Young detectives tend to be hungry for knowledge and they often look to their senior detectives for advice. Some are lucky enough to have valuable advice shared with them on a regular basis while others have to wait for a rare opportunity when a veteran detective decides to share a pearl of wisdom.
It’s been several years since I received the pearl that I’m about to share with you. When I first received this investigative advice, I chuckled at its simplicity. In theory, it seemed quite obvious, but in practice I realized that I was not taking advantage — at least as often as I should — of this opportunity to improve my case clearances.
The advice consisted of only three words. When it was shared with me, the three words were repeated three times in a row to give it its intended and well deserved emphasis. Without further delay, here is your pearl: “Take the shoes!”
As in, “Take the shoes! Take the shoes! Take the shoes!”
In my experience, suspects often consider cleaning, concealing, discarding, or destroying the clothing worn during the commission of a crime. For reasons I can’t explain, they tend to place less emphasis on their shoes. And even in those instances when they try to clean or conceal the evidence on their shoes, they’re rarely successful. This creates what good investigators are always looking for: an opportunity to obtain evidence.
Here are just three areas where a shoe (or a pair of shoes) can become a source of evidence for your investigation.
Surveillance Video
In many cases surveillance video exists. An investigator may be able to match some unique markings on a shoe worn by the suspect(s) in the video footage. Images from the video can be compared to a pair of shoes later recovered during the execution of a search and seizure warrant at location frequented by the suspect or worn by the suspect at the time of a field interview, interrogation or even at the time of arrest.
Shoe Impressions
Shoe impressions can be a valuable piece of evidence if the investigator has something to compare it to. Shoe impressions can be photographed, lifted or cast for preservation and comparison. For this, investigators often rely upon the Shoeprint Image Capture and Retrieval System (SICAR). This large database can serve to identify many different brands and types of shoes when a good impression is properly lifted. In some cases the shoe is unique and the investigator will know specifically what brand and model shoe to look for or compare. In others cases things may not be so specific but the system can still aid an investigator by ruling out a number of brands and models, subsequently narrowing the focus of their search.
Biological Evidence
Due to the laws of gravity and/or the theory of transfer, investigators have several opportunities to obtain evidence from a suspect’s, or even a victim’s shoes. Consider for a moment the various types of evidence that may fall onto or into a shoe. Also consider all the opportunities for a shoe to step upon, brush up against, or otherwise contact sources of evidence.
Investigators should think of shoes as a potential “catcher’s mitt” for body fluids, skin cells, hair, soil, fibers, and whatnot. Investigators need to keep in mind though, that their evidence may not be visible to the naked eye. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider seizing and submitting a suspect’s or victim’s shoes for evidentiary testing. In many cases, shoes can be submitted for a presumptive test, without too much work on the part of forensic personnel, in order to confirm or dispel the existence of potential evidence.
Once the type of evidence is determined then the proper forensic testing can take place. Investigators can request, a comparison of a shoe impression/lift to a suspect’s shoes, DNA testing for identification or comparison, soil comparisons, trace evidence examination/comparison and others depending on the type of evidence present.
When investigators are working a case and they lack a suspect’s confession, the case then relies heavily upon physical evidence. The potential for physical evidence to be found on shoes cannot be overstated and there is only one way for investigators to obtain and utilize this evidence to clear cases and successfully prosecute criminals… “Take the shoes! Take the shoes! Take the shoes!
