From Insect to Evidence – Forensic Entomology

In the 2004 case of Leigh Matthews, the discovery of a small black spider on her body served as silent evidence, contradicting Donovan Moodley’s claim that he had shot her at the location where
her body was found. Specialist scientist Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman identified it as a funnel-web spider, common in the Highveld grasslands. The small black spider had spun a web on Leigh’s upper
thighs. The scientist concluded that Leigh’s body had likely destroyed the spider’s original web, forcing it to seek safety and spin a new, fragile web on the body – a white webbing only hours old at the time of discovery. No fly eggs were discovered on Leigh’s body which meant that there were no blood, open wounds or bodily openings that attracted flies to lay eggs.

Newsletter Nov/Dec 2024

Read the latest news from the Wesco team as we close the year of 2024. It’s been a wonderful year.
* Read a word from our CEO and founder, Wessie van der Westhuizen.
* We Welcome new members to the team so be sure to see who they are!
* Take a sneak peek into 2025 with all the training we offer!

The Silent Witness: Unlocking Hidden Clues in Forensic Science

In the world of forensic science, even the smallest trace of evidence can speak volumes. Silent Witness explores how cutting-edge forensic techniques unlock hidden clues that often go unnoticed, providing a voice for the voiceless in high-profile criminal investigations.

Wesco Servamus September 2024

When Moegamat Yusuf Isaacs from Ottery in Cape Town kidnapped and murdered his neighbour’s granddaughter, eight-year-old Sasha-Leigh Crook, who was visiting her grandparents for the holidays in July 2003, he did not realise that tyre tracks would link him to her murder.

Wesco Servamus June 2024

Crime scene examiners use sophisticated
methods to retrieve physical evidence from
crime scenes. This includes using various
forensic light sources operating at different
frequencies and employing diverse chemicals to identify and validate the existence of evidence. UV lights are also used to unveil hidden evidence that is not visible to the naked eye. However, the mere collection of physical evidence is insufficient – to hold significance, the evidence must be legally obtained and undergo proper legal processing.The unequivocal identification of physical evidence at the crime scene forms the foundation of a successful investigation.

Wesco Servamus May 2024

Recording a crime scene is a skill that
involves creating a precise replica of the
crime scene, for the benefit of the court or
aiding in an investigation. This process is
crucial for solving a case and the successful
conviction of offenders. Accuracy is paramount, as the effectiveness of an investigation hinges on the thorough and meticulous processing of the crime scene.

Wesco Servamus April 2024

Email Us Call Us X Wesco’s Servamus Article April 2024 At Wesco Forensic Services, we are dedicated to providing expert forensic solutions to support the criminal justice system. With over 100 years of combined experience, our team specializes in various forensic disciplines, including firearm analysis, tool mark comparisons, DNA profiling, bloodstain pattern analysis, fingerprinting, and […]

Wesco Servamus January 2024

In the intricate world of criminal justice, a crime is decribed as behaviour punishable as a public offense.

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