The Most Challenging Type of Crime to Investigate and Its Complexity
I think that the most difficult crime to investigate would be murder disguised as a suicide, primarily if the victim were known to have struggled with mental disorders. At the same time, some crimes are usually easier to identify based on the defendant’s clues, such as fingerprints, hair, footprints, and traces of trauma on the body of the victim, which indicate that it was not a self-inflicted case. Murder disguised as suicide is more complicated. For example, deaths caused by gunshot wounds are widespread and are either a result of homicide or suicide.
However, some cases are more complex to distinguish, thus resulting in the case being certified as an undetermined manner of death. What makes the investigation of such cases extremely complicated is that there are legal consequences that may follow. First impressions regarding the undetermined MOD may differ from the autopsy and final investigation results. Thus, this explains why murder disguised as suicide is one of the most brutal crimes to investigate.
Essential Steps for Conducting an Effective Investigation into Complex Crimes
If I were to investigate such a case, I would talk to different eyewitnesses and people who met the victim before their death. Regarding the deceased, I would thoroughly review the body of the person and see if there are any clues that could point to the fact that it was a murder and not a suicide. Various positions, such as the corpse lying with folded hands, can signify that this was the former.
I would review the victim’s history and whether they had any issues, such as severe interpersonal conflicts or drug dealing. I would thoroughly review any possible evidence, such as a falsified suicide letter, by checking whether the handwriting of the deceased matches that on the note. If it does not match, it will further verify that the case was murder, thus verifying the suspicions.