Mapping the Labyrinth of Forensic Evidence in Suspected Arson Case

Abstract

Arson crimes are associated with fire where establishment of crime depends on intent and motive together with circumstantial evidence making a challenging job for scene of crime investigators. The jumble of problems at arson crime location needs presence of mind during forensic examination keeping in view of sensitivity of the case. The importance of forensics to tract down crime exhibits and their struggle to save trace evidences in arson cases is decisive as often the scene of crime is visited by numerous people including individuals needed to douse the fire. It is therefore necessary to document and photograph the scene of crime. The various approaches to tackle the arson crime are widely known, documented and implemented by forensic scientists but still every crime scene is thought-provoking. This article draws attention towards well planned and structured arson crime committed to evade evidences and the challenges faced by forensic community to reveal scientific evidence. A complex case of charred body inside burnt car in a secluded street was examined by forensic scientist to unearth concrete evidences reproducible in court of law. The article concludes by discussing the challenges most notably around the arson debris, importance of surrounding evidences, pattern of fire and thus evaluating crime scene for joining the dots of evidence justifying the role of forensic science.