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People in the United States, as well as in some other countries the world over, are attracted to films and movies that focus on violent crimes like homicides. Many of these productions focus on stark depictions of murder scenes. The reality is that many people in the population at large find murder scenes horrific and yet oddly compelling at the same time. One situation in which people don’t feel a sense of curiosity about a murder scene is when someone they love has been killed.
Crime Scene Photos
In addition to a huge number of movies and television programs featuring violent crimes and murder scenes, crime scene photos have become notable draws at websites populating the internet in this day and age. These include sites dedicated to contemporary murder scene photos as well as online destinations that feature vintage murder scene photos.
Realities of a Murder Scene
Despite the fact that people from all walks of life are able to access depictions of murder scenes through a number of media, the reality is that the typical individual doesn’t have an accurate understanding of what a murder scene is all about. The best course through which a person can come to an accurate understanding of the dynamics of a murder scene is to examine such a site in its various stages of existence:
- Murder scene before crime
- Murder scene during crime
- Murder scene directly after crime
- Murder scene during investigation
- Murder scene cleanup
Murder Scene Before Crime
When a murder has occurred, investigators are intently concerned about the state of the scene before the death. Indeed, the state of the scene before and after the untimely death of a person typically plays a notable role in the process of determining whether or not a murder occurred.
Murder Scene During Crime
On a related note, the evolving state of a murder scene during the commission of the alleged crime is also a crucial element of ascertaining if a homicide occurred. The state of the murder scene during a crime nearly always is an important element of the overall case built by the prosecution in a homicide prosecution.
Murder Scene Directly After Crime
If all a person understands about a murder scene directly after the crime was derived from movies and TV shows, an individual is apt to have a very uneven if not outright incorrect understanding of those state of affairs. The reality is that one primary objective exists in the immediate aftermath of a murder. That crucial goal is fully securing the murder scene and cordoning it off to prevent anyone from accessing it.
The immediate aftermath of a homicide is likely to be a moment in time at which law enforcement officials have yet to arrive. Moreover, the last thing on the mind of people at a murder scene is to cordon it off and protect the integrity of that scene and the potential evidence in it.
Ideally, no one enters into the murder scene from the moment it is discovered. Moreover, no one but duly authorized investigators from the police or sheriff’s department and the office of the medical examiner enter into the murder scene until the investigation fully is completed.
Murder Scene During Investigation
A murder scene investigation represents an involved process that includes law enforcement personnel and professionals from the county medical examiner’s office. Depending on the specific circumstances surrounding what appears to be a murder, an investigation of and at the scene can take what might amount to an extended period of time. No one but authorized investigatory personnel are permitted into the site until the murder scene investigation fully is completed.
The process includes examining the remains at the scene. Ultimately, the body is transported to the medical examiner’s office for additional forensic examination, including an autopsy.
As mentioned previously, in the aftermath of a murder, the scene of the crime is highly restricted. For example, generally speaking, even family members aren’t permitted into their own home until the investigation by law enforcement and the coroner is fully completed. If an unauthorized person enters into the murder scene, the risk of evidence being contaminated is real. If that occurs, a criminal case can be seriously negatively impacted.
Murder Scene Cleanup
A murder scene can be a gruesome sight. The reality is that murder scene cleanup is the obligation of a homeowner, business owner, or another similarly situated individual if a homicide occurs in a residence or business. Murder scene cleanup presents a host of serious issues, including keeping safe and protected from biohazards that might be at the scene following a killing.
The recommended course of action when a home or business owner faces a murder scene is to seek professional assistance. A murder scene cleaning company provides compassionate, comprehensive, safe remediation at a home or business where this type of crime occurred.
