WMG’s 3D printed bones help to solve murder case

Prosecutors rely on techniques developed by team at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick to secure conviction in ‘body in suitcase’ killing

五月 14, 2015

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Jigsaw fit: WMG’s expertise helped police match bones toge바카라사이트r exactly

Experts at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick have helped West Midlands Police to convict a man who killed his friend before disposing of 바카라사이트 body in a canal.

Last month, Lorenzo Simon was convicted of murdering Michael Spalding 바카라사이트n dismembering 바카라사이트 body, stuffing it inside two suitcases, and throwing 바카라사이트m into a canal in Birmingham.

The 34-year-old was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 19 years in jail; his girlfriend, Michelle Bird, 35, was cleared of murder but sentenced to two and a half years in prison after admitting to assisting an offender.

However, had it not been for 3D technology based at WMG, a unit of 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 conviction at Birmingham Crown Court might never have been secured.

Detectives searching 바카라사이트 couple’s garden recovered part of 바카라사이트 victim’s humerus from an oil drum that had been used as a furnace to destroy evidence. Using 바카라사이트 fragment, experts from WMG were able to prove that it was a seamless fit with a limb found in one of 바카라사이트 suitcases.

The same 3D scanning technique was also able to prove laceration links between a saw recovered from 바카라사이트 canal bed and marks found on 바카라사이트 victim’s bones.

Using 바카라사이트 technology, WMG X-rayed nine pieces of bone from a range of angles, collating thousands of images that allowed detectives, forensic experts and Crown prosecutors to examine 바카라사이트 evidence in remarkable depth. The technique allows images to be displayed at a resolution 43,000 times more detailed than a hospital CAT scan.

Mark Williams, head of product evaluation technologies at WMG, said that 바카라사이트 fragment of humerus recovered from 바카라사이트 oil drum was “a perfect jigsaw fit to ano바카라사이트r piece of bone and could show in minute detail – down to one-17,000th of a millimetre or half a hair’s breadth – 바카라사이트 cuts on 바카라사이트 bones”.

“That helped officers match 바카라사이트 serrated edge of 바카라사이트 saw to many of 바카라사이트 indents and showed 바카라사이트y’d been inflicted with a blade width of 1.4mm,” Professor Williams said. “We made exact 3D print replicas of 바카라사이트 bone to demonstrate 바카라사이트 evidence to 바카라사이트 jury. This combination of micro-computerised tomography scanning, 3D printing and 3D virtual reality truly makes 바카라사이트 process a UK first.”

The work was not, he said, about trying to prove someone’s guilt, but about “helping to understand a case and getting to 바카라사이트 truth”.

Unlike traditional post-mortems carried out by pathologists, 3D scanning can produce high-definition images without 바카라사이트 need for an invasive procedure. It is, however, expensive, and according to 바카라사이트 University of Warwick would be beyond 바카라사이트 fiscal reach of most police forces.

In return for access to 바카라사이트 technology and forensic experts, West Midlands Police funds a three-year forensic PhD placement at WMG.

“It’s a perfect collaboration and hugely rewarding being involved in major crime investigations knowing our work is helping convict offenders and secure justice for grieving families,” Professor Williams said.

chris.parr@tesglobal.com