LIsa Black
Cape Coral, FL
Female, 49
I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.
I'm sorry, I wouldn't have any idea. Do you mean dating the actual pills, or once they're in a person's system? If the former I think you'd have to ask a chemist, if the latter, a toxicologist. Sorry I can't help.
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I'm sorry but I am not trained in accident reconstruction. That is a very specialized field. I would have no idea whatsoever.
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Unlike what you see on TV, a hair and fiber expert never 'matches' hairs or fibers (except in the case of DNA analysis). We can say they are 'consistent with' having come from this person or this article of clothing in that all the microscopic characteristics are the same or within a group of the same characteristics. Though dyed hair is quite distinctive with the growth since dying and the color so it would be a strong indication that they came from the same person, you couldn't actually put a number on it (like 'there's a one in two billion chance this came from someone else', like DNA). That's largely why hair and fiber comparisons are rarely done any more.
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If you're going to be a DNA analyst, you will probably not be working with gunshot residue as well. DNA labs are tending to want their analysts to have a PhD in genetics and focus solely in that area, but it would be best if you called labs at which you might want to work and make sure. Best of luck.
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See above.
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It will turn a dark red brown once it's completely dry, and will stay that color so far as I know if conditions stay consistent. If it changes further it would probably just fade a bit.
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