Zack Kowalske
From ashes to evidence: A study on the alterations in bloodstain patterns in high heat environments and post-fire scenes
Kowalske, Zack; Oleiwi, Abdulrahman; Williams, Graham
Authors
Abdulrahman Oleiwi
Professor Graham Williams G.A.Williams@hull.ac.uk
Professor of Forensic Science/Programme Director
Abstract
Fire is often used to conceal or destroy evidence of violent crimes, making it essential to understand how fire environments affect forensic evidence, particularly bloodstain patterns. This study investigates the impact of high heat environments and fire on the morphology and analysis of bloodstain patterns. Using controlled fire exposure, bloodstains were analyzed pre- and post-fire exposure on various substrates, including glass, painted drywall, and painted plywood. Measurements of angle of impact (AOI) and area of origin (AOO) were conducted using Faro Zone 3D Expert software. Despite physical alterations due to extreme temperature exposure, certain characteristics of the original bloodstains persisted. AOI calculations showed minimal deviation between pre- and post-fire measurements, with standard deviations generally under two degrees. AOO estimations also demonstrated no substantial statistical differences between pre- and post-fire data. The study confirms that bloodstain patterns retain observable traits despite exposure to high heat conditions, supporting the reliability of BPA in fire-affected scenarios. These findings enhance the understanding of bloodstain behavior in fire environments, aiding forensic investigations in accurately analyzing bloodstain patterns in cases involving fire or high-temperature conditions.
Citation
Kowalske, Z., Oleiwi, A., & Williams, G. (2025). From ashes to evidence: A study on the alterations in bloodstain patterns in high heat environments and post-fire scenes. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 70(2), 742-750. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15689
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Acceptance Date | Nov 26, 2024 |
Online Publication Date | Dec 19, 2024 |
Publication Date | Mar 1, 2025 |
Deposit Date | Mar 12, 2025 |
Publicly Available Date | Mar 14, 2025 |
Journal | Journal of Forensic Sciences |
Print ISSN | 0022-1198 |
Publisher | Wiley |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 70 |
Issue | 2 |
Pages | 742-750 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15689 |
Keywords | Angle of impact; Arson investigations; Bloodstain pattern analysis; Drip stain; Fire |
Public URL | https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/5078108 |
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Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Forensic Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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