LA Forensics: The Keystone Diamond

Testing the flashlight for prints

Meanwhile, back at the crime lab, criminalists went to work on their evidence. The hairs were checked out under a microscope and found to be either William's or Dante's. The dark red matter on the flashlight, carpet and sweatpants was found to be consistent with William's blood. DNA was not being used yet, so the best scientists could do was match the blood by type.

The shoeprint hadn't come back yet to any footwear worn by the people detectives had interviewed.

Criminalists were more successful with the fingerprints. One on the outside of the front door matched roommate Dennis. A palm print on the door's inside belonged to Lombardi.

Brushing for prints

The flashlight was next. Criminalists couldn't dust the outside because it had an uneven surface and wouldn't yield a good result, so a more intricate procedure was required. The flashlight was placed in a glass chamber that contained a small bowl of superglue and the chamber was heated. Glue fumes adhered to the prints left by a bloody left thumb and middle finger. A UV light was used to view the prints; then they were photographed for comparison.

They belonged to Noel Scott.