COLLECTING

FINGERPRINTS FROM
DEAD BODIES (CORPSES)

- T. ALAN EUGENE
PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
NEEDED:
• Rigor Mortis: a postmortem change resulting in the stiffening of the body
muscles due to chemical changes in their myofibrils. Rigor mortis helps in
estimating the time since death as well to ascertain if the body had been
moved after death. Rigor sets in from 2 – 3 hours after death, starting from
small muscles in the face, followed by limbs, upper and then lower, the start
of rigor from facial muscles to lower body takes 6 – 8 hours, rigor deepens its
roots after 8 – 12 hours, stays for 24 hours in complete form. Generally, Rigor
Mortis disappears after 36 hours post death, followed by secondary flaccidity.
• Rigor Mortis onset in water body can be different from what is observed off the water
body, the temperature, pressure and other environmental conditions affect the inception
of Rigor, the cooling of the body after the body is surrounded by water starts, this
cooling of the body affects the rigor mortis onset in the body, hence rigor delays in
corpses found in water bodies.
• RELATION BETWEEN RIGOR MORTIS AND DECOMPOSITION
Rigor Mortis is eventually resolved by Decomposition process (breakdown of
organic matter, leading to muscle relaxation) and its constituent process,
putrefaction, also the decomposition process set in speed off the waters and in
water bodies differs, it happens slower in water bodies because of water pressure
and temperature, depth, aquatic bacteria and microbes etc. Rigor Mortis is
subjective.
• In warm, shallow water, decomposition works quickly, surfacing a corpse
within two or three days. But cold water slows decay, and people who drown in
deep lakes, 30 metres or below, may never surface. The weight of the water
pins down their bodies. Rigor mortis sets in slow in water bodies, especially in
deep water bodies where temperature is very low, hence decomposition also
sets in slow in water bodies, but once after the corpse is taken out from the
water body, decomposition can occur faster.
COLLECTING FINGERPRINTS FROM A
PERSON ALIVE
Equipment needed: An inking plate to spread the ink, rubber roller, Fingerprint
forms, Thumb impression black ink (Printer black ink). Fingerprints are taken in
the order from thumb and onto index to little fingers.
Thumb impressions are taken towards the body and the rest of the fingers, away
from the body. Only a small quantity of ink be applied with no more pressure and
slip or smudge. Any missing fingers should be notated as such. Fingerprints of
Lepers are not taken, impressions are taken from one end of the nail (to get the
focal point details) to the other end. Windshield cleaners, benzene, alcohol,
gasoline are good cleansing agents to clear the fingers of foreign particles.
 DISABILITIES AND FINGERPRINTS
• Temporary disabilities such as fresh cuts/wounds, bandaged fingers,
occupational blisters, sweaty fingers, these temporary injuries bearing fingers
impressions are not taken until the injury is healed enough. Occupational
problems in some cases, fingers are applied with softening creams/oils, sweat
is dried off by benzene, alcohol etc.
• Permanent disabilities like lack of fingers, amputations, crippled fingers,
deformed fingers(webbed, extra fingers) old age. Lack of fingers is solved by
denoting the form slots with the “missing at birth” notation. If first joints of
fingers are amputated, still its impression is taken and notated accordingly.
• Crippled or bent fingers problem is solved by special inking devices
• This equipment consists of Spatula, small roller and a curved holder. Each
Crippled finger is taken as a separate unit, spatula is used for applying the ink
to a bent/crippled finger and curved holder is used for taking the “rolled”
impression of a bent/crippled finger.
• Old age problems are rare because old people generally don't involve old
people.
• Deformities such as excess fingers ( >10 ), the thumb and the four fingers to
them are imprinted and any fingers left over is to be printed on the outer side
of the FP card with notation. Webbed fingers are however rolled completely
yet with proper notation on the card, in Split thumbs, inner joint of thumb is
considered to be imprinted.
a) The first figure represents how crippled
fingers’ impressions are taken using a
holder.
b) The second figure represents the
fingerprint impression of webbed fingers,
where both are imprinted.
 ACQUIRING FINGERPRINTS FROM THE
DEAD BODIES
• The tissue life after death is not completely disintegrated and are fresh and warm
until Rigor mortis sets in, decomposition commences after 18 hours since death by
decreasing the intensity of Rigor Mortis and itself intensifies. As decomposition
proceeds forth, the outer layer of the skin (Epidermis) from Palm and fingers gets
peeled off like gloves after 24-48 hours, which in thereby Rigor mortis has its
roots disintensified. The technique of fingerprint taking is based on the bodys’
decomposition progress and time period the body’s been undergoing
decomposition. Fingerprint taking from the corpse is to be estimated upon whether
its undergoing advanced decomposition or not.
FINGERPRINTING THE RECENTLY DEAD
• Fingerprints of recently dead bodies is taken as same as studied in taking
fingerprints by general methods earlier yet only if fingers are considerably flexible.
Experience has that this procedure is efficient if the body is laid face down and
palms down on the table after the fingers are cleansed with soap and water
thoroughly. As the person is dead, there is no effective involvement of his self in
flexible fingerprinting, so conveniently the squares from FP forms are cut out. After
the digits are inked, the squares are rolled around the finger, after all this, these
squares bearing impressions of the ‘dead’ are stapled/pasted to a standard FP card in
their actual order, along rolled impressions, if possible “Plain” impressions are also
taken. In some cases, a broad-bladed putty knife is used to ink digits where this is
rolled around the digits.
Body laid face down and palms on table
 FINGERPRINTING THE DEAD WHERE
DECOMPOSITION IS IN ITS EARLY STAGE
• This section deals with the clenched, wrinkled fingers or fingers in which
decomposition has just started. This is where the cutting of the skin will suffice
the best method, but these cuttings are to be done legally under authorities
( state law ) that could confer such legality. Fingers which are clenched and
rigor mortis has set in, then the hand of the corpse is held firmly by the
examiners‘ hand, grasping the finger to be straightened with four fingers of the
other hand and the ‘thumb’ is placed with some pressure on the knuckle of the
finger simulating a lever and four fingers are drawn out of it gently with thumb
on the knuckle, making its straight.
BREAKING RIGOR
• Then the spatula or Putty knife is used to ink the digits and fingers are rolled
onto the squares and pasted/stapled onto the FP cards. This procedure is
called “breaking the rigor”. In cases where this procedure is not feasible,
“Spoon shaped” tool is used to ink the digits as if its clenched. This spoon (a
tool with concave end and a clamp to hold the squares ) is similar to the
curved holder as discussed in case of crippled fingers and in variance to putty
knife. The advantage of this spoon tool is that the clamp has depression
making the card go down into that, without actually rolling the fingers, rolled
prints are possible to be taken as it is inserted into the spoon.
 WRINKLED, YET PLIABLE FINGERS
• Complete impressions cannot be taken if fingers are wrinkled, so in these cases,
an injection of a tissue builder/glycerine/water is used. The syringe filled here is
a Hypodermal kind. This syringe is injected just below the skin at the first joint
until the finger ‘bulbs’ are bulged enough, subsequently they are inked and
printed.The tissue builder is deemed to produce best results in as much the
glycerine, water seep out of the finger under pressure when printing and where
the bulging is not possible, the injection is given to the extreme ends or sides.
To cancel seepage, tie a piece of string around the finger above the point where
the needle is introduced. These are the cases where decomposition is in its early
stages.
USE OF TISSUE BUILDER
 CHECKING IF SKIN IS INTACT AND IN PLACE
• A comprehensive examination is advised to be done to check if peeling of
skin is in its full swing, or a part of it’s been lost. If the skin is in place and as
a single part, the prints are to be collected as if its normally attached to the
finger or normal finger. If the skin has started to come off, it has to peeled off
as in one piece and placed on the examiners fingers and the impressions are
taken as if those are his own fingers. In these cases where superficial layer of
the skin is not present, the layer of the skin immediately underneath (less
developed)is considered as the upper skin and treated with same importance.
These are all the cases where flesh or tissues are still fresh after death
containing remnants of molecular life.
FINGERPRINTING BADLY DECOMPOSED
BODIES
• Badly decomposed bodies often do have missing fingers due to amputation
or destruction/loss during his lifetime, these findings are to be documented
in the cards. In these cases Xylene is used to clear the fingers off grease, dirt,
fatty matter, this cleaning is done with the help of soft-bristled brush but the
strokes of brush should follow the ridge contour as skin is not supposed to
lose its entirety. Otherwise, a cotton swab is used.
• Studies and precedents have categorized Decomposition into three, i)
Normal Decomposition or Putrefaction ii) Desiccation or Mummification
and iii) Maceration. Even the range of severity of each case varies from
initial to advanced stages and each case is to be addressed accordingly.
SPECIAL CASES
• When a body is found after Decomposition starts, generally the fingers are
clenched, in these the rigor is to be broken as explained earlier, if this fails,
then an attempt is to be made to overcome the Rigor where using a Scalpel,
a cut is made at the second joint and at the inner side and force is applied to
straighten the fingers. If the fingers are bent, a deep cut is to be made
between the Thumb and the Index finger.
CUT MADE USING SCALPEL
 ADVANCED DECOMPOSITION
• In these cases, the examiner is usually contemplated with rotten/putrefied flesh
scenarios making flesh soft and fragile. In such cases, it is to be made sure that
if the outer skin is in place, if it is so, regular procedure is advisable to be
undertaken. If the skin is too fragile and soft, the finger is cut off from the
second joint and placed in a 10-15 % Formaldehyde sol. for an an hour approx.
to harden it the finger. Skin turns grayish white as it becomes firm. After the
finger is taken out of the sol. It is dried carefully with a piece of cloth. Then the
skin is placed on the examiners hand and then imprinted as it’s his finger using
general procedure, underside of the skin also should be checked.
• In some instances, where ridge details are not visible or destroyed, the skin
underside should contain details. Here, skin is inverted with attention to
not to break it and inked and printed in usual way. In these cases, the
impression of such skin layers is reversed in color, so a photograph is taken
of the impressionand its negative is printed to impart its original position.
Good photographs are achieved by trimming the skin and flattening it
between two pieces of glass. If part of the skin is destroyed to an extent
that tissue builder cant effect bulging as pattern area is discernible but
wrinkled, cut off the entire pattern area from the joint to the tip of the
finger. Any injury to the skin is to be carefully avoided.
• In some cases even though outer skin attached but would be of no value, this
skin should be carefully removed by picking or prying it off with Scalpel in
such manner as not destroying the ridge details. Then the second layer of the
skin is cleaned, inked and printed. But this layer of skin is too thin to be
inked or imprinted, so the finger should be cut off at the second joint and
photographed after flattening it out between two pieces of glass, held
together by scotch tape. In these cases the ridge details may not be
discernible due to poor lighting affecting contrast of ridge details. Here, the
skin is scrapped off to transparency, then it is photographed by transmitting
light through the skin. In such cases where skin cant be turned transparent,
skin is soaked in Xylene and photographed as long as it contains Xylene.
 DESICCATION & CHARRING
• Often fingers of the corpses are encountered as dried and shrivelled, this
transient features occur when body’s long been in dry protected areas bound
with volumes of heat, in these cases the ridge details are not in contact with
the ground. Desiccated fingers are generally found to have the stratum
corneum of the skin intact, also ridges don’t lose its details, but these dry
digits are with wrinkles usually. The flesh underneath the skin hardens as
drying continues until the fingers become as hard as stone. Here, the finger
bulbs (hard flesh) are made to swell by using Caustic potash (1 -3 %
NaOH/KOH) upon fingers. The disintegrating action of potash is so severe
that it may completely cause the total destruction of flesh. This is achieved
• by cutting the finger to be distended from the second joint. It is advised to
place a single finger before the thought of placing all of the fingers. After
the finger has gained its normal size by the absorption of potash, its inked
and printed. This may take few hours to several days till what is supposed to
be achieved.
• The finger is watched after 30 min. post its introduction to the solution, if
there is no apparent change, finger is returned to potash and a careful watch
is paid to it to observe changes. The potash may cause thin layers of skin to
peel off, this skin is scraped off and the finger is rinsed in water for a minute
and returned to the solution.
• If the flesh softens more, try placing the finger in 1 -3 % HCHO or alcohol
sol. for several minutes to harden it. If hydroxide cant affect softness in the
finger even after keeping it in for few hours, it’s advisable to place it in
water for about 2 hours, this hastens swelling or cancel the hardness. After
this the finger is placed in potash for an hour, repeat the process suggested if
coating/peeling of skin takes place inside potash.
• The solution shall fill the fingers with so much of it which would be too wet
to be imprinted, so it’s kept in Acetone for seconds and it’s dried and inked
and then printed. If the first finger placed in potash doesn’t come up with
any of the recently written features, the process with other fingers is
dropped.
 ALTERNATIVES:
• The fingers are washed with water and placed in HCHO solution to harden it
sufficiently, then the pattern area is cut off in such a manner that sufficient
surrounding area is also trimmed later on, the skin is scraped and cut to remove
the excess flesh. When the skin is thin enough and considerably pliable, the
examiner places the skin on his fingers and prints in the general manner. If this
succeeds, the rest of the fingers are printed by following the procedure applied
to the first finger. If this is not possible, try scraping the skin to be
photographed between two pieces of glass.
• In cases of Charring, the fingers may be severely burnt and almost reduced to
ashes. Carefully the body is moved with the check that whether the fingers
would damage the ridges if moved.
• Some cases have the outer skin partially loosened from the flesh, here by
twisting back and forth, the skin may be removed, it is then placed on the
examiner’s finger, inked and printed. In extreme charring cases, only
photography is advisable as this is the final redressal known, no attempt shall
be made to ink and roll the fingers
• If the skin is intact and not wrinkled, tissue builder is injected into the bulbs,
inked and printed.
• If the wrinkles can’t be removed by the ordinary trend, the pattern area is cut
off and excess flesh scraped out, the skin is soaked and rinsed in Xylene to
soften it.
 FROM THE

“FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION
AND PROCEDURE MANUAL”

PS NAYAR
THANK YOU!