Some particularities of on-site research in the investigation of the crime of murder and its forms

Abstract

This paper examines certain specific aspects of the crime scene investigation in homicide cases and their various manifestations, emphasizing the importance of this procedural action in substantiating the evidentiary framework. The primary objective is to highlight the role of the crime scene examination as a fundamental evidentiary means for identifying, preserving, and utilizing crime traces with a view to establishing the judicial truth. The authors analyze the operational structure of the investigation—comprising the preparatory stage, the execution stage (including the static and dynamic phases), tactical procedures (circular, linear, sector-based), as well as the documentation of the action through the official investigation report, crime scene sketch, forensic photographs, and video recordings. The study explores the applicability of this evidentiary procedure depending on the modus operandi of the offense: homicide committed with sharp instruments, firearms, asphyxiation, drowning, poisoning, dismemberment, electrocution, arson, traffic incidents, or fatal falls from height. In each of these scenarios, the crime scene investigation requires tactical and technical adjustments based on the nature of the physical traces, the condition of the body, and the specific circumstances of the case. The study provides practical recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of prosecutorial activities and minimizing judicial errors, while also emphasizing the necessity of interprofessional cooperation between the criminal investigation officer, the forensic specialist, and the forensic pathologist. The conclusions reaffirm the unrepeatable, urgent, and indispensable character of the crime scene investigation in homicide cases, identifying it as one of the most effective procedures in achieving the overarching goal of criminal proceedings—the establishment of truth.