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Bloodstain pattern analysis can help solve violent crimes. The position and shape of blood drops and splatter tell investigators a lot about what happened at the scene. However, investigators also use other analysis tools, such as void patterns, to learn more about a crime. What are void patterns and how do they help investigate violent crimes?

What Are Blood Void Patterns?

As well as analyzing blood drops, sprays, splatters, and stains, investigators can also use void patterns during their analysis. These patterns are areas which don't contain blood evidence even though it should be there.

For example, if an arc of blood hits a wall, then you expect the blood to follow a certain pattern as it hits the surface. If there is a void pattern, then there will be a coverage gap. Part of the surface won't have any blood on it; the shape of the expected blood pattern will be incomplete.

Void patterns usually indicate that something, or someone, stood in the way of the blood before it hit the wall. The object, or person, blocked some of the blood from hitting the surface and completing the expected coverage. It, or they, will have left the scene with the missing part of the pattern.

How Do Void Patterns Help Crime Scene Analysts?

Void patterns can be a useful part of crime scene analysis. These gaps help investigators learn more about a scene and, sometimes, help them catch the perpetrator.

For example, if you're investigating a double murder, then void gaps can help you assess which person died first. If blood from one person runs across the body of the other person but isn't under the second person's body, then you can assume that the second person was attacked first.

Gaps can also show the position of the perpetrator during an attack. If you can then find the clothes they wore, you might be able to fit the blood pattern on the clothes with the gap at the scene.

Plus, void patterns can also indicate that an object has been removed from a scene. A perpetrator might have stolen something after the attack. If you can find this item, then you might be able to slot it into the pattern. If you can link the thief with the item, and then link the item with the scene, then you have made a useful connection.

To find out more about void patterns, contact a bloodstain pattern analysis service.