Forensics & Collections

The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Munich (ZSM)
Forensic entomology

Police detectives take advantage of the multi-phased infestation of a dead body by beetle larvae and fly maggots in terms of determining the time of death. By cooperating with the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation in Munich, the State Collection of Zoology Munich (ZSM) is currently compiling a reference database for such „dead body loving“ organisms in order to facilitate and accelerate their future identification.

Link to the publication: DNA Barcoding in Forensic Entomology

The Bavarian State Collection of Mineralogy Munich (MSM)
Teeth recording the origin

Also the State Collection of Mineralogy Munich (MSM) could already be of help in terms of solving homicide cases: By examining lead isotopes from the teeth of an unidentified dead body, an Eastern European origin of the dead person could be disclosed. For this purpose, the isotope data had been compared with mineral samples from the MSM. The place of origin of the dead body was determined soaccurately that local police were able to identify the victim and convict the offenders.

The Bavarian Botany and Mycology State State Collection Munich (BSM)
Plant traces leading to the crime scene

The biologists from the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation regularly resort to the expertise and the comparison with flora specimens from the Botany State Collection (BSM), for instance, in order to determine the origin of plant fragments. In so doing, they can draw conclusions as to the possible scene of a crime. As of late, there is an increased request for comparing plant material from new types of drugs.