Accident or Arson? By Tyler Pfohl & Jeffry

Breitbach

Overview• Mansion fire in a suburban neighborhood• Police were called at 8:00 PM on a Tuesday

evening• Appears that there was forced entry (window

punched in)• Appears that the fire started in the living room• Possible suspects are Mr. Rusch and Mr.

Thompkins

Suspect 1: Mr. Rusch• Owner of the mansion• Stock market investor• Due to bad investments owed the bank

nearly one million dollars (wife didn’t know about it)

• Carried a home insurance policy that covers loss due to accidental fire of $2,250,000

• At the time of the fire, he claimed to be working alone in his office although nobody could vouch for this

• Claims that the cuts on his left hand were from falling off of his bike

Suspect 2: Mr. Thompkins• Prosecuted in a drug bust 10

years ago by Mr. Rusch’s wife• Accused of sending threatening

letters to Mrs. Rusch shortly after parole

• Claims the cuts on his right hand were from removing a rose bush in his yard

EVIDENCEBroken Window Pane Glass

Matches and Piece of Paper

Bloody Rag with Type O Blood

White Powdery Substance

Shoe Print Soil

Threatening Letter

Broken Window Pane Glass

Broken Window Pane Glass• Experiments–Density of glass–Refractive indexes of glass–Compared to samples of glass

taken from each of the suspects’ boots

Matches and Piece of Paper

Matches and Piece of Paper• Experiments– Iodine fuming–Compared matches in incendiary

device to match book found in Mr. Rusch’s possession

Bloody Rag with Type O Blood

Bloody Rag with Type O Blood• Experiments–ABO/Rh blood typing–Compared to the blood samples

taken from each suspect

White Powdery Substance

White Powdery Substance• Experiments–General appearance–Reaction with water, HCl, and Ferric

Nitrate–Universal Indicator–Appearance under UV light–Compared to pills found in Mr.

Thompkins’ possession and to other substances

Shoe Print Soil

Shoe Print Soil• Experiments–General appearance–Acidity of soil–Particle size testing–Chemical reactions of soil–Compared to the soil samples

taken from each of the suspects’ boots

Threatening Letter

Threatening Letter• Experiments–Ninhydrin test–Carbon black powder dusting–Handwriting analysis–Compared to Mr. Thompkins’

handwriting sample

Conclusion• Mr. Thompkins doesn’t have enough

evidence against him to make him a prime suspect

• Mr. Rusch has some evidence but not enough to convict him

• More evidence is necessary to convict a suspect if it was arson

• Possibility that it was an accident