walkintruth2019]

I am all for law enforcement, but if local police did not do their due diligence here and are covering it up, what would be the next step?

 

[illyana]

There's no such thing as a universal police procedure, fortunately or unfortunately. These kind of situations can turn into everything from a murderer getting away with it to horrible wrongful convictions. It's a case by case thing, and in earlier days before decent forensics, seems like people got away with this much more often.

 

[Incognito]

I just made a post along this line, where the spouse claims her husband committed suicide by lighting himself on fire. Sadly I think the police failed at their job, tried to cover it up and the wife got away with murder

 

[ThePortlandPI]

It really depends on the circumstances, the manner of death, the agency handling it, as well as their training, policies and procedures.

Generally speaking, when a suicide call goes out involving an obvious death, you'll have medical, fire and police respond. If you're freshly hanged for example while still warm without discoloration and death is less obvious, they're more likely to cut you down and try life saving measures, however if you are there with a big hole in your head and its obvious that you're gone well... some might feel for a pulse, most won't.

If its an obvious death involving suicide, they'll document the scene, question you and remove the body. If its a questionable death involving suicide, they'll still do the same thing essentially. Its the job of police to investigate and collect intelligence, however they cannot compel or force you to answer questions, and honestly you never should answer questions either without an attorney present, even if you've done no wrong.

As a spouse, if anything seems possibly amiss, you're automatically the prime suspect. They'll want your DNA sometimes, which you should decline without a warrant. They'll likely want to photograph your body for any signs of injury, which you should decline without arrest or warrant. If it involves a gun, they'll likely want to swab your hands for residue, which you should decline if there is no warrant. They might want your clothing which you should decline to provide, without a warrant.

We had a situation out here where a guy was out of town, hadn't heard from his girlfriend while he was away. He came home, she was dead and had obviously been dead. Police come along, he had a solid alibi and the death was very in line with a suicide. Well... police still tried to press him anyways.

They ridiculed him when he wouldn't answer their questions, said that exercising his rights was suspicious. He then got an attorney to advocate for him so he wouldn't fall prey to the verbal judo of police that can at times find an innocent person in cuffs. In the end he was vindicated, but he was wise to not only know his rights but flex them as well.

Just remember when it comes to police, even if they try to infer or accuse you of wrongdoing, its not your job or obligation to aid them in their investigation nor prove your innocence to them, its their job to investigate and their burden to prove you've done something wrong. Its so easy to talk yourself into cuffs these days.

 

[The_Write_Girl]

A situation involving the supposed suicide of a wife in the master bedroom while husband says he was in the bathroom. Hearing things that aren't adding up.

Where did this occur? My father in law committed suicide in 1993 in Houston. My mother in law stated she was getting out of the shower in the master bedroom when she heard the shot, he was in a guest bedroom. LE arrived with the medics. She was taken off by herself and they worked on him. He was transported to the hospital and an officer transported her in an unmarked car. Her hands were tested in a room in the ER. After that they allowed her to interact and go free about her business. LE was at the home for the afternoon. The house was left as it had been after he pulled the trigger. I know part of her statement was that she was blowdrying her hair when she thought she heard something. So getting out of the shower/blowdrying hair was scrutinized through another statement the next day at the station. They had taken the gun. But my SO and I flew from Hawaii to Texas and we cleaned the scene, removed the mattress etc.. The home was free to enter and leave and there was no cleaning crew etc.. it was us. I have always thought that it seemed like very little was involved to prove a suicide. Not that I thought my MIL guilty of anything, I just thought more would have been involved in declaring the suicide.

 

[minddetective]

If a person calls 911 claiming their spouse has committed suicide with a firearm and was present when it happened or at least in the home, what are the police procedures for clearing the ground underneath their feet on arrival? I would think that the police don’t just take someone’s word for it that someone committed suicide if someone else was present when it happened. I’m just wondering how a situation like that is processed so that no stone is left unturned and no room is left for doubt.

In theory, every unexpected death is treated as a homicide until proven otherwise and the scene should be processed just like any other suspicious death - isolate and protect the scene, interview witnesses, call crime scene technicians to gather physical evidence. In reality, what the responding officers are told can greatly influence how a scene is processed. So, if a murderer calls 911 and reports that his wife committed suicide and the dispatch reports a "suicide" to responders, this can set the tone for the entire investigation and it can be easy to ignore clues of foul play or to look for confirming evidence instead of approaching the death with an open mind. Hopefully, the investigators follow these procedures and also talk to family, friends and so forth to see if the deceased fits the profile of a suicide completer.