A Forensic Nightmare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Forensic Nightmare - Assignment Example In the second instance, Mexican authorities were reluctant to allow FBI agents to conduct forensic investigations on the burial sheets of the victims and their clothing. However, they allowed the investigators to cut a small piece of clothing. The most prevalent challenge in the collection of evidence was contamination of crucial evidence. From the onset of the investigation, investigators faced an uphill task of collecting evidence at the crime scene that had been contaminated. The first incidence of evidence contamination was at the Bravo ranch. FBI and DEA investigators arrived at the Bravo ranch and found out the scene was yet to be controlled. Thus, members of the public and Mexican police officers had contaminated the area. In another instance, investigators located the residence where they believed the two victims had been held (Malone, n.d.). The residence presented investigators with the opportunity to collect evidence such as blood samples, fingerprints, and hair evidence. Unfortunately, the interior walls of the residence had been painted by the time investigators were collecting evidence from the scene. The residence had also been cleaned and eventually occupied. Mexican authorities were reluctant to surrender all the evidence that they collected from their investigations. For instance, they surrendered pieces of evidence including samples from Camarena’s burial sheet, a laboratory report and an unsoiled rope (Malone, n.d.). Unfortunately, MFJP destroyed the remaining evidence citing health concerns. The destruction of the remaining evidence was a limiting factor in the investigator’s ability to prepare a conclusive evidence report. Investigators used reference samples and soil evidence in the case to determine the hostage locations of the victims and subsequent burial sites.