Keiran Eagen

Crime Scene #1
Evidence Being Examined: Tequila Bottle
Forensic Science Used: Superglue Fuming
Fingerprinting has been a reliable and accepted way to identify an individual that was present
at a crime scene. Small differences and quirks in fingerprints are called minutia, and they are
unique to every individual person. Fingerprinting has been used in the investigations of crimes
for the past 100 years. The International Association for Identification was founded in 1915
and was the first major database for fingerprints. Fingerprint analysis first became an option as
a career in 1977, and soon after you were able to become fully certified as a latent print
examiner. Fingerprinting is still the most used forensic evidence in the world and the uses for
this analysis are continuing to expand.
The idea behind fingerprint analysis is Locards Exchange Principle. Locards Principle states that
the perpetrator will bring something into the crime scene and leave something from it, for
example, fingerprints, tire tracks, and blood. Fingerprints are often used as associative
evidence, which means investigators can link the person who those fingerprints belong to back
to the crime scene. There are three known types of fingerprints. They are latent, visible, and
impression. Impression prints are usually visible but they often require certain lighting to be
visible enough for analysis. For example if someone pressed their hand into mud or wet
concrete and left the impression of their hand and fingerprint. Visible prints can be seen by the
naked eye and are photographed directly. An example would be if the perpetrator had ink or
blood on their hands and touched a paper, table, or wall leaving behind a visible print. Latent
prints are not visible and they must be made visible through superglue fuming.
Cyanoacrylate fuming, also known as superglue fuming, is a common technique used to identify
latent prints. Superglue has the chemical cyanoacrylate in it. When it is heated to a gaseous
state it reacts with amino acids to make latent prints visible. Superglue is squirted into a small
metal plate and set in an incubator with water and the evidence. The water is present in order
to keep the correct humidity in the incubator. When the superglue reaches its boiling point the
gasses from cyanoacrylate will adhere to the latent prints. Once the superglue fuming is
complete there will be a white coating which can be dusted with metallic or black fingerprint
powder. The print can be lifted off of the evidence with tape and be further evaluated.
A new advancement in superglue fuming is making the latent prints glow. Research is being
conducted on certain chemicals to make this process a one step process and make the print
have a better quality of fluorescence.
Based on the prints found on the tequila bottle, rum bottle and cups found at the scene, it can
be determined that Michelle Lee was the individual that murdered Aaron Lee. Minutia was
matched from the fingerprints taken from the evidence and Michelle Lees personal finger

prints. The fingerprints prove that she set up the scene to appear as though Aaron Lee had
committed suicide, but the fingerprints and other evidence collected from the scene confirm
that she was the killer.
Sources
Brown, Eric W. "The Cyanoacrylate Fuming Method." NU-ENG, 1990. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
"Super Glue Fingerprint Fuming." Instructables.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.