0800 - 1200:
Interview & Interrogation with Master Sergeant Jeff Johnson, Missouri State Highway Patrol
Course Description:
During this course of instruction, the students will learn the basic structure of how to interview a subject. The students will learn the difference between an interview and an interrogation. What the basic concepts are of reading body language and posturing. It will be explained how to obtain the maximum amount of information from a subject.
The groundwork of the interview is to build rapport with the subject and determine their barriers to confession. This information is then used to formulate an interrogation strategy. Legal aspects such as Miranda rights and when to videotape interviews will be discussed. Students will learn a basic interrogation strategy, handling denials, and how to obtain a confession. The students will learn how to properly document admissions to a crime so that it can be used in court.
1200-1300: LUNCH
1300-1700:
Forensic and Archaeological Anthropology for Law Enforcement with Dr. Jennifer Bengtson.
Course Description:
Topics to be covered:
• Anthropology and its relevance for law enforcement
• Comparative osteology—distinguishing animal bone from human bone
• Determining forensic versus archaeological/historic significance
• Forensic anthropology basics: biological profile and trauma analysis
• Advanced DNA testing for human identification—CODIS versus Forensic Investigative Genealogy
• Isotope testing for forensic cases
• Archaeological remains: State burial laws and NAGPRA
1700-0000: HOSPITALITY ROOM
0800-1200:
Behavioral Clues at Crime Scenes (4 Hours) WITH DR. KATHERINE RAMSLAND
Course Description:
Crime scenes always tell a story, which can be reconstructed from behavioral traces. There might be signs of staging, indications of mental state, psychological linkage among multiple cases, and predictors of a future crime. This session demonstrates the interpretation of behavioral evidence in homicide cases using crime scene psycho-analytics, behavioral profiling, and psychological autopsy. Included are ways to minimize the chance of making common investigative missteps.
1200-1300: LUNCH
1300-1700:
TBA
1700-0000: HOSPITALITY ROOM
0800 - 1200:
How not to be manipulated by the master manipulators – identifying, investigating, documenting, and prosecuting aquatic crimes with Andrea Zaferes.
Course Description:
Asphyxiation—whether by drowning, strangulation, or suffocation—is a leading cause of non-natural death across the lifespan and remains a preferred homicide method for serial and domestic violence offenders. Because asphyxiation often leaves few obvious signs of trauma, it can be easily misdiagnosed as suicide, accident, or natural death. Investigators and medical examiners/coroners face unique challenges when determining both cause and manner of death, as these cases typically rely on exclusionary diagnoses and involve offenders adept at manipulating the scene.
This presentation will equip forensic professionals with evidence-based training and best practices to accurately identify, investigate, and prosecute asphyxiation-related homicides—particularly those involving water. Topics include:
Dynamics of aquatic asphyxiation crimes and crime-scene staging
Avoiding confirmation bias during scene processing
Evidence-based tools and workflows from patrol through prosecution
Managing “undetermined” and other non-homicide manner of death rulings on death certificates
Lesser-known aquatic crimes, such as aquatic sexual sadism, cold water immersion, and staged breath play
By the end of this course, attendees will understand why asphyxiation homicides are often overlooked and will gain the knowledge and strategies needed to recognize, investigate, and successfully prosecute these complex cases.