Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

LIsa Black

Cape Coral, FL

Female, 49

I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

Cadaveric spasm has also been called 'instantaneous rigor'. Will muscles/muscle groups frozen from cadaveric spasm 'unfreeze' before the muscles that froze from rigor mortis?

Asked by Tom Phillips about 8 years ago

I'm sorry I can't help but that's a pathology question. I do not know.

What is the first thing a forensic team does when they reach the crime scene in this case homicide?

Asked by marge white over 7 years ago

Get everybody out of it, and then take pictures.

As a forensic scientist, do you use the diameter of blood splatters as clues to how the crime happened?

Asked by Rylee almost 8 years ago

Yes, the arcsin of the width divided by the length of the stain will give you the angle of impact at which the blood struck the surface (usually a wall). The direction of the stains can be traced back to a point of convergence and from there the angles can be traced back to a distance from the wall, giving you the approximate point in space where the blow was struck.

What can be said about a time(frame) of death if a deceased was found with no lividity and no rigor mortis?

Asked by Emonzi over 8 years ago

Barring any bizarre circumstances i would think they have only been dead for a short time. But that's really a pathologist's question.Hope that helps!

I am the one who asked the question about a right handed person shooting himself in the right temple with a 9 mm weapon.
This was my grandson and the answer is extremely important to me. I found him. if I give more info , can you give more detail?

Asked by Jeannie almost 8 years ago

I'm so sorry for your loss! However I doubt I could tell you anything more. I believe it's impossible to tell exactly what physics will take place. If you'd like, email me at Lisa-black@live.com with your details and I'll see if I can give you any opinions that might help.

what on going knowledge does your job keep up with.

Asked by amelia over 7 years ago

Our office gets journals from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the International Association for Identification, as well as smaller publications like newsletters for the Florida Division of the IAI and the one for the association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts.

If a person died from a bullet wound within an hour and his eyes are open and he was shot 24 more times will his eyes stay open or would they shut from muscle contractions. If alive with 1 shot, then shot 24 times will eyes be open or shut

Asked by Ggrreenn about 8 years ago

I have no idea. It could be either. It doesn't matter how many times they were shot. As far as I know it would only matter if their eyes were open or not at the moment they died, not what happened before or after they died.