While walking to the parking lot, you remember how your Field Training Officer (FTO) would emphasize the importance of properly documenting the incide...

Imagine that you are a newly promoted detective en route to your first crime scene, a suspected homicide, and you want to be prepared for what you may encounter. While walking to the parking lot, you remember how your Field Training Officer (FTO) would emphasize the importance of properly documenting the incident, securing the crime scene, and protecting the evidence from contamination. As you drive to the scene, you begin to mentally review all of the elements that go into the completion of an incident report and a thorough investigation. You arrive at the call location and learn that a patrol officer was summoned to conduct a welfare check in response to a 911 call from the property landlord. The landlord stated that after receiving no response to repeated phone calls to his tenant, he decided to drive to the property. The landlord stated that upon his arrival, there was a foul smell coming from the apartment and that he observed piled-up mail and what appeared to be blood on the doorknob. You are then briefed by the patrol officer that responded to the caller who reported that he knocked and announced, but that no one answered the door. Based on the circumstances and concern for the tenant's well-being, the landlord unlocked the door for the officer to gain entry. The officer tells you that "Upon entry, I observed the apartment in disarray with chairs scattered about, a broken kitchen table, smashed dishes on the floor, and a tipped-over shelving unit. The officer says, "Oh ...and there is a corpse in the back bedroom." The officer continues, "I found an ID of a Mathew R. Brewster on the dresser. It appears like he's the victim." You enter and notice bloody shoe prints on the kitchen floor, a turned-over recliner in the living room, and other items consistent with the officer's description. Walking through the apartment, you notice blood on the living room carpet, with drops leading to the back bedroom. The bedroom fan is still running, and the bathroom light is on. You carefully push the bedroom door open to find a body face-down on the bed with what appears to be a gunshot wound to the back of the head. After making these initial observations, you conduct your investigation. No weapon is in sight. You just received confirmation from the coroner of your belief that the death of Mathew R. Brewster is indeed a homicide - it is no big revelation as there was no weapon found at the crime scene. During the initial investigation, you were only able to interview tenants of the building who mentioned seeing the victim and some unknown visitors, but none of them were home during the suspected time of the murder as determined by the coroner. Fortunately, persons of interest have been identified. How do you uncover more information inclusive of interviewing these persons of interest? Gathering Information You continue gathering information by revisiting the crime scene and utilizing available resources commonly used by the police. Interview A potential suspect,19-year-old Vanessa Montros, has been identified and agreed to be interviewed at the station... which interview model will you employ? What questions will you ask? Interrogation Based on the answers gained from your initial interview and other information, you feel that Ms. Montros should now be interrogated. She has become defensive and wary of the process - at times belligerent, but she has not asked for a lawyer and continues to cooperate. You need to decide how you are going to legally conduct the interrogation. What approach is likely to be the most effective in garnering further information? Does the suspect need to be Mirandized? Why or why not? Arrest Imagine, that days later you go to Ms. Montros' home to ask her some additional questions. She answers the door and steps outside to talk - leaving the door open behind her. The discussion escalates and soon she is fed up with talking to you. In a fit, she pushes one of your fellow officers. You respond by arresting her. Your gut tells you that she is the killer and there is damning evidence of it to be found in her house. Can you legally enter and search the house? Instructions Consider the developing scenario and answer the following in extensive details supported by facts and credible sources. 1. Gathering Information Describe the next steps that you would take on a scene that would be effective in identifying additional witnesses and evidence. Include police resources that should be consulted or utilized to further the investigation at this point. 2. Interview Choose and justify an appropriate interview model (from the course text) and pose 5 revealing questions that you would ask the suspect that directly reflect it. 3. Interrogation Explain 2 circumstances under which this suspect will need to be Mirandized. 4. Arrest Describe the details of a specific circumstance under which a legal search of the premises may be conducted.