Spectroscopic imaging based approach for condom identification in condom contaminated fingermarks.

Sexual offenders are increasingly reported to use condoms while committing the crime, mainly to prevent the transfer of DNA evidence. Although condoms are often removed from the crime scene, vaginal swabs can be taken from the victim to prove the presence of condom lubricants and therefore evidence of corpus delicti. However, late reporting to the police and the tendency of the victim to wash immediately after the crime, may compromise the detection of condom lubricants.

Direct detection of peptides and small proteins in fingermarks and determination of sex by MALDI mass spectrometry profiling.

Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (MALDI MS) can detect and image a variety of endogenous and exogenous compounds from latent fingermarks. This opportunity potentially provides investigators with both an image for suspect identification and chemical information to be used as additional intelligence. The latter becomes particularly important when the fingermark is distorted or smudged or when the suspect is not a previously convicted offender and therefore their fingerprints are not present in the National Fingerprint Database.