Posts Tagged ‘Denver’
Baby Lisa Part (3): Body Decomposition; More FACTS!
When researching a topic such as the one we are discussing here it is important to find the right people to question about certain issues that come up in these cases. Every Private Investigator has to have “Go To Guys”; people that specialize in areas of of investigation and are considered experts in their fields. I have a my own group of “Go To Guys” that I request consultations with in cases where I need to know something, or I may need to be able to refer an expert witness to an attorney. If it is financial crimes and fraud, I call Bill Branscum. If it is due diligence , criminal defense or civil litigation I call Sue Sarkis. If it is cyber investigations or more specifically Computer Forensics, although I have a well qualified staff, I still call Brian Ingram. These are people that I know are qualified, tried, and proven in their fields of expertise and I know I can rely on them to give me accurate information. I have several other “Go To Guys” that I also call upon, and this network of people enables me to be just a little more effective at what I do. When it comes to Death Investigations, I call Dean Beers. Dean Beers has an extensive resume, and his credentials, qualifications, and experience are second to none in the field of Death Investigations. Below is a small sampling of Dean’s qualifications and experience:
Dean Beers’s Summary
As a Certified Legal Investigator, I am very passionate about legal investigations and working with my clients to provide the best information and tools in advocating for our mutual client.
I formed my legal investigative agency in 1987, quickly becoming a leading and innovative provider of investigative, legal and trial support services. I left the private sector in late 2005 to accept a full-time position as a deputy coroner / death investigator with the Larimer County Medical Examiner’s Office, after graduating with honors from the Weld County Law Enforcement Academy. In late 2008 I returned to the private sector, focusing on Personal Injury, Negligence & Death, as well as Criminal Defense. This is built on my extensive education, experience and training in the private sector, as well as my internship, training and job experience at both the Larimer and Weld County Medical Examiners’ Offices.
Services include incident and scene investigations, causation of injuries and death, photography, videography, interviews, evidence collection, records and reports reviews, statement analysis, and many other related services. I have extensive education, training and experience in many investigative disciplines, and have also lectured extensively, written many articles and a book on individual locate investigations.
We are centrally located approximately one hour north of Denver, CO and one hour south of Cheyenne WY. We are pleased to bring our expertise and passion to the front range investigative and legal communities. We welcome your inquiries and the opportunity to assist you.
I am a member of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC – senior), National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI), Colorado State Investigators Association (CSIA), Colorado Criminal Defense Bar (CCDB – investigator/affiliate), International Association of Identification (IAI / RMDIAI), and National Association of Medical Examiners (The NAME).
Specialties
Extensive experience is in death investigation and related forensics. My specific areas are medical records review, autopsy protocol and report reviews, death and injury evaluation and causation, all incident and crime scenes, equivocal death, photography and videography, statement analysis and fingerprints lifting and comparison. In addition, we provide Individual Locates, Address Verifications, Assets & Liabilities Records, Civil and Criminal Histories and Complete Personal Profiles.
Dean Beers’s Experience
Chairman of the Board
Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado
Legal Services industry
November 2010 – Present (1 year)
Excited to lead the board in the continued forward professionalism of the members of the PPIAC. Our current professional licensing effort has gained momentum and is moving forward!
Region 5A Director – NCISS
National Council of Investigation and Security Services
Legal Services industry
September 2010 – Present (1 year 2 months)
Regional Director for CO WY NE & AZ for NCISS – the voice of professional investigators in DC. Duties include membership communication, recruitment and keeping our members informed.
Region 6 CLI Representative
CLI Committee – Region 6
Legal Services industry
July 2010 – Present (1 year 4 months)
I am the Region 6 Representative on the Certified Legal Investigator Committee for the National Association of Legal Investigators. I will be working with other CLI representatives and the CLI committee to further this exceptional certification and our profession. Region 6 includes CO, MT, WY, NM, AZ, UT and ID. There are six CLIs in the region.
Expert – Forensic Investigation, Pattern Injury Analysis and Investigative Protocols
Forensic Investigators of Colorado LLC (Self-employed)
Self-Employed; Legal Services industry
April 2009 – Present (2 years 7 months)
Qualified in Colorado district & county courts in Forensic Investigation, Pattern Injury Analysis and Investigative Protocols. Expert Consultant: crime scene, pattern injury, fingerprint comparison, investigative protocols, forensic photography and blood spatter.
Certified Legal Investigator / Owner
Associates in Forensic Investions LLC (Self-employed)
Self-Employed; Legal Services industry
October 1987 – Present (24 years 1 month)
I have been a Professional Investigator since 1987. I have extensive experience in individual backgrounds and locates, as well as current education, training and experience in Personal Injury, Negligence & Death, as well as Criminal Defense supplemented by my recent position with the Larimer County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Sr member
PPIAC
Legal Services industry
2008 – 2010 (2 years)
Deputy Coroner / Death Investigator
Larimer County Medical Examiner’s Office
Government Administration industry
September 2002 – August 2008 (6 years)
Beginning with training and internship and progressing into part-time then full-time, after graduating the Weld County Law Enforcement Academy. We were responsible for responding to and investigating deaths and incident scenes, assisting with autopsies and complete follow-up investigation.
Forensic Autopsy Assistant
Larimer and Weld Counties Medical Examiner’s Offices; Colorado Pathology Associates
Legal Services industry
September 2002 – August 2008 (6 years)
Assisted with forensic, medical and hospital autopsies.
Deputy Coroner / Investigator
Weld County Medical Examiner’s Office
Legal Services industry
January 2003 – June 2005 (2 years 6 months)
Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator and Deputy Coroner
As we can see, Dean Beers is well qualified to speak with us on the topic of Human Body Decomposition. I wanted to explore this topic a little because there is some debate on the accuracy of the “hit” that a Cadaver Dog made on the scent of a deceased human body in the Irwin home. I first want to understand the process of Human Body Decomposition, so I called Dean and asked him if he would spend a little time explaining this to me along with any experiences he may have had with Cadaver Dogs. I got a good education from Dean, and I think my readership here may also find that they will learn some interesting things here too.
First, I want to point out some facts that I learned from Dean; then I will give the audience here the entire audio file of the conversation that I had with Dean Beers.
FACTS
(1) The human body starts to decompose almost immediately after death.
(2) The time frame in which a human body can be in a state of decomposition before a Cadaver Dog can pick up the scent of decomposition varies, but it can be as little as one (1) hour, and in almost all cases a Cadaver Dog can pick up the scent of decomposition within three (3) hours after death.
(3) Cadaver Dogs can detect “the scent of death” from bodies buried underground and from bodies that are under water.
(4) The smell of a human body in advanced stages of decomposition is so unique that a person can smell the scent just one time and remember it for years.
Now here is my conversation with Dean Beers on this topic in it’s entirety: Dean Beers on Human Body Decomposition
Dean also wants everyone to have a clear understanding of what is meant by decomposition from a medical perspective; so here is a quote from Dean that will help you to better understand how a Cadaver Dog can pick up the scent of a decomposing body even in a place where it has been for only one (1) hour to three (3) hours, but has also been moved away from after said period of time:
The process starts almost immediately after death with biological changes, causing build up of internal gases and bacteria. This can be in the first hour and is dependent on environment, decedent’s health, and chemistry (i.e. toxicology can have a role). These seemingly imperceptible changes are what develop the odor that can be left behind after a body is removed or can lead the Cadaver Dog to the body.
From listening to this audio file, you should gain a little more clarity on the probability of a Cadaver Dog making a “hit” on “the scent of death” in the Irwin home. It would seem that it was entirely possible for the Cadaver Dog to have made the “hit” on the scent of a decomposing body in the Irwin home.
I hope this is helpful to the public, and my readership gains just a little more of an understanding of the investigation into the disappearance of Baby Lisa Irwin.
Thank you all for your time.
Ricky B. Gurley
