Forensic classes investigate crime scene of Lyle and Louise

A sunny day over campus turned into a crime scene investigation as forensics teachers Brittany Miller and David Lanman brought a melted, burned and crashed forest green BMW convertible to the teacher parking lot with three “bodies,” burnt beyond recognition. Students throughout the day took a field trip outside to decide if there was any foul play involved in the fatal car crash of Louise and her two children, Wally and Jan.

The students of Miller and Lanman started on a yearlong crime scene investigation Nov. 6-7. The project is supposed to give the students hands-on experience and encourage excitement about the class.

“Our content was kind of dry. Kids learned it but they didn’t know why they were,” Miller said. “This crime scene investigation gives them a reason to understand the material and actually care about it. This way kids who are interested in the field can figure out if they really want to go into forensics this investigation can confirm that or realize no that isn’t what they want to do.”

Miller said that she had always looked for a way to give her students the opportunity to work a crime scene, but it was not until this year when Lanman arrived that the chance arose.

“I’ve been trying for years to make a crime scene, but could never figure out how,” Miller said. “It helped having Lanman this year because two heads are better than one and he helped work out the logistics. We just figured we might as well go with it.”

Students took pictures, sketched and took notes on the crime scene within a timed 15 minute period. This provided a real life situation with a time crunch and the necessity to preserve evidence.

“I think this is a very creative way to really learn about forensic procedures,” senior Kaitlyn Shindoll said. “It’s a very hands-on experience. I enjoyed actually searching through stuff and seeing everything we have learned come together.”

The crime scene not only consisted of the car, but other evidence hidden among the wreckage such as shattered glass, the bumper of the car placed far away and even a ketchup packet.

“I think it will be very interesting to see the ongoing case and figure out who committed the crime,” senior Darron Thompson said. “I really liked the fact that they went into extreme detail with the car and then we got to go out there and take evidence and pictures. I felt like we were actually working a crime scene.”

The crime scene investigation will end in April, and the students hope they will be able to crack this case wide open.

“I love how this will be one continuous point throughout the year,” senior Erica Muhlbauer said. “Keeping up with fingerprints and analyzing evidence will be hard to do, but I think my group and the class should be able to do it.”