Wesco News Letter February 2025
In this Edition:
*Shout out from our CEO Jannie Van Der Westhuizen.
*Why should I be interested in forensics?
*What’s New? Revolutionizing Animal Identification with Biometrics and Cell Phone Technology!
Unraveling Mysteries, One Clue at a Time
In the gripping world of forensic investigation, where truth hides in the shadows and mysteries lurk beneath the surface, one name shines brightly: Wesco Forensics.
Crime Scene Management
Crime scene management begins the moment an incident occurs. The public and first responders play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of the scene. While advanced forensic technology can analyze evidence in remarkable detail, the value of such analysis is quickly lost if the crime scene is not properly preserved from the outset. Even the slightest disturbance to evidence—whether visible or microscopic—can compromise its use in court.
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!
October 2024 Forensic Science Newsletter | Expert Insights and Investigations
Explore the latest in forensic science and investigation services with our October 2024 newsletter. Dive into expert insights, radio talks, and updates from the world of private investigators.
Mastering Crime Scene Management: Essential Techniques and Procedures
Discover expert techniques for mastering crime scene management, ensuring proper evidence handling and accurate investigation outcomes. Learn the crucial steps that every forensic professional must know.
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.
