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Side-by-side comparison of a bullet at a crime scene and one taken from suspect's gun.  GClark

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this is the bullet shot that killed JFK
Dior W.

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bullets get wrapped in a soft tissue and then put in either a box or a paper envelope, sometimes they get packed in plastic containers.
Dior W.

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when collecting the bullet, they wear gloves and then wrap it in the tissue and put it in a paper envelope or sometimes even a plastic ziploc bag.

Dior W.

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Firearm investigation is a specialty of forensic science focusing on the examination of firearms and related subjects. Closely linked to this is ballistics, which relates to the flight path of projectiles, often associated with forensic science during the investigation of firearms. This area of study examines the path of a bullet from when it leaves the firearm up until it strikes the target. During investigations in which the use of firearms is suspected, a number of artefacts may be collected for examination, including firearms, cartridge cases, bullets, live ammunition, trace materials, and any material damaged by a projectile.

The study of firearms and firearm ballistics is often divided in internal, external and terminal ballistics. Internal ballistics refers to the processes inside the firearm, the minute space of time between the shooter pulling the trigger and the bullet exiting the muzzle of the gun. Following this, external ballistics deals with the bullet's flight between leaving the firearm and striking a target. Finally, terminal ballistics, also known as impact ballistics, refers to the study of the projectile striking a target.

Firearm Mechanism
Although there is a wide range of types of firearm, the basic theory behind how a projectile is fired is fairly generic - the weapon aims to convert chemical energy into kinetic energy in order to expel a projectile from the firearm.

A round is first loaded and locked into the breach. This round consists of an outer cartridge case, a bullet, some form of propellant, and a percussion cap. The firing pin is generally mechanically restrained and, when the firearm is cocked, the firing pin spring is compressed. As the trigger is pulled, the hammer-mounted firing pin is forced forward to strike through a small hole in the breech face, hitting the primer cup. This contains a mixture of sensitive chemicals which rapidly burn, producing sufficient hot gases to ignite the propellant. As the gunpowder is ignited an expansion of gas occurs which, confined in a small space, eventually forces the bullet down the barrel of the firearm. Following discharge, a number of events regarding the used cartridge case may occur depending on the type of firearm. If the firearm is self-loading, a bolt will move back and pull the cartridge case out of the chamber, leading to it being ejected from the weapon. However in weapons such as revolvers, the cartridge will remain in the firearm until the shooter removes it.

The manner in which a firearm is loaded after each shot will vary depending on the type of weapon. Some firearms are bolt action, meaning a bolt ejects the spent cartridge and, when pushing forward, picks up a new cartridge and places it in the chamber, cocking the trigger during this process. Manual action firearms require manual reloading by means of a mechanical device such as lever or pump action. In recoil operated or blow back weapons, pressure generated by the ignited propellant drives back the bolt. Gas operated firearms include a gas port and, until the bullet has passed this point in the barrel, the bolt is locked. An amount of gas leaks into this port and unlocks the bolt, allowing it to move backwards. This ejects the spent cartridge case and loads another. Finally, in a revolving cylinder weapon, pressure on the trigger causes a cylinder containing the cartridges to rotate, positioning a new cartridge so that it may be fired.

Shotguns are available as either single-barrel of double-barrel. Single-barrel weapons can be further classified as single-shot, bolt-action, pump-action, lever-action or self-loading. Double-barrel shotguns encountered may contain a hinge at the barrel, allowing the shooter to open the weapon to reload cartridges. Both of these types of weapon are subject to having their barrel decreased by criminals, producing the "sawn-off" shotgun. The end of many shotgun barrels is designed to incorporate a feature known as the choke, which is a decrease in barrel diameter. This aims to focus the shot of pellets to ensure that they do not spread too much when fired. It is likely that different shotguns will express a difference degree of choke.

The ammunition of shotguns can differ quite considerably from one another. Modern cartridges consist of a metal base containing the primer and either plastic or paper sides with wads between the shot and propellant. Examination of wads, which leave the muzzle along with the shot fired, may indicate both the bore of the shotgun and even the manufacturer. Certain wads, namely those composed of plastic, may hold indentations which indicate the size of the pellet fired from the weapon.

Rifles may be single-shot, lever-action, pump-action, bolt-action or self-loading.

The mechanism of an air weapon is quite different. A piston is forced down a cylinder, often by a compressed spring. This creates a burst of high-pressure air which forces the projectile down the barrel and out of the weapon. Following each shot, the user manually compresses the spring in order to fire another shot. This action compresses the spring again, which is held along with the piston until the trigger is pulled to discharge the firearm. There are other forms of air weapon, such as pneumatic air guns, which do not pressurise the air at discharge but instead use pre-pressurised air.

Bullet Flight
Tracing the flight path of a bullet can provide important details during a forensic investigation, namely from what direction the projectile was fired. This is often vital in reconstructing the series of events throughout an incident. Establishing the path of a bullet may not be straightforward, as numerous factors must be taken into consideration. Air resistance and gravity affect the bullet's flight path, causing it to project in a downward arc rather than a straight line. Environmental conditions such as strong winds could additionally slightly alter a bullet's flight. How a bullet's flight will be affected will depend on the initial velocity of a bullet, as those with a higher velocity will be less influenced, as well as the shape of the bullet. Numerous factors can result in abnormal bullet flight characteristics.
Tumbling is a phenomenon relating to flight imbalance, caused when a bullet is subjected to defective rifling or has been damaged. Another problem is 'yaw', an effect referring to a bullet's deviation from a linear path. This can be caused by defective rifling, poor loading or a badly cast bullet. The choice and loading of bullet can also cause problems. If the user of the firearm loads the weapon with a bullet of incorrect calibre, the bullet may not achieve a spin rate that will ensure stability, resulting in excessive bore friction which ultimately leads to a low muzzle velocity. Incorrect bullet choice can also lead to an excessive bore velocity, causing the bullet to slide over bullet rifling and so resulting in a low spin rate.

Types of Firearm
In the UK, the Firearms Act 1968 describes a firearm as "a lethal barrelled weapon of any description, from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged". It includes 4 main classes of controlled weapons: firearms, shotguns, prohibited weapons and air weapons.

S1 - Firearms
This section covers a range of guns, including bolt action and straight pull rifles.

S2 - Shotguns
Shotguns are classed as smooth bore guns with a barrel at least 24 inches in length with a maximum diameter of 2 inches. It has no magazine or a non-detachable magazine which cannot hold more than two cartridges, and it is not a revolver gun. Anything other than this will be classed as an S5 weapon.

S5 - Prohibited Weapons
This section includes any firearm disguised as another object, rockets or ammunition not previously categorised, military ammunition and weapons, and machine guns to name a few. In 1997, an amendment was made to this act adding expanding ammunition, such as hollow point bullets, to S5.

Air Weapons
These spring, pre-charged pneumatic or carbon dioxide weapons are also controlled by this act. They use high-pressure air, often pressurised by a piston forced by a compressed spring, to push the projectile down and out of the barrel of the firearm.

All of the above categories can be further divided into a wide range of weapons, some of which are detailed below.

Semi-Automatic: Once cocked, this weapon will load itself from the magazine, which can hold dozens of. This allows for fast reload and so a high rate of fire.

Revolver: A revolver is a type of pistol which holds the ammo in a rotating drum, holding between 5 and 7 shots. After each shot, the cylinder is rotated and the next shot is aligned with the barrel. Its relatively short barrel means it is fairly inaccurate and it has a slow reload time.

Rifle: Essentially a long rifled barrel firearm primarily designed for relatively long range use in warfare or hunting. Rifles are available as single shot, self-loading, manual action, bolt action or automatic, though most commonly encountered are self-loading. Another form of rifle is the shorter barrelled assault rifle, commonly used in the military.

Submachine Gun: A fast-loading weapon with a high rate of fire, available as single shot or fully automatic. The inaccurate SMG is a magazine-fed weapon which can hold up to around 100 rounds, designed for continuous fire.

Machine Gun: This has a very high rate of fire with a fast reload time and great power. They are generally only used by the military.

Shotgun: A smooth bored, powerful weapon with a short range and low accuracy. It can fire a number of types of ammunition, including solid slugs or pellets. Although there are numerous types of shotgun, single or double barrel are most commonly encountered. Single barrel shotguns can be single shot, self-loading or manual action. The barrel is traditionally long but is sometimes shortened to produce a 'sawn-off' shotgun to aid concealment. The end of the barrel may be slightly tapered in order to reduce the shot from spreading as it leaves the muzzle of the firearm. This effect is known as the choke.

Bullets
One of the primary methods of categorising bullets is based on their calibre. Calibre refers to the diameter of the bullet, which can be expressed in various terms, including millimetres (metric system), inches (imperial system) or 100ths of an inch (American system). For example, a 9mm bullet may also be referred to as a 0.35 inch bullet or .35 calibre. However it must be taken into consideration that the calibre of a bullet does not necessarily prove the calibre of the weapon used to fire it, as on occasion a cartridge too large or two small may be used.

Bullets are generally composed of metal, although substances such as plastic or rubber may be used. The core of a bullet most commonly consists of lead, as it is very dense and yet easily moulded so as to produce a gas-tight seal in the barrel upon being fired. However this also means that it will easily become deformed on impact, therefore it is commonly combined with other materials, often copper, tin or antimony, to ensure it will withstand pressure.

The use of a lead bullet can also lead to a problem known as "leading", in which friction between the bullet and barrel results in the transfer of metal to the barrel, ultimately causing less accuracy. Therefore copper is frequently used to jacket the bullet to reduce the lead being deformed and improve the effects of rifling. For this reason lead is often combined with other metals such as copper, tin or antimony to strengthen the projectile. Lubrication may also be applied to the surface of the bullet. However these techniques can only reduce the problem of leading, therefore bullets are commonly enclosed in some form of 'jacket'.

A full metal jacket involves a metal such as copper being used to cover the entire outer surface of the bullet. Fully jacketed bullets often display high accuracy and penetration. Some bullets are semi-jacketed, with a partial copper covering with a hollow or blunt lead tip. In this case the nose of the bullet is exposed and this type of bullet can severely deform on impact into a 'mushroom shape', producing greater damage. Bullets may also be unjacketed, though these projectiles have a low muzzle velocity and do not penetrate deeply.

Shotgun cartridges differ significantly from bullets. They are generally loaded with pellets or shot, which are small, round metallic balls. Shotguns can also fire single, larger projectiles as well. The shotgun cartridge may also contain a number of wads, which are designed to provide a form of gas seal in the bore. These wads may be found at the scene or even embedded in the target, and can be chemically analysed to provide details of the propellant and primer.

Cartridges
The examination of cartridges, precisely-fitting metal cases containing the bullet, propellant and primer, can provide vital information to an investigation. The composition of most cartridge cases is brass, an alloy of zinc and copper, ideal due to its low density, though other metals may be used. Similar to calibre, chambering refers to the shape and size of a cartridge. The primer, held in the primer/percussion cap at the base of the cartridge case, consists of a small amount of explosive, a fuel and an oxidiser. Modern primers generally consist of lead styphnate, barium nitrate and antimony sulphide, though the substances used may vary. The propellant, often referred to as "gunpowder", is an explosive mixture designed to ignite and produce enough hot gas to force a projectile from the firearm.

In some instances cartridge cases may be found at the scene of a shooting, though this often depends on the type of gun used. As previously stated, self-loading handguns will eject the cases from the weapon, whereas revolvers retain the cartridges until the shooter manually removes them. However the absence of cartridge cases is not an accurate sign of the type of firearm used, as the perpetrator may have picked up the cases from the scene before leaving.

Initially, any cartridge cases retrieved from the scene should be accurately measured in all dimensions to aid future comparison. The examination of any cartridge cases found can provide clues as to the firearm used during the shooting. For example, cartridges designed for use in a revolver have projecting base rims, whereas those designed for self-loading firearms do not.

Cartridge cases also bear more distinguishing features that can be used to identify them. The headstamp is an indentation produced at the base of many cartridges during the manufacturing process. These markings can then be used to trace a cartridge back to the manufacturer and determine the make and type of the ammunition. Various sources are available to help identify headstamps. When the firing pin strikes the cartridge case, a characteristic indentation is caused that can be used to link cartridges to specific firearms, similar to the comparison of rifling marks (discussed below). Other markings that should be looked for include ejector, extractor and breech face marks. Firearms often have different firing pin, extractor and ejector designs, therefore the examination and comparison of marks produced by these implements can aid in establishing the firearm used. It should be noted that it is possible for cartridge cases to be reloaded with a new bullet and fresh propellant and primer and reused, in which case the cartridge may bear numerous additional markings. Furthermore, cartridge cases recovered from the shooting scene should be examined for fingerprints and similar forensic evidence.

Rifling
During the manufacturing process of firearm barrels, a series of spiralling lands and grooves is produced along the inside of the barrel, known as rifling. Land refers to the raised portion of these spiralling indentations, whereas the grooves are the lower portions between these lands. Rifling, which can be one of numerous types, will be cut with either a left or right hand twist, determining whether the bullet will spin clockwise or anticlockwise. As the bullet passes through the barrel, these markings cause the projectile to spin, increasing stability and accuracy whilst leaving characteristic marks on the bullet itself. The grooves present on the surfaces of bullets are unique to the barrel that caused them, making rifling patterns ideal in matching bullets to specific firearms. Bullets are often viewed side by side using a comparison microscope, allowing rifling patterns to be contrasted and any similarities noted. The type and number of spiral grooves, their measurements, and whether they rotate clockwise or anticlockwise can help narrow down the search for the weapon used. Measuring the calibre of a bullet and the angle of grooves can allow for the calculation of twists per metre and thus provide further details of the rifling of a particular firearm.

Serial Number Restoration
During the manufacturing process, legally produced firearms are stamped with a uniquely identifying serial number, usually on the barrel or action. These numbers are stamped into the firearm, a process which also impresses the digits below the surface of the metal. Even though criminals may attempt to erase these serial numbers to avoid the weapon being traced, it may be possible to restore these serial numbers to a state in which they are legible. Serial numbers are often erased by filing or grinding, which will not necessarily remove the digits below the surface. Alternatively the perpetrator may attempt to change the serial number. Various techniques and reagents have been used to successfully restore these original numbers.

Fry's Reagent is a substance composed of hydrochloric acid, copper(II) chloride, ethanol and water, commonly used on iron and steel. Other reagents are available for use on other types of metal. Initially the metal is polished to smooth the surface, a process which in itself may partially restore some of the digits. Following this, the etching reagent is then applied using a cotton swab, removing scratches and markings covering the numbers. This process can be repeated until the entire serial number is restored. However chemical etching methods can be very time consuming and are obviously damaging to the evidence.

An alternative method of restoring serial numbers on iron or steel is the Magnaflux method. As in the chemical etching method, the surface to be treated is first smoothed. A magnet is then attached behind the area and a mixture of iron filings mixed in a light oil is added to the surface. These minute metallic pieces will hopefully arrange themselves to visualise each digit. This technique is particularly beneficial due to its non-destructive nature, however it is not effective on all types of metal.

Similar to serial numbers are proof marks, markings imprinted on a firearm specific to the manufacturer or testing facility. These unique imprints are applied to a weapon before it is released and after any significant repair work is conducted on the firearm.

Gunshot Residues
When a firearm is discharged, a cloud of gases and fine particles is released composed of gunshot residues (GSR), sometimes referred to as firearms discharge particles (FDRs) or cartridge discharge residues (CDRs). The mixture will often contain both organic and inorganic particulates, the organic matter consisting of unburned and partially combusted propellant and inorganic matter produced by hot gases acting on the bullet. When released, these fine particles will settle on any nearby surfaces and are easily carried away from the scene. The presence of such residues can provide strong links between suspects or objects and the scene of a shooting, therefore various methods of detecting gunshot and other residues have been developed.

Gunshot residues are initially collected using swabbing, washing an item with dilute acid, film lifts or adhesive tape. Once collected, these resides can be analysed and compared both physically and chemically. Initially colour tests such as the paraffin test were previously used, though this lacked sensitivity and specificity so is no longer utilised. Further methods such as the Greiss test were developed to detect gunshot residues, however it was soon established that this technique was not sensitive enough and positive results could be caused by any nitrites.

Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy has been successfully utilised in visualising and detecting minute particles associated with firearms. This technique allows for the morphology of the particles to be observed and their chemical compositions established.

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is a technique primarily used for determining concentrations of elements and has been used in the analysis of residues from firearms. However the use of this technique is very expensive and requires access to a nuclear reactor which is not readily available to all organisations. Flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) largely replaced the use of NAA due to it having various advantages and costing a more reasonable price.

Distance Determination
When a weapon is discharged, various gunshot residues will be ejected onto any nearby surfaces. The examination of gunshot residue has been utilised in establishing the distance from which a firearm was discharged. For example, the closer a firearm is to the target, in theory the more concentrated the gunshot residue pattern will be, whereas shots fired from a greater distance will produce a more widespread pattern. Research has also been conducted into the study of the chemical composition of gunshot residues in determining firing distance. Analytical techniques have been used to analyse the elemental composition of gunshot residue produced during the discharge of a firearm at varying distances. Attempts have been made to produce a mathematical model by which firing distance can be determined based on the elements and their relative amounts present in the residue. However it should be taken into consideration that the use of gunshot residues in establishing firing distance can only give an estimated distance at best.

Shooting Scene Investigation
A number of points will be aimed to be established in regards to the scene of a shooting, namely the number of shots fired, the direction from which the projectiles originated, and the type of ammunition and firearm used. A thorough examination of a shooting scene is often vital to the accurate reconstruction of events. The exact location of spent bullets and cartridge cases and even the firearm itself should be thoroughly documented before the evidence is collected. Similarly, the location of any bullet damage should also be photographed and, if possible, collected. A post-mortem examination of victims may be required to retrieve bullets and fragments.

Suspects of shootings incidents may claim that the firearm was unintentionally discharged, either accidentally by the individual or through malfunction of the weapon. Various tests can be conducted on the suspect firearm to help establish the details of the shooting. Trigger pressure relates to the force required to pull a trigger and fire a weapon. In some cases firearms with light trigger pulls may result in accidental discharge, so by calculating the trigger pressure it may be possible to determine the likelihood that the trigger was accidentally pulled. Some firearms allow the user to select either normal trigger pull or light trigger pull (hair trigger); therefore it is also important to discover whether the firearm has this feature and which setting was selected. Firearms are often fitted with numerous safety mechanisms. The examination of the firearm should include the investigation of these mechanisms to conclude whether any of the safety features were malfunctioning. An investigation known as a jarring test may also be performed, in which the firearm is subjected to a series of impacts involving various surfaces and distances to determine whether the action could have resulted in the firearm being discharged.

Projectile-Surface Interactions
The effects caused when a bullet strikes the target will vary depending on numerous factors, particularly the material of the target.

Wood - When a bullet penetrates a wooden object, the entry hole will generally be neat but the exit hole will often be jagged and splintered. The type of wood will cause variations in the bullet hole, as hard wood does not usually display as much splintering.

Glass - The effects of a bullet on glass will vary significantly depending on the type of glass. Some forms of glass will simply shatter, whereas on other occasions the projectile will pass straight through it, leaving bullet holes. Laminated glass, such as that used in car windshields, is manufactured with a layer of plastic sandwiched in the middle. Therefore, if penetrated by a bullet, although the glass will break, it will often be held together in a sheet. Tempered glass will break into many small, dull pieces. Some forms of glass, namely used in banks or by the military, are bullet-resistant and will not generally shatter when fired at.

The velocity of the projectile will also produce varying effects. High velocity rounds often result in small, tidy holes with little glass fracturing, whereas low velocity bullets will cause more damage to the glass. Studying the radiating cracks formed around the bullet hole can also help determine the order of bullet impacts. If the radiating line meets a pre-existing fracture, it will stop, indicating it was produced after the pre-existing crack.

Metal - Depending on the type of metal the surface is composed off, the bullet may ricochet off the target, dent or become lodged in the material, or produce a bullet hole. If the bullet does penetrate the metal, the entry hole will generally be fairly neat. Any exit holes will project outward slightly in a funnel-like manner.

Fabric - Bullets tend to pass straight through fabrics, producing a bullet wipe ring and, if close enough, depositing gunshot residues around the bullet hole. Different types of fibre will be affected differently by the interaction with a bullet. Natural fabrics tend to tear, resulting in a frayed bullet hole edge, whereas synthetic fibres may melt slightly.

Firearm Examination
Before the examination of any firearm can be conducted, it must first be established that the weapon is not loaded and it is safe to handle. This check should be carried out by an appropriately trained individual. During the initial examination of a firearm, a number of details should be noted. This includes the state of the weapon when received, its type, the make and model, the serial number and any other unique engravings and anything else that the investigator deems important. It is vital to document whether the weapon was locked or cocked, the position of the safety catch, and how many cartridges remain in the firearm's cylinder or magazine.

In some instances it may be necessary to load and even test-fire a weapon into water or a gelatine block to obtain test bullets and cartridge cases, often for purposes of comparison with items of evidence. Again, this should only be carried out by a competent person in a safe environment, and at times it may be necessary to use a remote firing device rather than using the firearm by hand. When dealing with a self-loading weapon that ejects spent cartridge cases, the direction and distance travelled by ejected cartridges should be documented. Test-firing a suspect weapon should only occur once other forensic tests have been completed (fingerprinting, swabbing, etc). It may also be necessary to measure the trigger pressure of the weapon. Following this, the weapon should once again be checked to make sure it is not loaded before being returned to storage.

One of the primary focuses of the investigation of a firearm is often to establish whether or not the weapon was responsible for firing the shots in question. Various pieces of evidence recovered from the shooting scene can be used to establish this, including spent ammunition, cartridge cases, gunshot residues and the characteristics of wounds or other bullet damage. This evidence can help narrow down the search for the weapon used. For example, if scattered shotgun pellets are found at a scene, it is likely that investigators are looking for some form of shotgun. However it must be taken into account that weapons can be modified to fire a variety of ammunition, so the investigator should always keep an open mind.

Databases
Databases have been produced to store images of bullets and cartridge cases, allowing comparisons and matches to be made. In the UK, the Forensic Science Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers set up the National Firearms Forensic Intelligence Database, a system allowing information on weapons and firearms to be stored and analysed. This was later replaced by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service database. The FBI sponsors the database Drugfire, an automation nation system combining images input by users with a reference library.
Firearms Act 1968 Jackson, A. R. W, Jackson, J. M., 2011. Forensic Science. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. White, P. C., 2004. Crime Scene to Court: The Essentials of Forensic Science. Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry. 1 - Almeida, A A. Magaljaes, T. Santos, A. Sousa, A V. Vieira, D N. Firing Distance Estimation through the Analysis of the Gunshot Residue Deposit Pattern Around the Bullet Entrance Hole by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry - An Experimental Study. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. 2007, 28(1), 24-30.

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Firearm investigation is a specialty of forensic science focusing on the examination of firearms and related subjects. Closely linked to this is ballistics, which relates to the flight path of projectiles, often associated with forensic science during the investigation of firearms. This area of study examines the path of a bullet from when it leaves the firearm up until it strikes the target.

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IBIS Dior W.

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IBIS BULLETTRAX

The world's most advanced bullet acquisition station
BULLETTRAX is the bullet acquisition component of IBIS. It digitally captures the surface of a bullet in 2D and 3D, providing a topographic model of the marks around its circumference.
The BULLETTRAX acquisition station enables entry of bullet information onto an IBIS network. It provides the microscopic surface details and macroscopic shape of bullets, and uses intelligent surface-tracking technology to automatically adapt to deformations on damaged and fragmented bullets.

The acquisition process is fully automated after an initial user setup. This reduces the amount of operator training required, and produces consistent image quality and optimal correlation performance.

BULLETTRAX features:

Custom-designed 3D sensor technology: The sensor captures high-definition 3D topography at the submicron level providing consistent image quality and optimal correlation performance for the specific characteristics of bullets. The sensor is tolerant towards imperfect mounting and ensures a high acquisition-completion rate.

Acquisition of Damaged and Pristine Bullets: The new BULLETTRAX is equipped with intelligent surface tracking that automatically adapts to deformations of damaged and fragmented bullets. Pristine and damaged bullets can be acquired in 11 - 13 minutes. Conventional, polygonal and unrifled bullets in all calibers ranging from 0.17 to 0.50 can be acquired.

Simple Bullet Mounting Process: The mounting jig makes it easy to precisely mount pristine bullets on the stubs. A set of 10 customized stubs facilitates easy mounting of bullets of various calibers as well as damaged bullets that are typically difficult to mount.

Pilot cameras: Two pilot cameras provide a real-time view of the mounted bullet. This allows for easy repositioning and direct image adjustments and eliminates the guesswork in positioning and navigating the bullet surface. The mounted bullet is set up for acquisition in a few clicks.

Wide Field of View: The field of view captures 2.8 mm surface area of the base of the bullet which provides more surface information to view and analyze. The large viewing context is especially useful for damaged bullets with a deformed base.

Intuitive user interface: The interface is very intuitive and takes the user through the process step-by-step. Combined with the simple bullet mounting and acquisition process, it significantly increases operational efficiency and allows users to rapidly attain and maintain proficiency.

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IBIS BULLETTRAX - Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology

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The IBIS® | BULLETTRAX acquisition station enables entry of bullet information onto an IBIS network. BULLETTRAX captures high-resolution 2D images and 3D topographic information of a bullet's lands and grooves. It produces an image strip representing a bullet's 360-degree circumference or a combination of regions from bullet fragments.

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Pamela Shelly
Roy McCaleb

Dior W.

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BOSTON — Ballistics tests have made a preliminary match between the bullets that killed an aspiring model here and a gun found in the home of Philip Markoff, the 23-year-old medical student who is charged with her murder, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said investigators were still awaiting final test results. The aspiring model, Julissa Brisman, who offered her services as a masseuse on Craigslist, was killed on April 14 in a hotel here.

Philip Markoff's lawyer, John Salsberg, spoke to reporters on Friday. Credit... Steven Senne/Associated Press

Mr. Markoff's family visited him in jail Friday for the first time. His parents, Richard Markoff and Susan Haynes, met with him for nearly two hours at the Nashua Street Jail, where officials said he was on suicide watch.

Soon after Mr. Markoff's parents left, his brother, Jon, and his sister-in-law, Deanna, entered for a two-hour visit. The family did not comment.

John Salsberg, Mr. Markoff's lawyer, told reporters that Mr. Markoff's parents "remain very concerned about him, but they really ask all of you respect their privacy."

Mr. Salsberg said the family came Friday because he believed it was the first day they were allowed to visit. Officials said Mr. Markoff was being monitored around the clock and held apart from the general population.

Philip Markoff's parents, Richard Markoff, rear, and Susan Haynes at jail on Friday. Credit... Steven Senne/Associated Press

Ms. Brisman's mother, Carmen Guzman, released a statement Friday saying her family was "devastated" by Ms. Brisman's death. Ms. Brisman, who Ms. Guzman said wanted to be a counselor, would have turned 26 on Friday.

"The feeling of losing my daughter in this way, and the pain she must have felt will haunt me for the rest of my life. She won't live to see her dreams," Ms. Guzman said in the statement. "We are a close family, and Julissa called us every day. We won't be getting those calls anymore."

Ms. Guzman said she was glad someone had been arrested in connection with the crime.

Mr. Markoff on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. He is also charged with robbing at gunpoint here another masseuse he met on Craigslist.

On Thursday, a law enforcement official in Rhode Island said that a fingerprint found at the hotel where an exotic dancer was held at gunpoint last week matched that of Mr. Markoff. The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the match ensured that Mr. Markoff would be charged in the Rhode Island attack. That victim, who had also advertised services on Craigslist, told the police that she had been held at gunpoint by a man who demanded money but fled when her husband returned to their room at the Holiday Inn Express in Warwick.

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Gun Matches Bullets in Craigslist Murder Case (Published 2009)

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BOSTON - Ballistics tests have made a preliminary match between the bullets that killed an aspiring model here and a gun found in the home of Philip Markoff, the 23-year-old medical student who is charged with her murder, a law enforcement official said Friday.

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Methods of collecting bullets

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Firearms & Toolmarks

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The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners

Professional organization of firearm/toolmark examiners. Public website with members-only section. Forums allow members to conduct bullet searches and ask other general questions to colleagues. Parts of the website are publicly accessible; there is also a members-only section. Website forums with discussion topics among professional firearm/toolmark examiners. There is also an image gallery containing headstamp photos with relevant information on bullet and manufacturer, organized by letter, number, symbol or picture on headstamp. There are 622 samples in the reference gallery.

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CartWinPro
Ammunition

CartWin Pro (Germany, commercial)

Databases of headstamp, caliber measurements, color code references, cartridge records, manufacturer info, and specimen photos of various bullets. Designed for use by police/forensic experts, military specialist, government facilities, firearms and ammunition experts, museums or other institutions. All information can be purchased as a stand-alone database. Information on the records in each of the databases:- Headstamp (~18,640 headstamps): origin, manufacturer, meaning of the individual codes, and a picture of the headstamp.- Manufacturer (~2,090 manufacturers): address, homepage, email, phone, information about the company, type of manufacturer, and a picture of the company's logo.- Caliber (~1,290 caliber / ~4,630 caliber synonyms): measurements of the cartridge by length and diameter, caliber synonyms, intention, and other information about its history, availability, and firearms used in the caliber.- Color Code (~2,360 color codes) information of the tip, mouth, base, and annulus colors, shapes and the meaning of them in conjunction with the caliber.- Collection (~4,460 cartridges): complete cartridges with headstamp, color codes, manufacturer, caliber information, additional cartridge information (weight, materials, color of compounds, etc.), and pictures of the headstamp, complete cartridge, packing, label, and other details.- There are also ~12,300 specimen photos.

The best way for US agencies to contact the CartWinPro team with sales and information questions is by email. The database and updates are provided to users on CD.

CartWinPro allows searches in any of its databases in order to identify the specimen. The databases are: Headstamp, Manufacturer, Caliber, Color Code, and Collection. All databases can be searched on every field and information displayed. The search fields can easily be combined by the user to his specific needs. Once a record is found, the user can quickly check and see if other records are related.

Samples and information are collected from a variety of sources, including:- Law enforcement laboratory and private collections- International firearms and ammunition shows- Directly from manufacturers- From the field (the POC is a competitive shooter at the international level)- Feedback from customers and law enforcement laboratories

Digital records. Physical samples are either kept in the CartWinPro team's own collection or returned to the owner.

Axel Manthei
CartWinPro -
The Ammunition
Database
Manthei-Mess-Systeme
Albrecht - Nützel-
Weg 29
86916 Kaufering
Tel +49-(0)8191-66704
Fax +49-(0)8191-973326

General Rifling Chracteristics (GRC)

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- FBI Laboratory

Database of firearms including class characteristics. GRC are the identified rifling pattern and the diameters of the individual lands and grooves. Using these parameters, firearm examiners can search through a database of known rifling data. The resulting search helps the investigator narrow down the search for the unknown firearm. The CD version is available to all law enforcement agencies, and is published and distributed bi-annually. The database contains over 15,000 firearms.

The FBI can access the MS Access version via internal servers. The database is available to other LEAs via CD distribution.

Samples are obtained through volunteer field contributions as well as active input by GRC manager. New specimens are verified before being entered into GRC.

Digital records; physical samples stored at the FBI Lab.

National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) & Integrated
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

NIBIN is the ATF program that administers automated ballistic imaging technology for NIBIN partners in the United States that have entered into a formal agreement with ATF to enter ballistic information into NIBIN. The program utilizes IBIS (a commercial ballistics imaging and identification system) as a platform. The topographical features of fired ammunition recovered from a crime scene or a crime gun test fire are assigned an algorithm. This is referred to as an acquisition. New acquisitions are compared against prior acquisitions stored on the server. NIBIN partners have completed more than two million acquisitions.

Partners use IBIS to acquire digital images of markings on cartridge cases and bullets. Images are compared against earlier NIBIN entries (acquisitions) via electronic image comparison. If likely matches emerge, firearms examiners analyze original evidence piece to confirm the match. Law enforcement agencies seeking to join the NIBIN partnership with ATF must agree to submit fired ammunition, evidence from crime scenes, and test fires of crime guns.

Acquisitions are made by NIBIN partners using IBIS, and are collected at a crime scene or crime gun test fire.

Digital records; The ATF packages up physical samples are sends them back to the submitting agency once the acquisition is made.

Tim Curtis
Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms,
and Explosives (ATF)
Chief, Laboratory/
Operations/Acting Manager NIBIN
202.648.6301
Timothy.Curtis [at] atf.gov

Reference Ammunition File (RAF)

Ammunition

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- FBI Laboratory

A searchable Microsoft Access database is used by employees to help determine what type of ammunition has been submitted in forensic casework. Actual samples of the ammunition are used to test fire submitted firearms. No cost to access. Other LEAs can access the information but the Firearms/Toolmarks Unit. The Reference Ammunition file contains over 16,000 ammunition samples. The collection is kept in two parts:1) For each designated sample with unique number, the FBI has one full sample and one disassembled sample.2) A collection with test ammunition for each sample with unique number is kept separately.

There are two ways to access: 1) Phone or email with information (photos, headstamp, weight, and other characteristics). FBI Firearms/Toolmarks Unit will send back a list of possible matches. 2) Member of investigating agency brings in or ships items for traditional laboratory examination. Results are contained in written Report of Examination.

Yearly purchases constrained by Firearms/Toolmarks Unit supply budget. Otherwise sporadic.

Digital records; physical samples available for test fires by the FBI Lab.

Doug Murphy
Federal Bureau
of Investigations,
FBI Laboratory
703.632.7237
douglas.murphy@
ic.fbi.gov

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Forensic Database Firearms and Toolmarks Table

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Official websites use .gov A.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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Three years passed before the next victim. Found in Kitsap county, northwest of Seattle on August 25th, 1995. The nude body of 60 year old Patricia L. Barnes. The body was partially covered in foliage from a different area. A hair curler was found at the scene. A second pile of

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Should be collected in separated paper bags- Jason N.

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Work in any branch of a Forensics, when you are called to the scene, you are obliged to check all the evidence. As all occupations have their own special uniforms, clothes, and tools, all subcategories of forensics are not excluded from this category. Since Forensic jobs like Crime scene investigators, forensic engineering, forensic scientist and etc., are very sensitive, they should have special clothes and tools.

Because collecting physical evidence such as blood and hair samples as well as keeping them requires special tools. As a result, every day, the number of required tools is increased and scientists are taken to help advance these devices and equipment. For instance, if the scene is murder, the device used to collect evidence with the scene, such as rape or factory fire, is completely different.

In this paper, you will get more information about the most common forensic tools used in the crime scene.

There are some items that are similar in almost all forensic jobs. When they are called to the scene, they should wear disposable gloves, protecting clothes, disposable hygiene face mask, disposable shoe covers, hair covering and safety eye wear glasses.

They also bring themselves the following tools:

crime scene tape

magnifier

flashlight

tweezers

swab

paper sacks and envelopes

measuring tools

orange evidence flags

adhesive lint roller

portable infrared, laser or ultraviolet light

Digital camera

voice recorder

sketchpad, logbooks, and pens

Special Tools

On the other hand, there are other special tools, are not used by all subcategories. For example, fingerprint kit is used by crime scene investigators to collect different fingerprint samples. This tool includes fluorescent powder which can demonstrate under infrared, laser or ultraviolet light. CSIs use some brushes especially ones that made of fiberglass and camel-hair to clean the surface they want to collect fingerprint sample.

Laser Trajectory

This tool can be useful in specifying the path of a bullet or other projectile. Also, it can determine the direction and angle of the source or possible bullet impact sites.

The laser caused a revolution to replace the string. The laser trajectory contains:

Forensic Lab Equipment

There is a wide range of workloads are done in the forensic laboratories including analyzing trace evidence, identifying fingerprints, DNA sample, blood, and hair sample, evaluating body fluids, analyzing drugs or perilous chemicals as well as toxic substances and more.

According to the kinds of forensic analysis that is being carried out, there are a variety of tools available. But the most common tools in a forensic lab are:

Laboratory Microscopes

Portable/ Laboratory Fume Extractor

GC System

Mass Spectrometers

Laboratory containers

When the scene and location of crime are announced, the process of collecting evidence can begin. The most fragile or most easily lost evidence is collected firstly. Gathering evidence is not always in one place. Gathering can also be done in different places for one crime or event. At all stages of the process, photographing is also taking place.

After collecting evidence, they must be kept on the side that will not be harmed and transferred to the laboratory safely.

Most of the evidence is gathered in paper containers such as packets, envelopes, and bags. Liquid items such as blood or drinks are poured in non-breakable, leakproof containers. Air-tight metal cans are used to keep Arson evidence.

Moist or wet evidence such as plants is kept in plastic containers. When CSI makes sure that they are in a safe place, the wet evidence, packed in plastic or paper, should be removed and let it dry completely and then put in a clean container of dry paper. Under no circumstances, the wet evidence must not keep in the plastic or paper container for more than 2 hours. Because wet evidence can lead to producing microorganisms that can spoil and change them. Any items that may be connected to each other should be packaged separately. Containers must be closed and prevented from mixing evidence during transportation to labs.

Collecting Types of Evidence

Fingerprints and also palm prints and bare footprints

One of the most important evidence in the crime scene is the fingerprint, which requires a suspect's fingerprint as well as fingerprints removed from the victim for comparison.

Injury and bruising marks

Injury and bruising or biting marks are found many times in sexual assaults. These signs are always taken photos at different angles and conditions. The number of photographs, the better the result. Some of the older Injury and bruising or biting marks are no longer visible on the skin can sometimes be visualized and photographed using UV light and intermittent light sources.

A broken fingernail collected at a crime scene can be for the person who has been present in that area several months ago before committing a crime. Broken nails should be placed in a paper packet and then in a paper envelope.

Finding specific manuscripts can be collected and reviewed and processed for fingerprints. They should be gathered in paper containers.

Moist or wet evidence such as Blood and body fluids are kept in plastic containers for 2 hours.

Firearm and tool mark evidence

Bullets and casings explored at the crime scene may belong to a suspected gun or they were sent to the lab to identify the gun model. Note that firearms should be safe before posting to a crime lab. The firearm must be collected in an envelope or paper bag. The ammunition and magazine should be gathered in a separate envelope or paper bag.

Casings and bullets are collected in paper envelopes or small cardboard pillboxes. If any sharp objects such as knife found, the blade and point must be kept in unmovable cardboard and put in a paper bag or envelope.

Shoe prints and tires of the suspect can be reviewed to know what type of shoes or tires to search according to suspect's residence or vehicles.

Hair at the scene can be collected in a paper packet and then put in an envelope.

Fibers can be gathered in a paper packet and put in an envelope.

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Collecting the Evidence: The Most Common Forensic Work Tools - Vollmer Institute

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Work in any branch of a Forensics, when you are called to the scene, you are obliged to check all the evidence. As all occupations have their own special uniforms, clothes, and tools, all subcategories of forensics are not excluded from this category.

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Jason N.

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The data base that a bullet is entered in is the NIBIN database - Jason N.

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What Is NIBIN and How Is It Used?

When a gun is made, the manufacturing equipment etches microscopic markings - somewhat like fingerprints - onto the gun's metal parts. These markings, called tool marks, are transferred to a bullet or cartridge case when the gun is fired.

When law enforcement investigates crimes in which firearms are used, ballistic imaging of such bullets and cartridge cases can be important in solving crime.

NIBIN is a national database of digital images of spent bullets and cartridge cases that were found at crime scenes or test-fired from confiscated weapons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) manages the system and provides the equipment to crime labs around the country.

A firearms examiner uses ballistic imaging to convert the spent rounds into two- or three-dimensional digital images that are uploaded into NIBIN. NIBIN can be searched for possible matches - that is, other rounds that have similar tool marks and thus may have been fired from the same gun. After a possible match, or "hit" is identified, the crime lab secures the actual spent round(s) and compares them under a microscope to confirm the hit. Then, the lab sends information on the hit (a hit report) to investigators.

A NIBIN hit report has many potential tactical and strategic uses for law enforcement. Law enforcement investigators can use it to link crimes, which can help to identify suspects. They can also use it to understand patterns of gun crime, such as gun sharing and trafficking.

Research on NIBIN

In response to an open solicitation for research on the social-science ramifications of forensic-based technologies, NIJ funded an evaluation of the operation of NIBIN.

To learn how crime investigators use NIBIN, the researchers gathered data on hits from all 150 NIBIN sites and more detailed data on hits at 19 sites around the country. The researchers also conducted a national survey of crime labs and carried out in-depth interviews with crime lab personnel and investigators at 10 NIBIN sites.

The researchers' findings indicate that NIBIN has much untapped potential to solve crimes. Although some sites made excellent use of NIBIN and found it to be an extremely useful tool in helping to solve gun-related crime, the researchers noted that, at the time of the study, many sites were not taking full advantage of NIBIN.

The researchers determined that there was large variation between NIBIN sites - a matter of hundreds of days - in the amount of time it took to process ballistic evidence and identify hits. Long delays mean that once a hit report is sent from the crime lab to law enforcement, it might be too late to aid a particular investigation. The researchers also found that sites in areas with the most gun crime entered the most evidence into NIBIN and generated the most hits, but other sites used NIBIN very little. Regardless, hits often did not contain data, such as the location the cartridge was found, that might aid investigators. Finally, the researchers found that many investigators and prosecutors who used NIBIN hits did not provide feedback to the crime lab on how useful the hits were to their investigations - a missed opportunity to improve the system.

The researchers made numerous recommendations for improving NIBIN's utility for crime-solving. These include ways to reduce delays in evidence processing, adding data elements to the system, and creating opportunities for training and professional development to improve the tactical and strategic value of the system.

Finally, in their executive summary, the researchers note that they briefed ATF officials on their findings at the conclusion of the study, at which time ATF outlined steps it was undertaking to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NIBIN. The researchers added that, although "impressed" with recent progress made on the NIBIN program, "We question the sustainability of these changes, however, given the severe fiscal constraints facing ATF."

About This Article

The research described in this article was funded by NIJ award 2010-DN-BX-0001, awarded to Sam Houston State University. This article is based on the grantee report "Opening the Black Box of NIBIN: A Descriptive Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Use of NIBIN and Its Effects on Criminal Investigations, Final Report" (pdf, 116 pages).

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Law Enforcement Use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)

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What Is NIBIN and How Is It Used? When a gun is made, the manufacturing equipment etches microscopic markings - somewhat like fingerprints - onto the gun's metal parts. These markings, called tool marks, are transferred to a bullet or cartridge case when the gun is fired.

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Jason N.

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At 3:19 in the morning on October 24, 2002, to be exact, the FBI closed in on the snipers and their 1990 Chevy Caprice.

During the month, 10 people had been randomly gunned down and three critically injured while going about their everyday lives-mowing the lawn, pumping gas, shopping, reading a book. Among the victims was one of our own-FBI intelligence analyst Linda Franklin, who was felled by a single bullet while leaving a home improvement store in Virginia with her husband.

The massive investigation into the sniper attacks was led by the Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department, headed by Chief Charles Moose, with the FBI and many other law enforcement agencies playing a supporting role. Chief Moose had specifically requested our help through a federal law on serial killings.

FBI evidence experts survey a crime scene in the case

That morning, the hunt for the snipers quickly came to an end, when a team of Maryland State Police, Montgomery County SWAT officers, and agents from our Hostage Rescue Team arrested the sleeping John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo without a struggle.

Just a few hours earlier, at approximately 11:45 p.m., their dark blue 1990 Chevy Caprice-bearing the New Jersey license plate NDA-21Z, which had been widely publicized on the news only hours earlier-had been spotted at a rest stop parking lot off I-70 in Maryland (see photos right). Within the hour, law enforcement swarmed the scene, setting up a perimeter to check out any movements and make sure there'd be no escape.

What evidence experts from the FBI and other police forces found there was both revealing and shocking. The car had a hole cut in the trunk near the license plate (see photo below, left) so that shots could be fired from within the vehicle. It was, in effect, a rolling sniper's nest.

Also found in the car were:

The Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle that had been used in each attack;

A rifle's scope for taking aim and a tripod to steady the shots;

A backseat that had the sheet metal removed between the passenger compartment and the trunk, enabling the shooter to get into the trunk from inside the car;

The Chevy Caprice owner's manual with-the FBI Laboratory later detected-written impressions of the one of the demand notes;

The digital voice recorder used by both Malvo and Muhammad to make extortion demands;

A laptop stolen from one of the victims containing maps of the shooting sites and getaway routes from some of the crime scenes; and
Maps, walkie-talkies, and many more items.

Both Malvo and Muhammad were convicted at trial or pled guilty in multiple court cases in Maryland and Virginia. Both were sentenced to life without parole; Muhammad also received the death penalty in Virginia.

Timeline of Terror
October 2: Man killed while crossing a parking lot in Wheaton, Maryland
October 3: Five more murders, four in Maryland and one in D.C.
October 4: Woman wounded while loading her van at Spotsylvania Mall
October 7: 13-year-old-boy wounded at a school in Bowie, Maryland
October 9: Man murdered near Manassas, Virginia, while pumping gas
October 11: Man shot dead near Fredericksburg, Virginia, while pumping gas
October 14: FBI analyst Linda Franklin killed near Falls Church, Virginia
October 19: Man wounded outside a steakhouse in Ashland, Virginia
October 22: A bus driver, the final victim, killed in Aspen Hill, Maryland
October 24: Muhammad and Malvo arrested in Maryland

Breaking the Case
It was just another fall evening in the nation's capital-until a sniper's bullet struck down a 55-year-old man in a parking lot in Wheaton, Maryland. By 10 o'clock the next morning-October 3, 2002-four more people within a few miles of each other had been similarly murdered.

The attacks were soon linked, and a massive multi-agency investigation was launched, led by the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland.

Within days, the FBI alone had some 400 agents around the country working the case. We'd set up a toll-free number to collect tips from the public, with teams of new agents in training helping to work the hotline. Our evidence experts were asked to digitally map many of the evolving crime scenes, and our behavioral analysts helped prepare a profile of the shooter for investigators. We'd also set up a Joint Operations Center to help Montgomery County investigators run the case.

But the big break in the case came, ironically, from the snipers themselves.

On October 17, a caller claiming to be the sniper phoned in to say, in a bit of an investigative tease, that he was responsible for the murder of two women (actually, only one was killed) during the robbery of a liquor store in Montgomery, Alabama, a month earlier.

Hole in the trunk of the D.C. sniper's car used to shoot victims

That set in motion a chain of events that led to the capture of John Muhammad and Lee Malvo four days later, ending 23 days of random attacks in the Washington, D.C, area.

Here's how the investigation played out:

Investigators soon learned that a crime similar to the one described in the call had indeed taken place-and that fingerprint and ballistic evidence were available from the case.

An agent from our office in Mobile gathered that evidence and quickly flew to Washington, D.C., arriving Monday evening, October 21. While ATF handled the ballistic evidence, we took the fingerprint evidence to the FBI Laboratory (then located at our Headquarters).

The following morning, our fingerprint database produced a match-a magazine dropped at the crime scene bore the fingerprints of Lee Boyd Malvo from a previous arrest in Washington State. We now had a suspect...

The arrest record provided another important lead, mentioning a man named John Allen Muhammad. One of our agents from Tacoma recognized the name from a tip called into that office on the case. A second suspect...

Our work with ATF agents revealed that Muhammad had a Bushmaster .223 rifle in his possession, a federal violation since he'd been served with a restraining order to stay away from his ex-wife. That enabled us to charge him with federal weapons violations. And with Malvo clearly connected, the FBI and ATF jointly obtained a federal material witness warrant for him. The legal papers were now in our hands...

Meanwhile, on October 22, we searched our criminal records database and found that Muhammad had registered a blue Chevy Caprice with the license plate of NDA-21Z in New Jersey. That description was given to the news media and shared far and wide, leading to the arrest of the two snipers.

That was the end of the attacks, but not our role in the case. We spent many more hours gathering evidence and preparing it for court-work that ultimately paid off in the convictions of both Malvo and Muhammad.

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Beltway Snipers | Federal Bureau of Investigation

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At 3:19 in the morning on October 24, 2002, to be exact, the FBI closed in on the snipers and their 1990 Chevy Caprice. During the month, 10 people had been randomly gunned down and three critically injured while going about their everyday lives-mowing the lawn, pumping gas, shopping, reading a book.

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https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/packagingfirearms.html#:~:text=The%20weapon%20is%20rendered%20safe%20and%20fumed%20in,firearm%20to%20secure%20it%20in%20place%20during%20transport.

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Mike Byrd
Miami-Dade Police Department
Crime Scene Investigations

Choosing the Proper Packaging Medium

In methods of evidence collection the proper handling, packaging and transporting of the individual items of evidence is extremely important for the evidence preservation. Choosing the wrong packaging medium can cause the risk of valuable evidence destruction. One of the main goals of the crime scene investigator or evidence recovery technician remains identification and the recovery of any evidence that will assist in that identification process. In recovering firearms, aside from the ballistics examination and analysis, there is the probability for recovery of fingerprints that will lead to the person who had the last contact with that firearm.

The first duty of the investigator recovering a firearm or weapon is personal safety and the safety of anyone who will come into the custody of the item of evidence. The investigator then has the duty to preserve the potential evidence the item may reveal.

Many times the actions of the few can dictate the policy making effecting the many. One such policy making incident recently occurred. Having the access and ease of a local lab facility allows us to collect the evidence at the scene, transport it to our office for proper packaging and submission of the item through direct contact with the disciplines that will do the particular individual analysis.

The incident involved a firearm submitted with the weapon not being rendered safe. You can imagine the uproar that an incident of this magnitude would generate. Like the employee, the departments or agencies top priority always remains safety and safety related issues. Often times an incident such as this will dictate a spin off of policy making without the aspects of all goals and objects being given careful scrutiny and consideration.

The results of the policy making initiated were that all weapons be submitted with a flex-cuff attached to the top strap of a revolver, or through the slide and ejection port of a semi- automatic to assure the weapon is rendered safe. This was a good policy. The second policy required that all weapons collected be superglued at the scene prior to collection. This was another good policy. The third required policy to be effected directed the weapon to be placed and submitted in clear plastic, to allow the technician taking custody of the weapon to view the weapon assuring its safety.

This final portion of the policy making change was questionable. I foresee no effect on the evidence if the weapon is being submitted or routed to the discipline for ballistic type analysis. If the weapon is being submitted for the purpose of fingerprint recognition or collection analysis this presents a dilemma. I can already hear the teeth grinding from you savvy veteran investigators.

Experience and knowledge tells us that any item with the potential of latent fingerprint evidence, even if the prints have been fixed with superglue in the field, should not be placed and packaged in plastic. The friction from the item rubbing around inside the plastic packaging material will create an ability of scratching, removing and damaging any latent prints. Clear minds and creative thinking have to prevail.

This is where knowledge, experience, and innovative thinking comes into the decision making process. Each party involved has to be able to accomplish the full goal and objective through thought out revisions in policy making. Further reading will give an example of teamwork at its best conclusion.

The weapon is rendered safe and fumed in a chamber with superglue at the scene. A sturdy box is used as the collection and packaging medium. Several slits are put into the bottom of the box. This allows flex-cuffs to be inserted through the slits in the box to create safety straps around the firearm to secure it in place during transport. The top flaps on the box are removed and replaced with a sheet of clear plastic. Several small holes can be placed in the plastic to allow further ventilation into the box, if it is needed. The purpose of the clear top in the box is to create a viewing port that allows the receiving technician to verify the safely submission of the weapon. Everyone has now achieved each and every goal without compromise.

Submission of weapons not able to render safe

Often times the investigator will be called upon to collect a gun that is rusted, jammed, or in a corrosive condition and cannot be rendered in a safe condition. We use a specially constructed gun box in this situation. The gun box is constructed with steel walls designed for protection during transportation from the scene and through the various disciplines of the lab.

The bottom of the gun box is designed with a pegboard and removable pegs for securing the weapon in place. If you use something like this please be sure not to insert a peg inside the trigger guard. The box is designed to avoid any opportunity of an accidental discharge during transport.

Learn to use the knowledge and experience to work within policy and change that will benefit everyone. We are human. Over the course of a career mistakes will be made. The idea is to minimize and limit the mistakes that will be made. Be safe.....

About the Author

Mike Byrd (1955-2005) joined the Miami-Dade County Police Department in 1983 and started with the Crime Scene Investigations Bureau in 1987. He took an exceptionally active part in the science of forensic crime scene investigations, including development of new techniques, publishing methodology of crime scene procedures, and teaching. Mike developed new techniques for gathering and cataloging crime scene evidence including the lifting of fingerprints, vehicle tire impressions, and footwear impressions.

Mike's methods and analysis withstood the scrutiny of the criminal justice process. He published more than thirty crime scene articles on crime scene evidence collection and for the International Association for Identification and was awarded The Good of the Association Award in 2002 for his innovative identification methodology and techniques. He taught crime scene investigation procedures and techniques at police departments around the country and took great pride at instructing smaller Florida police departments in the latest techniques in evidence gathering.

Mike performed the tough detailed oriented forensic work at many major crime scenes and disasters over two-decades. He gathered, processed, and identified the DNA evidence used to convict the Tamiami Strangler for a string of heinous murders in 1994. His thoughtful gathering of evidence at the Valujet crash allowed families to reach closure for the deaths of loved ones.

Mike Byrd died after a more than two year battle with multiple myeloma cancer. Annually, the Police Officer Assistance Trust awards the Mike Byrd Crime Scene Investigation Scholarship in his honor.

Articles by Mike Byrd

Article submitted by the author
Article posted March 2, 2000

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The first duty of the investigator recovering a firearm or weapon is personal safety and the safety of anyone who will come into the custody of the item of evidence. The investigator then has the duty to preserve the potential evidence the item may reveal.

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https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/CAfirearms.pdf

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https://www.nist.gov/oles/forensic-database-firearms-and-toolmarks-table

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Official websites use .gov
A.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Biology Biometrics Chemistry/Toxicology Environmental Fire & Explosives Firearms & Toolmarks Questioned Documents
Technology/Digital Evidence Trace Evidence Other

Firearms & Toolmarks

AFTE Website
Headstamps

The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners

Professional organization of firearm/toolmark examiners. Public website with members-only section. Forums allow members to conduct bullet searches and ask other general questions to colleagues. Parts of the website are publicly accessible; there is also a members-only section. Website forums with discussion topics among professional firearm/toolmark examiners. There is also an image gallery containing headstamp photos with relevant information on bullet and manufacturer, organized by letter, number, symbol or picture on headstamp. There are 622 samples in the reference gallery.

Access through the URL. Membership information is available online.

Contributed by AFTE members.

Digital records.

Jay Stuart,
Webmaster
Albuquerque Police
Department
5350 2nd St. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107
505.823.4260

CartWinPro
Ammunition

CartWin Pro (Germany, commercial)

Databases of headstamp, caliber measurements, color code references, cartridge records, manufacturer info, and specimen photos of various bullets. Designed for use by police/forensic experts, military specialist, government facilities, firearms and ammunition experts, museums or other institutions. All information can be purchased as a stand-alone database. Information on the records in each of the databases:- Headstamp (~18,640 headstamps): origin, manufacturer, meaning of the individual codes, and a picture of the headstamp.- Manufacturer (~2,090 manufacturers): address, homepage, email, phone, information about the company, type of manufacturer, and a picture of the company's logo.- Caliber (~1,290 caliber / ~4,630 caliber synonyms): measurements of the cartridge by length and diameter, caliber synonyms, intention, and other information about its history, availability, and firearms used in the caliber.- Color Code (~2,360 color codes) information of the tip, mouth, base, and annulus colors, shapes and the meaning of them in conjunction with the caliber.- Collection (~4,460 cartridges): complete cartridges with headstamp, color codes, manufacturer, caliber information, additional cartridge information (weight, materials, color of compounds, etc.), and pictures of the headstamp, complete cartridge, packing, label, and other details.- There are also ~12,300 specimen photos.

The best way for US agencies to contact the CartWinPro team with sales and information questions is by email. The database and updates are provided to users on CD.

CartWinPro allows searches in any of its databases in order to identify the specimen. The databases are: Headstamp, Manufacturer, Caliber, Color Code, and Collection. All databases can be searched on every field and information displayed. The search fields can easily be combined by the user to his specific needs. Once a record is found, the user can quickly check and see if other records are related.

Samples and information are collected from a variety of sources, including:- Law enforcement laboratory and private collections- International firearms and ammunition shows- Directly from manufacturers- From the field (the POC is a competitive shooter at the international level)- Feedback from customers and law enforcement laboratories

Digital records. Physical samples are either kept in the CartWinPro team's own collection or returned to the owner.

Axel Manthei
CartWinPro -
The Ammunition
Database
Manthei-Mess-Systeme
Albrecht - Nützel-
Weg 29
86916 Kaufering
Tel +49-(0)8191-66704
Fax +49-(0)8191-973326

General Rifling Chracteristics (GRC)

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- FBI Laboratory

Database of firearms including class characteristics. GRC are the identified rifling pattern and the diameters of the individual lands and grooves. Using these parameters, firearm examiners can search through a database of known rifling data. The resulting search helps the investigator narrow down the search for the unknown firearm. The CD version is available to all law enforcement agencies, and is published and distributed bi-annually. The database contains over 15,000 firearms.

The FBI can access the MS Access version via internal servers. The database is available to other LEAs via CD distribution.

Samples are obtained through volunteer field contributions as well as active input by GRC manager. New specimens are verified before being entered into GRC.

Digital records; physical samples stored at the FBI Lab.

National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) & Integrated
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

NIBIN is the ATF program that administers automated ballistic imaging technology for NIBIN partners in the United States that have entered into a formal agreement with ATF to enter ballistic information into NIBIN. The program utilizes IBIS (a commercial ballistics imaging and identification system) as a platform. The topographical features of fired ammunition recovered from a crime scene or a crime gun test fire are assigned an algorithm. This is referred to as an acquisition. New acquisitions are compared against prior acquisitions stored on the server. NIBIN partners have completed more than two million acquisitions.

Partners use IBIS to acquire digital images of markings on cartridge cases and bullets. Images are compared against earlier NIBIN entries (acquisitions) via electronic image comparison. If likely matches emerge, firearms examiners analyze original evidence piece to confirm the match. Law enforcement agencies seeking to join the NIBIN partnership with ATF must agree to submit fired ammunition, evidence from crime scenes, and test fires of crime guns.

Acquisitions are made by NIBIN partners using IBIS, and are collected at a crime scene or crime gun test fire.

Digital records; The ATF packages up physical samples are sends them back to the submitting agency once the acquisition is made.

Tim Curtis
Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms,
and Explosives (ATF)
Chief, Laboratory/
Operations/Acting Manager NIBIN
202.648.6301
Timothy.Curtis [at] atf.gov

Reference Ammunition File (RAF)

Ammunition

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- FBI Laboratory

A searchable Microsoft Access database is used by employees to help determine what type of ammunition has been submitted in forensic casework. Actual samples of the ammunition are used to test fire submitted firearms. No cost to access. Other LEAs can access the information but the Firearms/Toolmarks Unit. The Reference Ammunition file contains over 16,000 ammunition samples. The collection is kept in two parts:1) For each designated sample with unique number, the FBI has one full sample and one disassembled sample.2) A collection with test ammunition for each sample with unique number is kept separately.

There are two ways to access: 1) Phone or email with information (photos, headstamp, weight, and other characteristics). FBI Firearms/Toolmarks Unit will send back a list of possible matches. 2) Member of investigating agency brings in or ships items for traditional laboratory examination. Results are contained in written Report of Examination.

Yearly purchases constrained by Firearms/Toolmarks Unit supply budget. Otherwise sporadic.

Digital records; physical samples available for test fires by the FBI Lab.

Doug Murphy
Federal Bureau
of Investigations,
FBI Laboratory
703.632.7237
douglas.murphy@
ic.fbi.gov

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Forensic Database Firearms and Toolmarks Table

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Official websites use .gov A.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/us/25boston.html

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BOSTON — Ballistics tests have made a preliminary match between the bullets that killed an aspiring model here and a gun found in the home of Philip Markoff, the 23-year-old medical student who is charged with her murder, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said investigators were still awaiting final test results. The aspiring model, Julissa Brisman, who offered her services as a masseuse on Craigslist, was killed on April 14 in a hotel here.

Philip Markoff's lawyer, John Salsberg, spoke to reporters on Friday. Credit... Steven Senne/Associated Press

Mr. Markoff's family visited him in jail Friday for the first time. His parents, Richard Markoff and Susan Haynes, met with him for nearly two hours at the Nashua Street Jail, where officials said he was on suicide watch.

Soon after Mr. Markoff's parents left, his brother, Jon, and his sister-in-law, Deanna, entered for a two-hour visit. The family did not comment.

John Salsberg, Mr. Markoff's lawyer, told reporters that Mr. Markoff's parents "remain very concerned about him, but they really ask all of you respect their privacy."

Mr. Salsberg said the family came Friday because he believed it was the first day they were allowed to visit. Officials said Mr. Markoff was being monitored around the clock and held apart from the general population.

Philip Markoff's parents, Richard Markoff, rear, and Susan Haynes at jail on Friday. Credit... Steven Senne/Associated Press

Ms. Brisman's mother, Carmen Guzman, released a statement Friday saying her family was "devastated" by Ms. Brisman's death. Ms. Brisman, who Ms. Guzman said wanted to be a counselor, would have turned 26 on Friday.

"The feeling of losing my daughter in this way, and the pain she must have felt will haunt me for the rest of my life. She won't live to see her dreams," Ms. Guzman said in the statement. "We are a close family, and Julissa called us every day. We won't be getting those calls anymore."

Ms. Guzman said she was glad someone had been arrested in connection with the crime.

Mr. Markoff on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. He is also charged with robbing at gunpoint here another masseuse he met on Craigslist.

On Thursday, a law enforcement official in Rhode Island said that a fingerprint found at the hotel where an exotic dancer was held at gunpoint last week matched that of Mr. Markoff. The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the match ensured that Mr. Markoff would be charged in the Rhode Island attack. That victim, who had also advertised services on Craigslist, told the police that she had been held at gunpoint by a man who demanded money but fled when her husband returned to their room at the Holiday Inn Express in Warwick.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gun Matches Bullets in Craigslist Murder Case (Published 2009)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BOSTON - Ballistics tests have made a preliminary match between the bullets that killed an aspiring model here and a gun found in the home of Philip Markoff, the 23-year-old medical student who is charged with her murder, a law enforcement official said Friday.

# data[].attributes.body
-Vikira Johnson

# data[].attributes.body
Vikira johnson

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted. Be aware that the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm when it is transported in checked baggage.

Contact the TSA Contact Center with questions you have regarding TSA firearm regulations and for clarification on what you may or may not transport in your carry-on or checked baggage.

Firearms

When traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.

If you are traveling internationally with a firearm in checked baggage, please check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements prior to travel.

Declare each firearm each time you present it for transport as checked baggage. Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply.

Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.

Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.

Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, may be transported in checked baggage only.

Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.

United States Code, Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 44, firearm definitions includes: any weapon (including a starter gun) which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; and any destructive device. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm.
Ammunition

Ammunition is prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.

Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).

Small arms ammunition, including ammunition not exceeding .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge, may be carried in the same hard-sided case as the firearm.

Read the guidelines for law enforcement officers flying armed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted.

# data[].attributes.body
Vikira Johnson

# data[].attributes.body
Vikira Johnson

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Official websites use .gov
A.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Biology Biometrics Chemistry/Toxicology Environmental Fire & Explosives Firearms & Toolmarks Questioned Documents
Technology/Digital Evidence Trace Evidence Other

Firearms & Toolmarks

AFTE Website
Headstamps

The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners

Professional organization of firearm/toolmark examiners. Public website with members-only section. Forums allow members to conduct bullet searches and ask other general questions to colleagues. Parts of the website are publicly accessible; there is also a members-only section. Website forums with discussion topics among professional firearm/toolmark examiners. There is also an image gallery containing headstamp photos with relevant information on bullet and manufacturer, organized by letter, number, symbol or picture on headstamp. There are 622 samples in the reference gallery.

Access through the URL. Membership information is available online.

Contributed by AFTE members.

Digital records.

Jay Stuart,
Webmaster
Albuquerque Police
Department
5350 2nd St. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107
505.823.4260

CartWinPro
Ammunition

CartWin Pro (Germany, commercial)

Databases of headstamp, caliber measurements, color code references, cartridge records, manufacturer info, and specimen photos of various bullets. Designed for use by police/forensic experts, military specialist, government facilities, firearms and ammunition experts, museums or other institutions. All information can be purchased as a stand-alone database. Information on the records in each of the databases:- Headstamp (~18,640 headstamps): origin, manufacturer, meaning of the individual codes, and a picture of the headstamp.- Manufacturer (~2,090 manufacturers): address, homepage, email, phone, information about the company, type of manufacturer, and a picture of the company's logo.- Caliber (~1,290 caliber / ~4,630 caliber synonyms): measurements of the cartridge by length and diameter, caliber synonyms, intention, and other information about its history, availability, and firearms used in the caliber.- Color Code (~2,360 color codes) information of the tip, mouth, base, and annulus colors, shapes and the meaning of them in conjunction with the caliber.- Collection (~4,460 cartridges): complete cartridges with headstamp, color codes, manufacturer, caliber information, additional cartridge information (weight, materials, color of compounds, etc.), and pictures of the headstamp, complete cartridge, packing, label, and other details.- There are also ~12,300 specimen photos.

The best way for US agencies to contact the CartWinPro team with sales and information questions is by email. The database and updates are provided to users on CD.

CartWinPro allows searches in any of its databases in order to identify the specimen. The databases are: Headstamp, Manufacturer, Caliber, Color Code, and Collection. All databases can be searched on every field and information displayed. The search fields can easily be combined by the user to his specific needs. Once a record is found, the user can quickly check and see if other records are related.

Samples and information are collected from a variety of sources, including:- Law enforcement laboratory and private collections- International firearms and ammunition shows- Directly from manufacturers- From the field (the POC is a competitive shooter at the international level)- Feedback from customers and law enforcement laboratories

Digital records. Physical samples are either kept in the CartWinPro team's own collection or returned to the owner.

Axel Manthei
CartWinPro -
The Ammunition
Database
Manthei-Mess-Systeme
Albrecht - Nützel-
Weg 29
86916 Kaufering
Tel +49-(0)8191-66704
Fax +49-(0)8191-973326

General Rifling Chracteristics (GRC)

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- FBI Laboratory

Database of firearms including class characteristics. GRC are the identified rifling pattern and the diameters of the individual lands and grooves. Using these parameters, firearm examiners can search through a database of known rifling data. The resulting search helps the investigator narrow down the search for the unknown firearm. The CD version is available to all law enforcement agencies, and is published and distributed bi-annually. The database contains over 15,000 firearms.

The FBI can access the MS Access version via internal servers. The database is available to other LEAs via CD distribution.

Samples are obtained through volunteer field contributions as well as active input by GRC manager. New specimens are verified before being entered into GRC.

Digital records; physical samples stored at the FBI Lab.

National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) & Integrated
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

NIBIN is the ATF program that administers automated ballistic imaging technology for NIBIN partners in the United States that have entered into a formal agreement with ATF to enter ballistic information into NIBIN. The program utilizes IBIS (a commercial ballistics imaging and identification system) as a platform. The topographical features of fired ammunition recovered from a crime scene or a crime gun test fire are assigned an algorithm. This is referred to as an acquisition. New acquisitions are compared against prior acquisitions stored on the server. NIBIN partners have completed more than two million acquisitions.

Partners use IBIS to acquire digital images of markings on cartridge cases and bullets. Images are compared against earlier NIBIN entries (acquisitions) via electronic image comparison. If likely matches emerge, firearms examiners analyze original evidence piece to confirm the match. Law enforcement agencies seeking to join the NIBIN partnership with ATF must agree to submit fired ammunition, evidence from crime scenes, and test fires of crime guns.

Acquisitions are made by NIBIN partners using IBIS, and are collected at a crime scene or crime gun test fire.

Digital records; The ATF packages up physical samples are sends them back to the submitting agency once the acquisition is made.

Tim Curtis
Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms,
and Explosives (ATF)
Chief, Laboratory/
Operations/Acting Manager NIBIN
202.648.6301
Timothy.Curtis [at] atf.gov

Reference Ammunition File (RAF)

Ammunition

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) -- FBI Laboratory

A searchable Microsoft Access database is used by employees to help determine what type of ammunition has been submitted in forensic casework. Actual samples of the ammunition are used to test fire submitted firearms. No cost to access. Other LEAs can access the information but the Firearms/Toolmarks Unit. The Reference Ammunition file contains over 16,000 ammunition samples. The collection is kept in two parts:1) For each designated sample with unique number, the FBI has one full sample and one disassembled sample.2) A collection with test ammunition for each sample with unique number is kept separately.

There are two ways to access: 1) Phone or email with information (photos, headstamp, weight, and other characteristics). FBI Firearms/Toolmarks Unit will send back a list of possible matches. 2) Member of investigating agency brings in or ships items for traditional laboratory examination. Results are contained in written Report of Examination.

Yearly purchases constrained by Firearms/Toolmarks Unit supply budget. Otherwise sporadic.

Digital records; physical samples available for test fires by the FBI Lab.

Doug Murphy
Federal Bureau
of Investigations,
FBI Laboratory
703.632.7237
douglas.murphy@
ic.fbi.gov

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Forensic Database Firearms and Toolmarks Table

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Official websites use .gov A.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

# data[].attributes.body
Vikira johnson

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
BOSTON — Ballistics tests have made a preliminary match between the bullets that killed an aspiring model here and a gun found in the home of Philip Markoff, the 23-year-old medical student who is charged with her murder, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said investigators were still awaiting final test results. The aspiring model, Julissa Brisman, who offered her services as a masseuse on Craigslist, was killed on April 14 in a hotel here.

Philip Markoff's lawyer, John Salsberg, spoke to reporters on Friday. Credit... Steven Senne/Associated Press

Mr. Markoff's family visited him in jail Friday for the first time. His parents, Richard Markoff and Susan Haynes, met with him for nearly two hours at the Nashua Street Jail, where officials said he was on suicide watch.

Soon after Mr. Markoff's parents left, his brother, Jon, and his sister-in-law, Deanna, entered for a two-hour visit. The family did not comment.

John Salsberg, Mr. Markoff's lawyer, told reporters that Mr. Markoff's parents "remain very concerned about him, but they really ask all of you respect their privacy."

Mr. Salsberg said the family came Friday because he believed it was the first day they were allowed to visit. Officials said Mr. Markoff was being monitored around the clock and held apart from the general population.

Philip Markoff's parents, Richard Markoff, rear, and Susan Haynes at jail on Friday. Credit... Steven Senne/Associated Press

Ms. Brisman's mother, Carmen Guzman, released a statement Friday saying her family was "devastated" by Ms. Brisman's death. Ms. Brisman, who Ms. Guzman said wanted to be a counselor, would have turned 26 on Friday.

"The feeling of losing my daughter in this way, and the pain she must have felt will haunt me for the rest of my life. She won't live to see her dreams," Ms. Guzman said in the statement. "We are a close family, and Julissa called us every day. We won't be getting those calls anymore."

Ms. Guzman said she was glad someone had been arrested in connection with the crime.

Mr. Markoff on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. He is also charged with robbing at gunpoint here another masseuse he met on Craigslist.

On Thursday, a law enforcement official in Rhode Island said that a fingerprint found at the hotel where an exotic dancer was held at gunpoint last week matched that of Mr. Markoff. The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the match ensured that Mr. Markoff would be charged in the Rhode Island attack. That victim, who had also advertised services on Craigslist, told the police that she had been held at gunpoint by a man who demanded money but fled when her husband returned to their room at the Holiday Inn Express in Warwick.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gun Matches Bullets in Craigslist Murder Case (Published 2009)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BOSTON - Ballistics tests have made a preliminary match between the bullets that killed an aspiring model here and a gun found in the home of Philip Markoff, the 23-year-old medical student who is charged with her murder, a law enforcement official said Friday.