Case Study 5: Burning Down the House by https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p Arson en-us 2019-09-16 12:47:02 UTC 2025-10-13 16:56:02 UTC hello@padlet.com Detectives brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/384954030 Lead Detective- Debra Brundage

Assistance Detectives:
  • Erin Moss
  • Jaidan Rosane
  •  Vanessa Padilla
 

]]> 2019-09-16 20:41:42 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/384954030 Analysis brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399177989 1. Arson is the intentional setting of a fire to cause a fire.
2. Incriminating evidence Stanforth is charred material samples taken from three different rooms. We will prove the alleged guilt of the perpetrator by measuring samples using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. This study will allow us to detect the presence of flammable gases in individual samples and then determine the suspicion of police suspicions.
3. "Point of origin" - a place of origin, the starting point of ignition.
4. Volatile substances from the samples can be extracted by heating the samples in a water bath, and then use the analytical method that allows testing of the gas samples, in our case, GC-MS.
5. In the case of our investigation, the best measurement technique we learned in class would be Infrared spectroscopy - IR spectroscopy. However, we were able to find a more accurate, more explicit, and suitable method for testing gases - gas chromatography method with mass spectrophotometry.
6. Point of Fire in the Living room


]]> 2019-10-17 17:41:58 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399177989 Conclusion brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399219409 Careful heating in a water bath of each of the three charred samples and a fragment of the glove in separate spherical flasks closed with a stopper with a tube. The gases escaping from the flask during the heating of the samples were collected into tubes according to the scheme for taking flammable gas samples. Repeat the procedure for three reference substances.

Based on the results of the tests, Dr. Stanforth cannot be ruled out as a suspected arson house. Gasoline identified in the sample from the garage does not give rise to suspicions; this does not indicate arson. The presence of flammable gas in a sample taken from the salon can be considered not accidental from a logical point of view and may report intentional arson. The presence of gasoline in both sample 3 (at the starting point) and the material from the suspicious glove indicate the possibility of arson by Dr. Stanforth.]]> 2019-10-17 18:49:51 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399219409 The Research Results brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399772688 Test 1 - gasoline found
Test 2 - no flammable substances were found
Test 3 - gasoline found
Test 4 - gasoline found]]> 2019-10-19 01:00:37 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399772688 Activities Performed brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399774931 1. Introduction of the previously prepared standard gases into the chromatographic column of the device. Save the results in the computer software equipment.
2. Introduction of successively prepared research samples 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the device's chromatographic column and saving the results in the computer software of the apparatus.
3. Comparison of chromatograms of test samples and chromatograms of reference substances by computer software in order to determine the presence of specific flammable substances in the tested samples.]]> 2019-10-19 01:24:35 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399774931 Introductory questions brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399775094 Test purpose: Detection of flammable substances that may have caused a fire. Determining whether Dr.  Stanforth can be excluded as a potential suspect.
Test method: Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry
Subject of the study: 3 charred samples from the scene
(sample 1 - garage,
sample 2 - bathroom,
sample 3 - salon) and glove of the suspect (sample 4)
Apparatus: ThermoQuest Trace GC 2000 Series with flame ionization detector
Carrier gas: helium
Standards of selected flammable substances: gasoline, isopropyl alcohol, butane]]> 2019-10-19 01:26:06 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/399775094 Evidence brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/410239085 Samples]]> 2019-11-12 20:27:06 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/410239085 Map of the Crime Scene brundaged https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/410244340 2019-11-12 20:36:29 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/410244340 Theories: https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/411011803 1. Dr. Stanforth is the prime suspect due to the fact that her and the victim, Tom, dated and had recently separated. The victim's mother is sure that she committed this crime. 
2. Tom, the victim, was smoking cigarette while intoxicated and fell asleep. Laying on a couch with flammable materials, this could very well be a possibility. ]]> 2019-11-14 05:16:10 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/411011803 Conclusion ladystar1646 https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/412004839 Careful heating in a water bath of each of the three charred samples and a fragment of the glove in separate spherical flasks closed with a stopper with a tube. The gases escaping from the flask during the heating of the samples were collected into tubes according to the scheme for taking flammable gas samples. Repeat the procedure for three reference substances.

Based on the results of the tests, Dr. Stanforth cannot be ruled out as a suspected arson house. Gasoline identified in the sample from the garage does not give rise to suspicions; this does not indicate arson. The presence of flammable gas in a sample taken from the salon can be considered not accidental from a logical point of view and may report intentional arson. The presence of gasoline in both sample 3 (at the starting point) and the material from the suspicious glove indicate the possibility of arson by Dr. Stanforth.]]> 2019-11-15 19:08:53 UTC https://padlet.com/brundaged/bym9sh9ant5p/wish/412004839