NCJ Number
113029
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Volume: 40 Issue: 390 Dated: (August/September 1985) Pages: 186-190
Date Published
1985
Length
5 pages
Annotation
During a homicide investigation, bloody footprints were found that matched the morphology of a possible suspect.
Abstract
To determine the uniqueness of pedal morphology, an examination was conducted of 95 female and 5 male footprints. Subjects ranged from under 5 to over 6 feet tall, weighed between 100 and 200 pounds, and had shoe sizes ranging from 3 to 10. Examination involved a comparison of a minimum of 13 anatomical features, including size and form of the metatarsal print, form and size of the hallucial bar, sculptural patterning of the anterior border, and degree of hallux valgus or varus relative to the metatarsal impression. If a test print is good, this examination can exclude most members of the general population; identification can be made with a high degree of probability. Transparencies made of the test and control footprints of the suspect showed an almost exact correspondence. In a second test, 100 sample sockprints were examined for correspondence to 5 test impressions. All five impressions were correctly assigned to the person who had made the print. Thus, footprints made through socks or stockings can leave an anatomical morphology that can be examined to yield a high degree of identification. While not providing the same degree of individuality as fingerprints, footprints made by an individual approach uniqueness. This evidence was ruled admissible in the homicide trial and contributed to a guilty verdict. 6 figures.