Lisa Marchesoni
Posted: Sunday, November 2, 2008 6:47 am

Detective Sgt. William Sykes

Watching Detective Sgt. William Sykes explain the evidence-gathering tools of Murfreesboro Police’s CSI unit resembles watching television’s “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

Sykes speaks animatedly while describing CSI Unit’s role and sophisticated equipment used to process the crime scenes of homicides, suicides, aggravated robberies, assaults and sexual assaults, kidnappings, home invasions and hostage situations.

Each crime scene has three witnesses, the victim, the perpetrator and the crime scene evidence, the sergeant explained.

“Our purpose is to interview the crime scene,” Sykes explained. “You just need to know how to interview. It will talk with forensic techniques and give information back. We do a forensic interview rather than a verbal one.”

Detective Maj. Jim Gage, who supervises the Criminal Investigation Division, said grants and other federal funding covered most of the costs of buying the CSI van and equipping it. All the equipment stored on the van has been used at crime scenes.

“It didn’t cost the taxpayer anything for the van or the initial equipment,” Gage said.

Detective Capt. Chris Guthrie, who commands the CSI Unit, recognized the need for a crime scene van and equipment after attending a comprehensive Forensic Academy course several years ago.

The van and equipment helps investigators discover and gather more evidence. Also, each of the eight detectives assigned to the unit have been trained and cross-trained annually in specialized classes for collecting evidence.

While the team processes the crime scene, the assigned detective can work on locating and interviewing witnesses and suspects, the captain said.

“We’re able to gather more evidence at crime scenes we might have overlooked before,” Guthrie said, adding the evidence leads to stronger prosecutions.

The first crime scene the unit processed as a team was the fatal shooting of O’Charley’s assistant manager Nader Bahmanziari, who was killed Feb. 3 at the Memorial Boulevard restaurant. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against defendant Antonio Alexander.

Sykes said a handgun collected at a vacant house behind the restaurant matched shell casings found at the scene. Clothes found in the house matched the clothing witnesses said the shooter wore.

“The evidence helped establish Mr. Alexander was at the crime scene (before he was arrested),” Sykes said.

Sophisticated equipment

Sykes said the CSI unit processes the crime scene to locate, identify, record, collect, preserve and document evidence.

One of the newest tools the unit purchased is the Sokkia total station laser crime scene mapping equipment that draws the crime scene to scale in three-dimension, saving the CSIs time in measuring.

Sykes said the team previously sketched the crime scene to show the relationship of where evidence was found.

The mapping system can show evidence to jurors in colored layers.

For example, the first layer will show what the basic crime scene looks like. The mapping system will use another layer to add furniture. Another layer will show where the victim was located. A red layer will show where blood was located.

“We use this at major crime scenes because of the accuracy of it,” Sykes explained.

Some of the equipment stocked on the van includes:

• A sonic measuring device with sound waves.

• A chemical spray that brings up blood spots not seen by the naked eye.

• A dust print lifter that takes the dust, mud or blood off a shoe and leaves an impression on a sheet.

• A Krimesite camera or scope with UV light allowing CSIs to see fingerprints on walls or surfaces.

• Luminol liquid to help find old blood.

• Iodine fuming on paper to locate fingerprints.

• Mikrosil casting material to cast impressions.

• A superglue adhering to fingerprints.

• A chemical spray to locate fingerprints on wet surfaces.

• Bluemax alternate light source to find blood, fibers, semen or urine.

• Blood detection chemicals.

• Special vacuums to collect finite fibers.

• A bore scope to look into crevices.

• Equipment to map out blood spatters.

Evidence collection

Once at the scene, each team member has a specific responsibility.

Detective Mike Taylor sketches the scene. Detective Craig Snider photographs the scene with digital and video cameras.

Detective Paul Mongold lifts fingerprint impressions while Detective Katrina Henderson records evidence. Detective Ed Gorham sketches and measures the scene. Detective Richard Presley collects evidence.

Once done processing the scene and collecting evidence, detectives send the evidence to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory for analysis. Evidence may include blood, firearms, fingerprints and shoe castings.

Pieced together, the evidence and testimony from witnesses provides a road map for jurors hearing a case.

“The Murfreesboro CSI Unit is designed to provide a comprehensive, effective, crime scene investigation,” Sykes said. “Our goal is to rival Metro (Nashville) and TBI as far as effectiveness in the field.”