Medicolegal Death Investigation A Step-By-Step Field Guide

Medicolegal Death Investigation (MDI) is designed to provide basic and recurrent guidance for medicolegal death investigators, coroners, medical examiners, crime scene investigators, firefighters, and emergency medical service providers. This step-by-step field guide provides instructions for a variety of death scenes including: homicides, suicides, drug overdoses, suspicious deaths, and much more. Death Investigation is a complex process involving coordination with many parties. MDI summarizes the pertinent elements of scene investigation from medical and legal perspectives. This manual reflects up-to-date best practices in an area which has more recently become a focus of increased scrutiny. Basic investigation elements, as well as red flags, are presented in an easy-to-use format to enable an investigator to evaluate a scene with confidence. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office Investigation Unit investigates over 1200 scenes a year. Our team of investigators are certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) and have over 100 years of experience between them.

Joe Stopak began his career as a Forensic Pathologist Assistant in 1999 what was then the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office. He presently serves as the Manager of Investigation and Morgue Operations for the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office; a position that he has held since 2007. In this capacity, he supervises and oversees the Investigators, Receiving and Property Departments, identification of unidentified persons and is responsible for Mass Disaster Planning for the office. Prior to joining the staff, he was an Anatomical Pathology Technologist at University Hospitals of Cleveland, a former licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director and a Recovery Technician with experience in recovering and processing tissues for the purpose of transplant. Mr. Stopak obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. He has also completed training and is certified as a Medicolegal Death Investigator (ABMDI) at the St. Louis School of Medicine in addition to completing course work for the Center of Domestic Preparedness (FEMA).

James Wentzel served as a forensic photographer for the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office in 1985 and was appointed the agency's Chief Forensic Photographer in 2000 until he retired in 2016. With an educational background in aeronautical engineering and industrial design, Jim has completed numerous hours of continuing education in photography and electronic imaging. He is a certified instructor for the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training program and has most recently taught at The University of Akron, Summit College.