Gabby Petito's Death Ruled a Homicide, F.B.I. Confirms

 

Spencer McCormick                                                                                       1/19/21

Forensics                                                                                                        Current Event 8 

Jiménez, Jesus. “Gabby Petito's Death Ruled a Homicide, F.B.I. Confirms.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Sept. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/us/gabby-petito-homicide.html. 

 

            I choose to review this article because it is a very relevant forensics case in the United States right now. The article talks about Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie went on a cross country trip and planned on visiting the west coast. Throughout the trip there was an altercation with the two that led to a fight between the two. Police interviewed but thought that it did not escalate to the point of domestic violence. Soon after that Petitos family lost contact with her and she was believed to be in a National Park in Wyoming. After she was missing for a couple of days and the fiance was not giving up any information on her whereabouts her remains were found. "Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100% that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified of this discovery," Charles Jones, FBI Denver's supervisory senior resident agent in Wyoming, says.

            The article shocked the country as a whole and led to an outcry for finding Gabby before it was too late. I remember  waking up and seeing this case in the news. It is definitely very shocking to the public that although not confirmed it looks very much that her Finance ended up killing her. This also shows that forensic investigation is getting very good to the point that they can track down an area where the body might be and find it somewhat quickly. 

            Strengths of the article were the great quotes that were provided from the police officials. Some weaknesses were the details surrounding the forensic process used in order to determine if the  body they found was really her. An improvement would be to write more about the finance and what the circumstances surrounding him are.  

Criminal Investigation into Deadly Crowd Surge at Astroworld Festival Could Take Weeks, Mayor Says

 

Alex Dessart

Mr. Ippolito

Current Event 9

 

Flores, Rosa, and Joe Sutton. “Criminal Investigation into Deadly Crowd Surge at Astroworld Festival Could Take Weeks, Mayor Says.” CNN, Cable News Network, 8 Nov. 2021, https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/08/us/houston-astroworld-festival-monday/index.html.  

 

A criminal investigation just began after a crowd surge at a Houston musical festival that left eight people dead and several more injured. Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner said authorities were working to determine the issue behind the Astroworld Festival. Travis Scott, who the festival is based around, was due to perform at 9pm, where thousands of fans rushed to the center of the stage. The fans at the front were pressed against the fences and fellow people. They were unable to escape anywhere and their lungs became too compressed to take in oxygen. Scenes of people were crushed and trampled as calls for help were swallowed by the loud performances. Eight people - from 14 to 27 years old - died. “There's a criminal investigation underway at this point in time," Turner told CNN. 

            A concertgoer has filed a lawsuit against Scott’s entertainment company and a concert promoter, seeking $1 million for injuries sustained at the show. Manuel Souza, a concert attendee, suffered serious injuries while being trampled by the chaotic crowd. The concert conductor failed to properly plan the setting in a safe manner and Kylie Jenner, his wife, shared they were not aware of the Astroworld fatalities during the concert. The victims of the concert are continuing to be identified and mourn those lost. 

            This article had many strengths along with weaknesses. It very well described the negative effects of the concert, yet could have better described the actual setting of the concert. It was very organized and in chronological order, making it a simplistic read. I would suggest using more imagery to capture the scene and eeriness of the concert, otherwise I thought the article was overall interesting to read. 

Bringing Burnt Bones Back to 'Life' Using 3D Technology

 

Olivia Prior

Mr. Ippolito

Forensics EF Odd

January 18, 2022

 

“Bringing Burnt Bones Back to 'Life' Using 3D Technology.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 24 June 2020, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200624095950.htm. 

 

Forensic scientists at the University of Portsmouth have discovered a new way of presenting fragile evidence, by reconstructing a 'jigsaw' of human bone fragments using 3D printing. In the first known study of its kind, researchers took fragmented burnt human bones and tested the ability to make 3D models suitable to be shown to a jury in court. One of the scientists involved in the research, Dr Katherine Brown, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth, says: "A positive physical fit indicates that two or more fragments having originated from the same object. Confirming physical fit at a crime scene is essential to draw links between locations, place suspects at the scene, and allow for object reconstruction."The researchers ultimately found that 3D imaging and printing allowed for effective physical fit analysis without excessively handling the original fragments. Limiting the handling of fragile forensic evidence minimises damage and contamination. Additionally, the use of 3D prints opens up the possibility for physical fit demonstration, and the opportunity for a jury to explore the evidence replicas.

Any improvement in forensic science is going to have a great impact on society. With the ability to make 3D models, contamination will be less likely when handling crucial evidence. The less likely contamination is, the more accurate the investigation will be.It allows investigators to get a closer look without jepordizing their evidence. 

I found this article really interesting and it definitely taught me something new. I think the writer of the article gave a thorough explanation of the new forensic improvement and made it clear how useful it could be for future investigations. However, I would have loved to hear about a specific crime in which the 3D models were used.