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

What are the most common mistakes a killer/murderer that gets them caught?

Asked by bart white almost 9 years ago

The vast, vast majority of people who kill people didn't plan to kill someone, so they often leave fingerprints, blood, witnesses, text messages, and then come up with some sort of story that sounded good in their head but wouldn't fool a 6 year old.

What are most interesting cases you have been a part of or have studied?

Asked by bart white almost 9 years ago

Nothing that is nationally famous.

A girl was found dead in warf.When some one find the dead body her right hand was not touching ground,it was raised from surface.Also the body had the refreshness.Also her stomach contain the carrot ,it is known by postmortem report.say your thought

Asked by Abi about 9 years ago

Was she washed up out of the water or found on a dock or something? In the first case it wouldn't be interpretable because you can't know where the body was when rigor set in. In the second it might indicate that the body had been moved if the hand position wasn't consistent with where the body was found. I don't know what you mean by 'refreshness'. Stomach contents can help a pathologist estimate how long it had been between eating and time of death, though of course everyone's digestion rate is a little different. I hope that helps!

What college classes would benefit a forensic degree best? Biology, Chemistry ?

Asked by Sarah almost 9 years ago

That depends on what you want to go into. If you want toxicology, go with chemistry. If you want serology or DNA, go with biology. If crime scene, general forensic science.

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 9 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!

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 9 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.

Hi. Does the crime scene investigator lead the investigation? or does he collect the evidence and analyse it and pass it on to someone who leads the investigation/ interviews witnesses/ searches for the perpetrator etc? I want to work in field

Asked by Justyna over 8 years ago

Usually, as far as I know, the detective is in charge of the investigation. The CSI doens’t work for them but is there to provide technical support and advice, but ultimately, the detective has the final say. And unlike TV, the detectives are interviewing witnesses and deciding who to arrest. Best of luck!