A Molecular Method to Correlate Bloodstains with Wound Site for Crime Scene Reconstruction1. Issue 3 (8th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Johnson, Donald J.; Andersen, Cheryl; Scriven, Katherine A.; Klein, Amberly N.; Choi, Mo Re; Carroll, Cindy; de, Ray D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic sciences. Volume 59:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 735
• Page End: 742
• Publication Date: 2014-03-08
• Subjects: Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Forensic sciences -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; 363.2505
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12377
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1198

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jfo12377-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Bloodstain pattern analysis to determine the wound‐of‐origin of bloodstains is problematic with nonspecific patterns. In this proof‐of‐concept study, the authors examined a molecular approach to correlate bloodstains with injuries using the rat as a model. Specifically, investigations were conducted on the rat brain marker, rno‐miR‐124‐3p, with the QIAGEN miScript System and real‐time PCR analysis. Rno‐miR‐124‐3p was detected in brain homogenates diluted 100, 000 times; in 3‐week‐old, room temperature stored, simulated brain–blood stains; and in bloodstains from head gunshot wounds collected with swabs and subsequently frozen for 9–18 months; however, rno‐miR‐124‐3p was not detected in whole blood. Proof‐of‐principle was demonstrated by the ability to distinguish bloodstains from a gunshot wound to the head versus bloodstains from a gunshot wound to the chest, by the testing of otherwise identical bloodstains from the two patterns for the presence of the marker. The results suggest a viable approach to a longstanding problem in casework.</p> </abstract>