Marks on victim’s bones help crack murder case
Dubai Police use forensics to match weapons to wounds
Forensic analysis of marks on a victim’s bones helped Dubai Police collect clinching evidence against six suspects, who thought they would get away by burying the murder weapons in different places.
Lt Mohammad Al Shamsi, head of Firearms and Tool Marks Section at Dubai Police, said that it all started when they received a report of a corpse being found in the desert.
“A team was immediately dispatched to the crime scene, but they were unable to find the murder weapon anywhere near the scene,” he said.
Investigation led to the arrest of six suspects who admitted to attacking the victim with knives over a dispute. “They then buried the knives in a different remote area to mislead detectives and divert investigation,” Lt Al Shamsi said.
They [suspects] buried the knives in a different remote area to mislead detectives and divert investigation.”
Lt Mohammad Al Shamsi | Head of Firearms and Tool Marks Section, Dubai Police
Damaged weapons
Dubai Police managed to find the knives, but it was impossible to capture fingerprints due to natural erosion and humidity. It was impossible to link the weapons either to the suspects or the case. Therefore, the evidence was handed over to Dubai Police’s forensic analysts who specialise in tool marks on human bones and cartilage.
“After collecting tool mark prints from the victim’s wounds and bones and comparing them with the weapons, specialists were able to link them to the murder case and provide convicting evidence that could stand in court,” Lt Al Shamsi said.
Maj Gen Dr Ahmad Eid Al Mansouri, director of General Department of Forensics and Criminology, said they were able to provide reliable evidence for the Dubai Public Prosecution to proceed with the case by using the micro-CT (computed tomography) scan.