BLOOD SPATTER PATTERNS
THE SIX (6) MAJOR GROUPS OF BLOODSTAIN
PATTERNS:
1. Radiating patterns produced by an impact to a
blood mass, such as impact spatter;
2. Linear patterns produced by blood flung from
another object, such as cast off;
3. Patterns produced by the streaming volumes
such as spurt;
4. Patterns produced by blood falling as a function
of gravity such as drip trails.
5. Patterns produced by volume accumulation such
as pools and flows; and
6. Patterns produced through contact with a
bloody object, such as smears and pattern
transfers.
EXAMPLE OF CLASSIFICATION
OF BLOODSTAIN SYSTEM
TODAY:
Low, Medium and High
Velocity;
Passive and dynamic;
Spatter and non-spatter;
and
Taxonomic
IMPACT ANGLE AND Droplets
travelling
DIRECTIONALITY perpendicular
to surface
The Impact Angle of spatter stain of what
angle it struck that surface.
Produce
circular stains
As the angle of impact becomes
more acute (decreases), the
momentum of the droplet causes it to
skim laterally across the surface as it
impacts.
This results in an
elliptical-shaped stain
IMPACT ANGLE
CALCULATING THE
IMPACT OF ANGLE
Measure the length and width of
the spatter stain in question.
Then divides the width by the
length . This number is the sin
and is converted to its
corresponding angle using a
scientific calculator with the
inverse sin function.
DIRECTIONALITY
Directionality relates to
the path a droplet was
following when it struck a
surface. Directional
angle (also called gamma
angle) describes the
motion of the droplet as
it impacts.
BlOODSTAIN
CLASSIFICATION
TAXONOMY CONCEPT
Bloodstain can be grouped into two
major classes:
Spatter : Are drops that have been put
into free flight through some
mechanisms
Non-Spatter: Is composed of patterns
in which the primary stain is not a
circular or elliptical-shaped stain.
THE SPATTER GROUP
SPATTER STAINS
A
Linear Spatter Non- Linear Spatter
A.1 A.2
(Arterial) Spurt Cast-Off Drips trail Impact Spatter Drip
A.1.1 A.1.2.1 A.1.2.2 A.2.1 A.2.2
Expectorate
A.2.1.1
Spurt
Spurts are produced when
blood is ejected in a stream
under pressure. They are
often referred to as arterial
spurts because the primary
source of a spurt is a breach
to an artery or the heart.
SPURT
A series of linear spatter patterns
a large volume evident in the
individual, demonstrated by
flows from individual stains or
a large volume in the pattern
itself
Lines of overlapping
stains deposited in Vs,
Arcs and serpentine Large elliptical stains
patterns
CAST OFF
A cast –off pattern is
produced when the blood
adheres to another object and
that object is put into motion.
Small drops of blood are
ejected over time and space as
the object is moved. The
droplets produce spatter
stains in linear and curvilinear
orientation.
CAST OFF
Deposited in a linear or curvilinear orientation
Pattern 2
Pattern 3
Pattern 3
A consistent change in impact angle evident in
A series of related spatter patterns the individual stain patterns
Drip Trail
A drip trail pattern of individual
spatter stains deposited on the
surface that demonstrate
movement of the dripping item
from one point to another. Drips
form from any number of things
including people weapons and
other objects .
Drip Trail
Consistent size range in pattern,
relative to any change in surface
characteristics
Stains lead from one point to
another
In line
distribution of
Individual stains typically patterns
ranges in size from 3-25 mm
IMPACT SPATTER
An impact pattern is a radiating
pattern of small spatter stains
produced when a blood mass is
broken up at a point source.
Typical impact patterns are
produced from blows or gunshot
wound to a body. It can also be
produced when accumulations of
blood outside the body are
exposed to some force.
IMPACT SPATTER A series of related spatter
patterns
With progressive change in
the shape of stains farther out
in the pattern
Various sizes of stain, but
genrally consistent size range
through out the pattern
Deposited in radiating
distribution
EXPECTORATE PATTERN
The expectorate pattern is
similar to impact spatter, but with
a slight difference. The blood
source is broken up in the mouth
or respiratory system by air
pressure.
EXPECTORATE PATTERN
Varying sizes of individual
stains
A series of related spatter
patterns
Possible Dissolution of
mucous strands
Possible presence of mucous
strands
Possible presence of
vacuoles
DRIP
A drip is formed in the same
fashion as a drip trail, by blood
falling as a function of gravity
from an individual or bloody
object. Where the drip trail was
linear pattern of individual drips,,
a drip is simply a random deposit
of drip stains.
DRIP
Varying sizes of individual
stains
Randomly oriented on the
surface
Parents stains are
Generally large 3 to 25mm
THE NON SPATTER GROUP
Non- Spatter Stains
Irregular Margin Regular Margin
Blood into Pattern
Gush Smear Flow Pool Saturation
blood Transfer
Wipe Swipe
Pattern Pattern
Gush
A gush is an irregular pattern
created when a large volume of
blood is ejected. A gosh is created
by similar circumstances as the
spurt. Typically, when an artery
or the heart is breached and a
streaming ejection occurs. The
primary difference between the
two is in the volume ejected.
Gush
Large volume accumulation
evident in overall pattern
An irregular stains exhibiting
spines or associated spatter
radiating out from it
Elliptical stains may surround
the pattern
Smear
A smear is created when a bloody
object makes contact with another
surface often with some form of
lateral motion. The smear is simply an
irregular shaped contact stain. There
are two subcategories of smear:
Wipe: The wipe pattern produced when
an object moves through a preexisting
bloodstain on another surface.
Swipe : Is any stain produced by the
transfer of blood from one object to
another with some form of lateral
motion.
WIPE
Pre existing volume of blood
Irregular shaped-contact stain
A feathery boundary
Diminished volume of blood on
outer edge of the stain
Accumulation of blood on the
outer edges of the stains
Dried outer ring of the original
stain boundary
SWIPE
Irregular shaped stain
A feathery boundary
Striation across the body of the
stain
Diminished volume of blood on
outer edge of the stain
Accumulation of blood on the
outer edges of the stains
PATTERN TRANSFER
A pattern transfer is created
when a bloody object come in
contact with another surface
and produce a pattern in
which a recognizable
characteristic of image or
object is evident.
PATTERN TRANSFER
A regular margin
stain
Demonstrating angular
demarcation, curves or other
recognizable features, or an
image of the object
It maybe deposited in the in a
serris
POOL
Pools are produced when blood
accumulates on the surface.
Without specific shape but conforming
to the surface contours
A clearly demarcated
stain with margins
Evident volume on
stain
POOL
May demonstrate
serum separation
or clotting
SATURATION
A saturation stain occur
when the blood is deposited in
or is in contact with an
absorbent surface.
Rather than forming a pool,
the blood is wicked or
absorbed in a permeable
surface
SATURATION A clearly demarcated
stain with margins
Without specific
shape but conforming
to the surface
contours
Absorbed or
wicked to the
surface
FLOW
A flow is a movement of liquid blood from one point to another
usually under the effects of gravity.
Clearly
demarcated stain
With generally regular
margins, demonstrating
movement along surface
contours
Margin leads from one point of
the surface to another
COMPLEX PATTERN
The analyst must recognize that a
combination of actions might
produce a pattern that has the
characteristics from several
classifications.
AREA OF ORIGIN EVALUATION
AO evaluations are conducted using various techniques.
Stringing is one of the popular way and consist of placing
physical strings oriented along the path suggested by
directional angles and impact angles of the stain being
evaluated.
STRINGING METHOD
Area of origin (AO)
The stain chosen for impact
angle analysis should be well
formed (symmetrical shape)
stain. If halved along either axis,
the corresponding halves should
be generally equal
