Use of Fingerprint in solving crime cases

Farrow Murders/Deptford Murders Case.

By
Sanya-Isijola, Ademuyiwa
 What is a fingerprint?
“A fingerprint is an impression of the
friction ridges found on the inner surface of a
finger or a thumb”.

“The science of fingerprinting constitutes the

only unchangeable and infallible means of
positive identification known to man”.
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
HISTORY
• Harry Jackson (1861-?) was the
first man to be convicted in the
United Kingdom via fingerprint
evidence for a burglary
committed(stealing a billiard ball)
in 1902.
• The investigating officer noticed a
number of fingerprints on a freshly
painted windowsill, apparently
where the burglar made his entry
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
HISTORY (contd)
• The Farrow murders (derived from
the last name of the victims) or
Deptford murder (derived from the
location of the murder) was the 1st
case in Great Britain where
fingerprint evidence was used to
convict criminals for murder.
• The criminals, Alfred Stratton
(born c. 1883) and his brother
Albert Ernest (born c. 1885, both
died May 23, 1905) were the first
men to be convicted in
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
Farrow Murders/Deptford Murders
The Crime
• Paint shop owner, Thomas Farrow
,71 and wife, Ann, 65 were beaten
to death on March 27,1905.
The Investigation

• No forced entry, robbery was the

motive(empty cash box found on
the floor with about 10 pounds
missing).
• Also two black masks (made from
stockings ) were found on the floor.
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
Farrow Murders/Deptford Murders (Contd)

The Investigation
• Greasy smudge with fingerprint
was found on the underside of the
empty cash box’s inner tray.
• Fingerprint sent to Fingerprinting
Bureau (same body that
investigated Harry Jackson’s
buglary case) at Scotland yards.
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
Farrow Murders/Deptford Murders (Contd)

Positive identification and Arrest.

• Fingerprint did not belong to either
victims.
• There was no identical Fingerprint
march with in Scotland yard
database.
• Interviewing of potential eye
witnesses to the crime and also the
girlfriend of the suspect.
• Eye witnesses identified 2 suspects
that left the paint shop in the
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
Farrow Murders/Deptford Murders (Contd)
The Trial
• There were conflicting eye witness
accounts
• Fingerprinting was explained in
layman’s terms by a professional
as a credible evidence that can
never be identical.
• The fingerprint matched that of
Alfred Stratton.
• The stratton brothers were
sentenced to death by hanging on
rd
 Use of fingerprint in
solving crime cases.
CONCLUSION

Fingerprint credibility is based on two basic

premise:
•Persistence
•Individuality
“Regrets are as personal as finger prints”
Margaret Culkin Banning

References:
•
http://www.all-about-forensic-science.com/famous-forensic-c
•http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Stratton-Brothers-cas
•http://ridgesandfurrows.homestead.com/fingerprint.html