Investigation

Conducting Sasquatch Investigations (Or any investigation for that matter)

Forensic Interviewing & Investigating the Potential Bigfoot Witness
by Steve Kulls

The model is based on two psychological models of Interview and Interrogation; “The John Reid Method of Interrogation & Interview”, and the “Wicklander-Zwulaski"model of Interviewing and Neurolinguistics.”

Obtain a written report. Usually that’s how we in the field first come across a witness. Know the details inside and out, always have it with you for parts two and three, as a reference. Evaluate it, is it worth moving on to the next two steps.
Conduct a brief telephone interview. Compare it to the written account. Do not ask questions of details in the written account. Many times the witness may have a copy of their written account with them. The Interviewer should be aware of pauses in response to questions. (They may be reading to see what they have written. Or simply trying to figure out what they have said previously) Ask for a face to face interview, ask them to name names of other witnesses, ask them if they’d be willing to travel to the location of their sighting to meet you. Ask them to have the additional witnesses present for interviewing upon your visit. If all these are “No’s” this could be an indicator of deception.
Face to Face Interview.  Preparation is key. Upon arrival to the interview location, does the witness appear nervous or confident or ambivalent? Don’t be afraid to request the interview be recorded, (so you may be accurate in your determinations to judge the story). What is their posturing?

Questions...

Start off with the personal preliminaries: (remember as an investigator you have to ask tough questions. If questioned about these questions, state you are a professional and these questions are necessary to build a case profile upon but are not intended for public use)

Married/Divorced/Single/Widowed
If Divorced/Widowed, when?
Marital Problems?
Past Psychiatric problems?
Health Related Problems
Medications
Education
Employment/If unemployed, recentness?

From here you have the basis of your psychological profile. Now you can start with the meat and potatoes of the matter.

Verification Questions...

Ask the witness about prior knowledge about the animal.

Ask weather conditions, ask route of travel, what they were doing prior, times leaving, times of sighting, times of return. Did they make any stops?

To verify the account, you must KNOW the witnesses actions one hour prior, and one hour after the event.

Make sure to interview any additional witnesses apart from one another, so they don’t “feed” on each others observations. Be sure not to ask questions that will add additional detail to their account. Asking them if they smelled anything, mid interview can skew the details, and they may say yes they did, to bolster their account, to appease you, though the remainder of the facts are true. Being a good listener is key.

Things to remember...

Be aware of eye contact, do they look you in the eye? If their eyes go upward they are trying to remember, a look downward particularly to one side is usually an indication of deception. Do they answer questions too quickly or take an extra long pause? Do they come up with more detail in the interview?

A person being deceptive will become more and more descriptive as time progresses. Be aware of stuttering, especially if the person has not stuttered in the previous phone interview.

Be alert for an object reason. An objective reason is a statement similar to, "I would never hoax this, I have reputation," or something where they are telling you why they would not hoax it. Be aware of this in all facets of the interview. It is a HUGE indicator, a hoax may be in play.

Save any questions for the end. At the end of the interview, recount, their actions step by step with them, see if any more details emerge.

Question anything that seems wrong or out of place and gauge their reaction to the above body, and Neurolinguistics, actions. From there you’ll get a good “gut” feeling to whether or not they’re being honest.

Other witnesses may have slight variations because each individual’s perception is completely different, but again be aware of gross deviations from the main account.

Remember a witness is not just someone who was there during the alleged event, it could be a girl/boy friend, spouse or parent, that has knowledge of what they were told by the witness. Corroboration is key in proving the validity of a possible encounter.

If the level of detail was low the first time they heard of the story and now the witness is talking to you about it, and it’s grand and elaborate, it may be a sign of problems.

Field Investigation

Equipment to bring...

Investigation should not be just a jaunt into the wooded area looking for Sasquatch signs. (see Forensic Collection Techniques Thread for the field evidence collection)

Determination of merit is what we need, if an account is to be considered real. First travel their route and time it. Using the sample time line above, if they left the party at 10:00 PM. On Main St., what if the gas station is only around the corner? Unaccounted time.

What if the area of the sighting is actually an hour from the area of the gas station? If you have a good feeling about a witness, remember, “Trust but Verify.” You may have to retrace steps on a trail to verify times, but do it! It can be the determination between “a good story” versus a legitimized account.

This is an excerpt from my late colleague, Tim Cullen,
regarding equipment needed for field work
(my notes will be in yellow print):

One of the primary things that should be considered before you head out into the field is just exactly what type of investigation you are about to undertake. Is it:

A preliminary investigation in which you are hoping you may find Sasquatch sign based solely upon habitat and environment?
A reconnaissance investigation where there has been historical data of Sasquatch sightings?
A field investigation in which there has been a very recent Sasquatch sighting?
An evidence gathering investigation in which there is already some form of physical evidence you have been made aware of such as footprints or hair samples?

Regardless of what type of investigation you are about to undertake, there are two very important items that you should never go into the field without. A first-aid kit and a survival kit. If you carry nothing else with you, these two items should always be considered essential when you are in the woods…no excuses!

Amen!! Always prepare! I also recommend taking a Snake Bite Kit as well, it could save your life in a snap! A basic 1st Aid Kit, sells for about $15 at Wal-Mart and a Snake Bite Kit there costs about $7. Spending less than $25 for life saving gear is some of the cheapest insurance around. Don't forget a flashlight or two. But another life saving piece of equipment is a compass. You must have a compass and take readings BEFORE setting out, so you know how to get back!! And while we're on the cheap, bring a functional LIGHTER. If you are stranded, at least you have the ability to have a fire to keep warm with, and in of itself may attract people trying to seek you.

So let's recap: Snake Bite Kit, Compass, Lighter, Flashlight.

Here is a basic list of equipment that you should always have on hand when you are in the field:

Measuring tape - Measuring prints, track ways, etc.
Note pad - Taking notes, drawing maps, etc.
Pen or pencil - Self explanatory (can be used as a photographic scale reference in a pinch)
Ziploc bags - Evidence storage as well as protecting equipment

Okay I have to jump in here. Ziploc bags are great for keeping things water-proof. But add to this list PAPER SANDWICH BAGS, ENVELOPES, PERMANENT MARKER, AND DUCT TAPE. That's what you need for collecting evidence. Ziploc bags retain moisture and WILL damage evidence for DNA usage later.

Paper bags or envelopes - Evidence storage
Garbage bags - Protecting tracks until they can be cast – expedient raingear or shelter
Tweezers (sterile) - Evidence collection
Plastic gloves - Preventing evidence contamination – keeping hands clean while casting, etc.

Rubber or Nitrile gloves are preferred, I prefer Nitrile (the blue ones), no allergic reactions, stronger than rubber, and they don't have the nasty rubber smell or powders. Plastic gloves are used for food prep and usually are non-hand conforming.

Camera (35mm or digital) - Photographing physical evidence and habitat

I'd also recommend a GPS unit for collection of Geospatial Data as well. Sketch any area you deem important, photograph (denoting the picture sequence in your notebook) and GPS Coordinates, as well as Way pointing it. Be sure to include time and date in your notebook of the pictures taken.

Make sure you account for important weather conditions while out as well, Temperature, humidity, dew point, cloud conditions, precipitation and anything else you may find pertinent.

What is DNA?

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms.

The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information. DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells, such as proteins and RNA molecules. The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in regulating the use of this genetic information.

Chemically, DNA is a long polymer of simple units called nucleotides, with a backbone made of sugars and phosphate groups joined by ester bonds. Attached to each sugar is one of four types of molecules called bases. It is the sequence of these four bases along the backbone that encodes information.

This information is read using the genetic code, which specifies the sequence of the amino acids within proteins. The code is read by copying stretches of DNA into the related nucleic acid RNA, in a process called transcription.

Within cells, DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes. These chromosomes are duplicated before cells divide, in a process called DNA replication. Eukaryotic organisms such as animals, plants, and fungi store their DNA inside the cell nucleus, while in prokaryotes such as bacteria it is found in the cell's cytoplasm.

Within the chromosomes, chromatin proteins such as histones compact and organize DNA. These compact structures guide the interactions between DNA and other proteins, helping control which parts of the DNA are transcribed.

Processing the scene...

The best thing as researchers/investigators is to collect physical evidence in order substantiate the claim of a witness.

Physical evidence is any and all objects that can establish that a legitimate sighting has occurred or provide a link between the said incident and a biological subject, be it Sasquatch or other known animal such as a bear.

Secure and Isolate the incident site: This is a critical step in assuring that the evidence collection process is not compromised.
Record the Scene: In any investigation you have a limited amount of time before the snapshot of the area post-incident disappears, so try to record the scene in multiple ways using Photography, Videography or Sketching. Take notes generously.
Conduct a Systematic Search for Evidence: This will ensure the most thorough search of the area using the least amount of time. A good systematic search will not lead you to doubt if there was evidence left behind.
Collect & Package Physical Evidence: Each item similar or not, that are collected from different locations should be kept in their own container, (please see the above section on collection of physical evidence). Not only does this more accurately paint a picture of an incident, it prevents cross contamination.
Maintain Chain of Custody: This prevents any question of integrity of the evidence, as well as provides a log of who handled the evidence.
Obtain Controls: When possible obtain a control sample for comparison, for example if you find a strange substance on a blade of grass, collect said evidence, but also collect an uncontaminated sample (and mark it clearly that its a control piece of evidence). This is so science can easily pull out the abnormal chemical elements of the item by comparing it to the control item.
Submission of Evidence: Depending on distance from the testing lab or scientist, hand delivery is not always possible, so in order to maintain chain of evidence I recommend that it always be sent via registered mail, with signature return. Thus you have the signature and name of the lab you can easily keep on file in the chain of custody log.

Computer Forensics...

Once the field investigation part is completed, comes the computer forensic part of the Investigation.

First take their IP address on any email they send you and, Google Search it. You may get hits on search engines looking for “Bigfoot” or “Sasquatch” prior to their reported sighting. This may be a indicator of hoaxing.

Take any pictures they have digitally provided you as evidence and run a Properties/Summary/Advanced Summary on them. If taken with a digital camera it will show you the model, and date picture taken as well as the software used to process it.

I’ve debunked the Sonoma Video on material “Mark Nelson” put on his website in this manner. Powerful stuff. If these all pass the test, you will be on your way to making sure this is not a hoaxed account.

These are just some of my tricks of the trade to make sure you cover all your bases, of a witness. Our passion, has to be met with a healthy dose of skepticism at first. Once a witness “turns me”, then I begin to do the real field work. In 99.9% of all cases we do not know the witness, so we must go from there.

Forensic Evidence Collection Tips¹

To avoid contamination of evidence that may contain DNA, always take the following precautions:

Wear gloves. Change them often.
Use disposable instruments or clean them thoroughly before and after handling each sample.
Avoid touching the area where you believe DNA may exist.
Avoid talking, sneezing, and coughing over evidence.
Avoid touching your face, nose, and mouth when collecting and packaging evidence.
Air-dry evidence thoroughly before packaging.
Put evidence into new paper bags or envelopes, not into plastic bags.
Do not use staples.

Transportation and storage:

When transporting and storing evidence that may contain DNA, it is important to keep the evidence dry and at room temperature.
Once the evidence has been secured in paper bags or envelopes, it should be sealed, labeled, and transported in a way that ensures proper identification of where it was found and proper chain of custody.
Never place evidence that may contain DNA in plastic bags because plastic bags will retain damaging moisture.
Direct sunlight and warmer conditions also may be harmful to DNA, so avoid keeping evidence in places that may get hot, such as a room or police car without air conditioning.
For long-term storage issues, contact your local laboratory.

The Importance of Physical Evidence

Physical evidence is obtained for usually for two purposes, identification and comparison.

In our unique field of Cryptozoology, we have usually nothing to compare any original physical evidence to, such as DNA or even scat. However once an experiment has occurred where such evidence has been recovered where identification can be made, a repeat experiment would most likely be necessary, for a comparison.

Even the original first sample could be used for comparison towards known biological subjects for ultimately knowing whether or not they have common origin.

Some examples of Physical Evidence:

Blood, semen, saliva, documents, drugs, explosives, fibers, fingerprints, firearms, glass, hair, impressions (foot prints, shoe prints, bite marks, tire marks, all other forms of tracks), organs and physiological fluids, paint, petroleum products, powder residues, serial numbers, soils and minerals, spent rounds, tool marks, possible weapons, wood and other vegetative matter.

1. Source: http://www.ncjrs.gov/nij/DNAbro/evi.html

DNA History...

DNA was first isolated by the Swiss physician Friedrich Miescher who, in 1869, discovered a microscopic substance in the pus of discarded surgical bandages. As it resided in the nuclei of cells, he called it "nuclein". In 1919 this discovery was followed by Phoebus Levene's identification of the base, sugar and phosphate nucleotide unit. Levene suggested that DNA consisted of a string of nucleotide units linked together through the phosphate groups. However, Levene thought the chain was short and the bases repeated in a fixed order. In 1937 William Astbury produced the first X-ray diffraction patterns that showed that DNA had a regular structure.

In 1928, Frederick Griffith discovered that traits of the "smooth" form of the Pneumococcus could be transferred to the "rough" form of the same bacteria by mixing killed "smooth" bacteria with the live "rough" form. This system provided the first clear suggestion that DNA carried genetic information, when Oswald Avery, along with coworkers Colin MacLeod and Maclyn McCarty, identified DNA as the transforming principle in 1943.DNA's role in heredity was confirmed in 1953, when Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase in the Hershey-Chase experiment showed that DNA is the genetic material of the T2 phage.

In 1953, based on X-ray diffraction images taken by Rosalind Franklin and the information that the bases were paired, James D. Watson and Francis Crick suggested what is now accepted as the first accurate model of DNA structure in the journal Nature. Experimental evidence for Watson and Crick's model were published in a series of five articles in the same issue of Nature. Of these, Franklin and Raymond Gosling's paper was the first publication of X-ray diffraction data that supported the Watson and Crick model, this issue also contained an article on DNA structure by Maurice Wilkins and his colleagues. In 1962, after Franklin's death, Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. However, debate continues on who should receive credit for the discovery, as the Watson and Crick article in Nature was based on Franklin's data without either acknowledgment or her knowledge.

In an influential presentation in 1957, Crick laid out the "Central Dogma" of molecular biology, which foretold the relationship between DNA, RNA, and proteins, and articulated the "adaptor hypothesis". Final confirmation of the replication mechanism that was implied by the double-helical structure followed in 1958 through the Meselson-Stahl experiment. Further work by Crick and coworkers showed that the genetic code was based on non-overlapping triplets of bases, called codons, allowing Har Gobind Khorana, Robert W. Holley and Marshall Warren Nirenberg to decipher the genetic code. These findings represent the birth of molecular biology.