​Instructor: Maria Pettolina, DM, CSCSA
Course length: 12 hours (2 days, 6 hours per day)

 The Fundamentals of Death Investigations webinar is a two-day, 12 hour webinar that will cover basic topics in death investigation, to include techniques of crime scene investigation.  The course is designed to be an interactive workshop, with individual and group participation required.

The Fundamentals of Death Investigations webinar is designed to give the novel investigator the knowledge and confidence needed to properly observe, document, and process a death scene.   The webinar incorporates an interdisciplinary approach and is designed for death investigators, crime scene investigators, detectives, attorneys, and any other investigator involved in the scene.  Students will gain knowledge of best practices in death investigations and analyze real-world case studies of equivocal deaths.    

Course Outline
Each Section will have an instructor lead presentation and group discussion

​Unit 1: Introduction to Death Investigations
(Instructor Lead) - 2 hours
  • Introduction to the Course
  • Pretest
  • The Death Investigation System
  • Job Responsibilities on a Death Scene
  • Cause and Manner of Death
  • Crime Scene and Legal Considerations
 
Unit 2: Documentation and Observations at Death Scenes
(Instructor Lead) - 3 hours
  • Types of Physical Evidence at Death Scenes
  • Scene Considerations: Cross Contamination and Best Practices
  • Crime Scene Documentation, Collection, and Processing on Scene and at Autopsy
  • Special Considerations: Bloodstains and Ballistics Basics
  • Time of Death Indicators/Postmortem Changes

Unit 3: Wound Characteristics
(Instructor Lead) - 3 hours
  • Sharp Force Injuries
  • Blunt Force Injuries
  • Gunshot Wounds
  • Asphyxiation/Strangulation
  • Overview of Special Cases (Child Deaths, Buried Bodies, Surface Remains, Drowning)

Unit 4: Overview of Investigative Issues
(Instructor Lead) - 1 hour
  • Report Writing
  • Courtroom Testimony
  • Health Considerations at Death Scenes
  • Emotional Wellness

Unit 5: Case Study Evaluation and Group Presentation - 3 hours
  • Crime Scene Reconstruction - Students will be divided into small groups.  They will have two hours to review photographs from a death investigation case.  They will document observations, list evidence they would collect, describe how they would document and process the scene, etc.  The students will then present their findings to the class. 
  • Post test
Maria Pettolina,
DM, CSCSA
Dr. Maria Pettolina has over a decade of experience in the forensic field.  She has been involved in thousands of criminal investigations and is court qualified as a forensic expert in both Crime Scene Investigation and Chemical Processing.  She holds a current certification as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst through the International Association of Identification and is a member of numerous forensic organizations.  She has been published in forensic journals and magazines and has received over 1300 hours of specialized certificate forensic training.  Maria has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, a Master of Science in Forensic Medicine, and a Doctorate of Management in Higher Education.

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