Fire Debris Analysis

650 Pages·2008·22.468 MB·English

by  Eric Stauffer, Julia A. Dolan and Reta Newman (Auth.)

Biographies
Eric Stauffer, MS, F-ABC
Eric Stauffer is a criminalist presently living in Switzerland. In 1998 he
obtained his license (Master-equivalent degree) in forensic sciences from
the Institut de Police Scientifi que et de Criminologie at the University
of Lausanne in Switzerland. In 1999 he moved to the United States
and, two years later, obtained another Master’s degree in forensic
sciences from Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Mr.
Stauffer is certifi ed as a Diplomate and a Fellow of the American Board of
Criminalistics, with a specialty in the area of fi re debris analysis. He is also
a Certifi ed Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) and a Certifi ed Fire
Investigation Instructor (CFII) both from the National Association of Fire
Investigators (NAFI).
During his early career as a criminalist, Mr. Stauffer worked as a crime
scene offi cer and a fi rearms and toolmarks examiner. In 2001, he moved to
Atlanta and joined the private sector as a fi re investigator and fi re debris
analyst. As such, his duties involved the investigation of numerous residen-
tial, commercial, and vehicle fi re scenes to determine their origin and cause
and, at the laboratory, the examination of fi re debris samples for ignitable
liquid residues. In 2006, he moved back to Switzerland to conduct research
in forensic sciences, notably in fi ngermark enhancement techniques and fi re
investigation. He is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the School of
Criminal Sciences at the University of Lausanne.
From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Stauffer was Chair of the Fire Laboratory
Standards and Protocols committee of the Scientifi c Working Group on Fire
and Explosives (SWGFEX). He also served as a subject matter expert for
the development of the fi re debris validation kit produced by the National
Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC).
Mr. Stauffer is a recognized speaker and instructor in the fi eld of forensic
sciences and, more particularly, in fi re investigation and fi re debris analysis.
He has presented his work at several conferences in both national and
international forums and has authored several scientifi c articles and book
chapters. More recently, he co-edited Forensic Investigation of Stolen-
Recovered and Other Crime-Related Vehicles (Elsevier Academic Press), the
fi rst comprehensive book on the technical aspects of auto theft investigation.
Mr. Stauffer has taught at different universities and has also served as an
instructor to the offi cial basic and advanced fi re debris analysis courses
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xviii Biographies
offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
and the National Center for Forensic Sciences (NCFS).
Finally, Mr. Stauffer is also a volunteer fi re fi ghter, functioning as an
engineer and smoke diver. He was incorporated in the Pully City Fire
Department (Switzerland) from 1993 to 1999 as well as in the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Fire Department from 1997 to 1999. Recently,
he reintegrated into the fi re service and is currently incorporated in the city
of Yverdon-les-Bains Fire Department (Switzerland).
Julia A. Dolan, MS, F-ABC
Julia Dolan has worked in the fi eld of forensic sciences for eighteen years,
primarily in the area of fi re debris analysis. Her professional career began
at the Commonwealth of Virginia, where she worked in the areas of seized
drug analysis and trace evidence. Following her work at the Northern
Laboratory of the Division of Forensic Science, she moved to the Federal
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where she has
focused on fi re debris analysis and various aspects of fi re investigation.
Currently, she serves as Chief of the Arson and Explosives II section of the
ATF Forensic Science Laboratory-Washington, where she oversees a variety
of forensic disciplines.
In her career at ATF, Ms. Dolan has conducted research and has responded
to numerous fi re and explosion scenes of national signifi cance. She has
served as a member of ATF’s National and International Response Teams.
She has developed numerous training programs, and has served as a princi-
pal instructor for the ATF/NCFS series of fi re debris courses. In this capacity,
she has benefi ted from the opportunity to meet and work with hundreds of
forensic professionals throughout the United States. Ms. Dolan has been
involved in a number of professional associations, including serving in
various leadership capacities in the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC)
and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (MAAFS). She is a
Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and is a
member of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic Science, the American
Chemical Society (ACS), the Chemical Society of Washington (CSW), and
the International Association for Arson Investigators (IAAI), where she
serves on the Forensic Science Committee. She has served in various roles
in the Scientifi c Working Group on Fire and Explosives (SWGFEX). Ms.
Dolan is certifi ed as a Fellow of the American Board of Criminalistics, with
a specialty in the area of fi re debris analysis.
Ms. Dolan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the
University of Maryland at College Park and is a fervent Terps fan. She
also holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from George Mason
University and a second Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science from the
University of Maryland University College.
Julia is the proud mother of Michael Dolan, who she often describes as
“darn-near perfect.”
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Biographies xix
Reta Newman, MA, F-ABC
Reta Newman is the Director of the Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory in
Largo, Florida. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Missouri State
University. She has been a forensic chemist since 1989 and has specialized
in fi re debris analysis since 1991. She is a principal instructor for the NCFS-
ATF Basic and Advanced Fire Debris Analysis courses that are provided
annually to train forensic scientists in the complex analysis of fi re debris.
She is an author of the widely distributed GC-MS Guide to Ignitable Liquids
and has authored several other book chapters and analytical papers in the
area of fi re debris analysis.
Ms. Newman is also very active in the quality assurance aspects of
forensic sciences. She has taught workshops on QA/QC as it pertains to fi re
debris analysis and laboratory management. She is a legacy inspector for the
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation
Board (ASCLD/LAB) and an assessor for the ASCLD/LAB International ISO
17025 program. She has served on committees to develop a comprehensive
validation program for forensic fi re debris analysis and is a previous
Chair of the Fire Laboratory Standards and Protocols Committee of the
Scientifi c Working Group on Fire and Explosives (SWGFEX). She has also
served on ASTM working groups for the revisions of the ASTM fi re
debris standards.
Ms. Newman is very active in the forensic science community. She is a
certifi ed Fellow in both fi re debris analysis and drug analysis by the Ameri-
can Board of Criminalistics (ABC). She is a Fellow of the American Academy
of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and holds memberships with the American
Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), Midwestern Association of
Forensic Scientists (MAFS), the Southern Association of Forensic Scientists
(SAFS), the Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM),
and ASTM International. She is currently the Exam Committee Chair of
the American Board of Criminalistics.
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Preface
Fire debris analysis is a specialty of fi re investigation and forensic sciences
that is based on objective science and subjective evaluation. Objective
science is used in the analytical scheme until chromatographic or mass-
chromatographic data are generated. Then comes the most diffi cult part of
the analysis: the interpretation of the results. Even though many efforts have
been made to render the interpretation of the data as objective as possible
(standards are available, for example), the fi nal call whether an ignitable
liquid is present or not, rests on the evaluation of the criminalist and
remains subjective. Furthermore, it will probably continue to remain so
forever. As such, the importance of the fi re debris analyst’s skills does not
lie so much in his/her ability to operate a gas chromatograph-mass spec-
trometer, but rather in his/her capacity to determine if a set of peaks and
valleys exhibited by a sample resembles closely enough those of a reference
ignitable liquid. Although training in interpretation must heavily rely on
practical exercises, the theoretical base must be obtained through the reading
of scientifi c articles and books.
There is an abundance of literature in fi re debris analysis; many articles
are published every year in the most prestigious forensic journals worldwide.
From 2001 to 2004, the detection and collection of fi re debris from fi re
scenes represented less than 10% of the publications dedicated to fi re debris
analysis; the extraction techniques approximately 25%; the analytical tech-
niques around 20%; and 50% of the publications dealt with the interpreta-
tion of the results. This underscores how important this step is and how
there remains much more to do in this regard. Although periodical literature
in fi re debris analysis is relatively abundant, this is not so for comprehensive
textbooks on the topic. For forensic scientists new to this fi eld, it is diffi cult
to start training by reading advanced literature that pertains to well-defi ned
but isolated topics. I (ES) remember very well when I began my thesis: I had
to gather and read about 400 articles on the topic before starting to get a
clear picture of what fi re debris analysis was. This is a tremendous amount
of time and energy that cannot be easily devoted by the working forensic
practitioner. So what about a textbook? Bertsch, Holzer, and Sellers wrote
the last textbook on fi re debris analysis, Chemical analysis for the arson
investigator and attorney, in 1993. Because of the evolution of the fi eld, this
great book is no longer up-to-date. Other books mention the topic or devote
a couple of chapters to it; however, today, there are no comprehensive books
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xxii Preface
on fi re debris analysis dedicated to the forensic practitioner. This book fi lls
this void in the literature.
The idea that started this book arose from a social event at the 55th
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, which took
place in Chicago, Illinois in February 2003. The chance encounter between
an acquisitions editor from Elsevier Academic Press and one of the authors
(ES) would become fruitful. Of course, the ambience created by the fantastic
buffet and a couple of ethylic beverages helped to convince both parties that
it was necessary to start a collaboration and write a book on the analysis of
fi re debris samples. The next morning, all freshened up, the future author
(ES) hastened to meet with his two future co-authors (JD and RN). These
two co-authors, who had much more life experience than the fi rst one,
warned him about the hard work ahead and placed some reserves on starting
this journey. However, the enthusiasm was clearly there, and all three
authors quickly agreed to write this book. It took almost fi ve years to com-
plete this work. Today, more than 170,000 words, more than 330 fi gures,
and more than 70 tables have been mixed together to create this volume.
This book was a long time in coming for many reasons, but mostly the
authors wanted this book to be as comprehensive as possible and fully
accurate. Therefore, it was decided not to compromise the quality of this
writing for a quick release.
After an introductory chapter (Chapter 1), the reader is exposed to an
informative history of fi re debris analysis (Chapter 2). Then, a brief review
of organic chemistry is included (Chapter 3) to provide the minimum knowl-
edge needed to understand this fi eld. Chapter 4 presents the concepts of the
chemistry and the physics of fi re. It fi nishes with an introduction to the
development of a typical room fi re. These concepts may appear superfl uous
at fi rst, but the fi re debris analyst will quickly realize that they actually are
necessary to fully understand the work conducted in the laboratory. The
techniques used to detect ignitable liquid residues at a fi re scene are pre-
sented in Chapter 5 and the collection of samples in Chapter 6. These two
chapters provide the laboratory analyst with some ideas of the work carried
out by the fi re investigator at the scene. They also provide the basics of good
packaging practices for fi re debris samples. Basic concepts of the refi ning of
petroleum products are presented in the following chapter (Chapter 7), along
with a brief classifi cation of the petroleum products. Again, it is crucial for
the fi re debris analyst to have a basic idea of the origins and manufacturing
schemes of fi nished petroleum-based ignitable liquids. Then, a review of the
theory of the analytical instruments used in fi re debris analysis is provided
(Chapter 8). Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are explained to
some extent. This chapter, as for Chapter 3, provides a minimum of knowl-
edge needed by all fi re debris analysts.
After the fi rst part of the book, which provides basic theoretical concepts
and background information, the second part directly addresses the analysis
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Preface xxiii
of ignitable liquids and their residues. Chapter 9 introduces the reader to
the different ignitable liquids, along with their characteristics. It teaches
how to interpret chromatograms and correctly identify a neat ignitable
liquid. Then, the too often forsaken but very important, preliminary exami-
nation of the debris is presented (Chapter 10), followed by the extraction
techniques used to isolate ignitable liquid residues from their debris (Chapter
11). The reader may wonder whether or not the ordering of Chapters 9, 10,
and 11 is correct. This ordering was a deliberate decision: Because the infl u-
ence of the debris and the extraction technique can only be observed in the
fi nal output, the chromatogram, it was decided to present Chapter 9 fi rst
to guarantee a good fl ow and understanding of the concepts presented in
the subsequent chapters. Finally, the interpretation of chromatograms from
extracts from fi re debris samples is presented in Chapter 12, along with the
imperative concept of interfering products.
In the third part of the book, one can learn about the other techniques
used in fi re debris analysis and the future of this fi eld (Chapter 13). Then,
other particular examinations that are less frequently conducted are also
presented (Chapter 14). These include the analysis of vegetable oil residues,
automotive fl uids, homemade chemical bombs, and fl are residues. The last
three chapters present the concepts of certifi cation, accreditation, and stan-
dardization (Chapters 15 to 17).
It is hoped that this volume is both comprehensive and as succinct as
possible regarding the topic of fi re debris analysis. Of course, the entirety of
the fi eld could not be covered due to space constraints. Neural networks
used in the interpretation of the results have not been presented. Appendices
with chemical characteristics and molecule properties have not been
included. All brands and models of analytical instruments used in fi re debris
analysis have not been covered. Questions regarding safety in the laboratory
have been skipped. Finally, a chapter on how to write a report has not been
incorporated. These were deliberate choices, which do not decrease the
quality of the information presented. Indeed, the most accurate and recent
information was included throughout the whole book.
This book has been designed to provide the theoretical basis required for
the criminalist starting in fi re debris analysis as well as the practical basis
for the experienced fi re debris analyst, who wishes to have a resource at
hand for the vast majority of the issues that he/she may encounter. While
it has been designed to teach the forensic scientist almost everything one
wants to know about fi re debris analysis, it was also written in clear and
easy language so that students or non-scientists will also benefi t from it. As
a result, this book is a great asset for forensic scientists, fi re investigators,
prosecutors, attorneys, and instructors who wish to gain knowledge of the
fi eld.
Eric Stauffer, Julia A. Dolan, and Reta Newman
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Acknowledgments
Eric Stauffer
When engaging in a big adventure, such as the writing of this book, many
people become involved by providing their technical, administrative, logisti-
cal, and personal help. Thus, if the list of people to thank is quite long, it
is only the refl ection of the many great scientists who contributed to this
publication through their experience, knowledge, and kindness. No words
are suffi cient enough to thank them.
First, we would like to thank the team at Elsevier Academic Press who
believed in this book and who exhibited an incredible, almost unimaginable,
patience. Jennifer Soucy led this project from almost its inception to its
publication. Thank you so much for your fantastic work and your determi-
nation. Without you, this book would not be in print today. Kelly Weaver
has also contributed a lot to this publication. She was always available and
did excellent work. Christie Jozwiak handled the fi nal phase of the publica-
tion process, particularly the production, which led to a beautiful fi nal
outcome. Thanks again to everyone at Elsevier Academic Press. It has been
an immense pleasure to work with you and it is great always to be able to
count on you.
Second, I would like to personally thank Dr. P. Mark L. Sandercock,
Manager of Operations Support for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, one
of the greatest forensic scientists and fi re debris analysts I know. Dr.
Sandercock has dedicated an incredible amount of time and energy review-
ing this book and providing critical and pertinent feedback and ideas. I have
the utmost respect for his science and knowledge, which render his contribu-
tion to the forensic community priceless.
Third, I would like to thank all the other forensic scientists who reviewed
the book, or portions of the book. Their work has been invaluable and their
comments very much appreciated. Thanks to (in alphabetical order): Doug
Byron, President of Forensic & Scientifi c Testing; Gretchen Lajoie with the
Maine State Police Crime Laboratory; Dr. Olivier Delémont with the School
of Criminal Sciences (ESC) at the University of Lausanne; and Sue Hetzel
with SEA Limited. We also would like to deeply thank Dr. John D. DeHaan,
President of Fire-Ex Forensics, for his review and then writing the foreword
to this book.
Fourth, I would like to thank the people who provided material for
the book. Particularly, I think of Dr. Glenn Frysinger, Professor at the US
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xxvi Acknowledgments
Coast Guard Academy, who has conducted groundbreaking research in the
application of GCxGC-MS in fi re debris analysis. Dr. Frysinger has excep-
tional knowledge of the analysis of petroleum products and never ceases to
amaze me with his ideas and discoveries. He is a front-runner whose con-
tribution to the fi eld of fi re debris analysis will likely spark a new vision of
the interpretation of fi re debris analysis data. I also would like to thank (in
alphabetical order): Steven J. Avato with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives; Dr. Andy Becue with the ESC; Keith Bell with
Holland Investigations; Colleen Carbine with the Crime Laboratory Bureau
of the Miami-Dade Police Department; Laura Conner; Dr. Ronald
Coulombe formerly with the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de méde-
cine légale (Québec, Canada); Blair Darst with Cunningham Investigative
Services; Céline De La Porte; Emre Ertan with the Neuchâtel State Police
(Switzerland); Florence Jolliet with the ESC; Dr. Stéphanie Lociciro with the
ESC; Kristin A. McDonald with the Forensic Investigations Division of the
New York Police Department Crime Laboratory; François Perbet, fi re inves-
tigator in France; François Rey with the ESC; H. Kelly Wilson with Rimkus
Consulting Group; and John H. Woodland, chemist in Iowa (USA).
Then, I would like to thank my partners in crime, Julia Dolan and Reta
Newman for blindly accepting to join in this adventure. Reta and Julia were
there for me many years ago when I was struggling with my master’s degree
research and they gave me direction, motivation, and encouragement to
fi nish my research. Without them, I would have never been attracted to the
fi eld of fi re debris analysis. There is nothing I can say to thank you for that.
Your presence in my life is priceless and I will be forever grateful to you for
that. The next time a project like this arises, we will all think twice before
accepting it . . . I would like to also thank all my colleagues and friends
involved in forensic sciences and fi re debris analysis with whom I had many
opportunities to discuss problems and solutions over the years. This interac-
tion is invaluable and greatly helps me to conduct research and improve fi re
debris analysis. Thank you, thank you, and thank you, again. I hope we will
have many more discussions in the future!
Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Sarah Brown, who has always been
here for me, who has always been supportive of what I do, and whom I love
very much. Sarah has also spent countless hours, day and night, to read and
reread the text of this book to provide grammatical suggestions. Sarah, thank
you so much for your incredible work and support.
Julia A. Dolan
I would like to thank my mentors, who have helped and encouraged me,
and planted in me the love of the challenge of forensic sciences, especially
Eileen Davis and Mary Lou Fultz. For my parents who always believed that
I could do anything—my mom, Ella Agnes McCarthy Harris, who passed
away while this book was in progress; my dad, James Edgar Harris, and
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Acknowledgments xxvii
stepmother Anna Clyde Fraker. I appreciate your faith and encouragement.
My dear friend and technical expert in everything, Special Agent (ATF)
Steven Avato who has taught me so much about fi re investigation, philo-
sophy, logic and has provided so much more than friendship. I especially
want to thank Mick, who was so patient when I was writing and who is my
absolute favorite person on the planet, Mom loves you. Finally, my co-
authors Eric and Reta who have been so many things to me: teachers,
inspirations, and of course friends. I love you guys. Still.
Reta Newman
I must thank the following people, for without them, my participation in
this book would not have happened. First, to Mary Lou Fultz, my friend and
my mentor for she is the reason I became so active in the fi re debris analysis
world. Second, to Julia Dolan, my dear friend, co-author, and my Mom’s
Club confi dant for she travels the same roads and is an inspiration. Third,
to Eric Stauffer, fi rst student, then friend, now mentor, the most brilliant
person in the fi re debris community, for getting us into this project, for
keeping it going, and for pushing it (kicking and screaming) to the end. Be
very proud of this accomplishment, my friend—you have earned it! To Luke,
my husband, my love, for putting up with all the projects for all these
years—I will learn to say “no” sometime, I promise. To Christine, my step-
daughter, my friend, how lucky I am to have you in my life. And, fi nally to
Katie, my baby, my joy, for the wonderful child that you are and the great
young lady you are becoming. I am so lucky–“cuz God gave me you!”
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Foreword
It is a shock to one’s sense of place to review some 40 years of progress in
a discipline you pursued and contributed to for most of that time, all in one
massive volume. One of my fi rst assignments as a criminalist in 1970 was
to analyze fi re debris. There’s the oven, there’s the GC, and here’s a syringe.
There are the cans and jars of debris. Punch a hole in each lid, warm them
in the oven, draw out a sample and inject it. That was the training. The
column was a packed glass tube about 2 m long, the oven was isothermal,
and the data “system” was a strip chart recorder connected to an FID detec-
tor. A pattern of 12 peaks or so, all on scale, was considered a successful
chromatogram. (A steam distillation device was available if you thought you
needed it.) You generated your own reference library for identifi cations. Gas
chromatography had only been introduced to crime labs fewer than ten years
previously. There were no courses (except for Perkin-Elmer’s mini-courses),
no reference books, and very few experts (defi ned as anyone who had done
this kind of analysis for more than a year). You applied the best scientifi c
approach and asked as many questions as you could. There were few, if any,
standard procedures. You learned by doing. Luckily, the GC systems were
simple (at fi rst) and you learned by fi xing and trying (and sometimes failing).
When I fi rst discovered “patterns” of peaks that didn’t match any of my
reference charts, there was no resource to turn to. Back to the GC with a
variety of burned substrates, and sometimes the puzzles were solved by
empirical testing.
As more criminalists did more samples, results were shared through
Academy and regional meetings and publications, and as data systems and
gas chromatography got better (thank you, Walt Jennings!), we developed
more reliable and reproducible techniques, improved sensitivity, and got
faster turn-around as well. By the 1980s capillary columns and computer-
based data systems were becoming the norm. The sensitivity (detection
limit) was always an issue. “I could smell it in my sample and you’re telling
me it’s negative!” was a common refrain. The introduction of canines and
their superior detection limits (but very limited specifi city) brought new but
similar challenges. Mass spectrometry has helped enormously to sort out
both selectivity (accuracy) and sensitivity issues. We now can claim part per
billion sensitivity in fi re debris analysis with accuracy to match. And what
have we discovered? The modern world is fi lled with volatile compounds,
some of which mimic known petroleum products, some of which are the
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