Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

Does a Forensic Tip of the Day. Yep, every day. #4n6TotD Joined February 2013

Tweets

5K
Followers

1K
Following

831
Likes

5K

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

18 hours ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: The stink from decomposition is from the gases produced by the bacteria feeding on the remains. The odor starts immediately, but is kept inside the body. Until the gases escape the body (usually day 2-5), humans don't detect the smell. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 8 75 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 days ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: The coroner/ME is in charge of everything in their office - what autopsies they'll perform, what process they'll follow, and what equipment they'll use. For example, some offices use dictation, and others use handwritten notes. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 2 5 219 2

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

3 days ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Pathologists pretty much no longer use the technique of determining body temperature (Algor Mortis) in order to work out a time of death estimate. Too many variables can affect the temps, which make the estimations far too inaccurate. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 7 79 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

4 days ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: All mortuaries in the US work under laws requiring every unidentified/unclaimed body to be buried or cremated (& the ashes sent to a cemetery). All remains get that respect. The mortuary is not a storage facility for unclaimed remains. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 6 274 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

5 days ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: A fully skeletonized body no longer has any tendons to hold the bones together, despite what Hollywood tries to get away with. Bones are often scattered, skulls and jaws do not remain attached and skeletons cannot be posed. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 0 5 41 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

6 days ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: In fiction, morgues tend to be dimly lit rooms with water dripping just out of sight, often with a pathologist who never leaves. Actually, morgues are brightly lit, have faucets that work, and everyone goes home after their shifts. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 2 4 64 0

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

7 days ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: A search warrant is made up of three parts: 1) the affidavit - showing the probable cause 2) the warrant - stating exactly what they're looking for and where, and 3) the property receipt - left with the owner, listing everything taken. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 2 5 79 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

a week ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Case material (search warrants/interviews/etc) are protected documents (not made public) and exempt from the FOIA until the investigation is closed. The gov't can request the material to be unsealed early if all parties involved agree. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 6 100 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

a week ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: A common mistake found in fiction is that silencers reduce the sound of a gunshot to just a quiet "phpp." In reality these "suppressors," while somewhat muffling the gunfire, do not silence it. The shots are still quite audible. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 4 63 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

a week ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: In the later stages of decomposition, when the gases bloat the body, the pressure liquefies the organs and forces the resulting dark liquids out of every orifice. Many confuse this with a bloody scene, although there are no injuries. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 2 7 95 2

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: There are three types of evidence. 1) Testimonial, which is an interview. 2) Documentary, which is information (the numbers on a bank statement, the words on a note). 3) Physical, everything else (the gun, the shoeprints, the DNA). #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 3 107 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Morgue refrigerator rooms never freeze the bodies, just chill them to slow down decomposition. Freezing temps crystalize the cells and can damage them for testing. A fully frozen corpse can take days to thaw before it can be autopsied. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 0 9 111 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Investigators at a crime scene never collect an entire pool of blood, just several cotton swab samples. If the blood is dried, they may moisten a swab and then rub the stain, but most likely they'll collect scrapings in folded paper. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 0 3 57 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Being an expert witness is not automatic or guaranteed. In each trial, both sides present/question the potential expert's qualifications (a process called Voir Dire). The judge then decides if the person will be considered an expert. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 2 4 79 0

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: An expert witness is someone whose knowledge, skill, or experience is greater than that of the jury on a particular subject. Under oath, they are allowed to express opinions on what happened, as long as it relates to their expertise. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 3 6 192 2

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Popular depictions of on-scene investigators tasting drugs/narcotics to ID the substance in stories is complete fiction. Chemical field tests can give a presumptive ID, but to positively confirm what a sample is, it's sent to the lab. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 7 83 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

2 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: There is no legal minimum number of "matches" required under U.S. law to positively identify a fingerprint. Experts often disagree on how many matches is enough, but tend to fall in the 12 - 20 range. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 1 7 153 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

3 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: The foul decomp odor comes from the wastes bacteria release while consuming the body (ie putrefaction). Any environmental factors that prevent bacteria from thriving (extreme temperatures, dry environments) also cut down on the smell. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 3 9 218 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

3 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: Bunter marks are impression marks stamped into bullet cartridges that record the caliber and manufacturer of the cartridge. Investigators can use these marks to link cartridges fired at a crime scene to a suspect's unfired cartridges. #SymonSays #4n6TotD

0 2 5 161 1

Geoff Symon 🔎 @GeoffSymon

3 weeks ago

Forensic Tip of the Day: The five progressive stages of decomposition are fresh, bloat, active decay, advanced decay, and dry remains. The stages are a result of autolysis and putrefaction. Each stage can be days or years, depending on the environment. #SymonSays #4n6TotD