I still wonder why it took hours to recover her body.
LE doesn’t just go in and get the body, the whole area is a crime scene and has to be processed which can take hours. The order in which is done is as follows
1. Establish the scene dimensions and identify potential safety and health hazards -
2. Establish security
3. Plan, communicate and coordinate.
4. Conduct a primary survey/walkthrough. Evidence markers may be placed at that time. (These flags are of great aid to the scene team when human bones or remains need to be documented and recovered in a rural setting with tall grass or uneven terrain). Crime scene flags provide the visual information in the overall and mid-range crime scene photographs that document the evidence’s relationship to the crime scene.
5. Document and process the scene – This is the part of the process that takes a great deal of time. With a plan in place, the crime scene team conducts a detailed, coordinated investigation of the scene, collecting ALL probative evidence, not just the remains. This entails detailed documentation with digital and video cameras (or if available, a 3-D scanner). Often sketches and diagrams are also created. During the evidence-collection process, it is crucial that the crime scene investigator follow proper procedures for collecting, packaging and preserving the evidence, especially if it is of a biological nature. Biological evidence can be destroyed or damaged by weather conditions, individuals can inadvertently contaminate it, or it can be overlooked entirely if alternate light sources are not used to inspect the scene. (actually, this process includes a number of other items depending on the condition of the remains but I don't want to put you all to sleep)
Then it’s time for step #6. Conduct a secondary survey/review - A second survey of the area is conducted as a quality control step to ensure that the whole scene has been thoroughly searched. And finally -
7. Record and preserve evidence - To make certain that all evidence is accounted for, an inventory log is created. The descriptions recorded into the log must match the photo of the evidence taken at the scene and the description included in the crime scene report.
Prayers for this young ladies family. I do hope they have both closure and justice soon.
