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Death in custody – rapid formal identification

Client background

A prisoner was found deceased in his cell, following a violent assault.

While officers onsite had a strong indication of who the offender was, his injuries meant a formal identifcation was required. 

How the Public Safety Platform was used

At the scene, the crime scene officer captured photographs and fingerprints, and submitted them digitally through bdna forensics, the forensic case management system used to manage work from crime scene through to court reporting.

The submission entered a controlled forensic workflow immediately, visible to the fingerprints team. Because there was already a likely identity, a one-to-one fingerprint comparison was initiated within the system. 

Bdna forensic surfaced the releavent fingerprint record instantly and routed the task through the standard examination and review process, capturing each action – submission, comparison, verification and reporting – as part of the same record.

Outcomes and benefits

A formal identification was confirmed within 20 minutes, using a controlled and auditable forensic workflow.

That speed mattered. It meant investigators could proceed immediately with a death-in-custody investigation that carries significant legal, procedural, and public scrutiny. Instead of managing uncertainty or relying on interim assumptions, the investigation began with a formally verified identity, recorded in the system from the outset.

Just as importantly, the identification was completed through the standard forensic workflow, with each step formally recorded as part of the case.

This created a clear, defensible record from the crime scene through to court, supporting accountability in a matter subject to intense scrutiny.

Key benefits:

  • No investigative delay caused by waiting for formal identification

  • Reduced legal and procedural risk in a highly sensitive matter

  • Clear accountability and auditability across all forensic actions

  • Court-ready documentation available from the earliest stage

  • Improved transparency and public confidence in the handling of a death-in-custody investigation

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