CASE FOUR: Bitter Pill

1.Go to forensics.rice.edu and click the section “Bitter Pill” to find the answers to complete the
worksheet.
Getting to Know the Game:
● In each room, you can talk with characters by clicking on him or her.
● Explore a room by moving the mouse around and finding interactive objects that you can
click on.
● To change rooms, click on the location tab at the bottom and choose where to go.
● Before leaving a location, always click the CSI agent to make sure you have finished in
that room.
1. Catherine’s Office

Click on Catherine and answer the following questions.

1. What happened? There was a fire at a local home and a young man was killed

2. What gear do you need? Smartphone, camera, and a fire scene tool

Collect your tools and head to the crime scene.

2. Crime Scene

Talk to Sara when you arrive.

1. What do we know about the victim? The young man

2. Where is the body? Doc Robbins’ team has already picked it up

Record any evidence you find both inside and outside below.

Evidence Collected Where It Is Processed In the Lab

A match box- finger print station

Photos of the fire scene- computer

Burned wood flooring- Gas chromatograph

Space heater- Light table

3. What did Donald Parker see? The fire was over and the firefighters were leaving

4. What time was that? 5:30 am

5. Who lives in the house? Trevor Johnson

Go inside to collect evidence and take pictures.

6. What is significant about puddle shaped burn marks? It shows that ignitable liquids were poured on the
flooring

Talk to Sara to make sure you are finished, then head to the lab to process evidence.

3. CSI Lab
Talk to Hodges for help processing evidence.
A. Process Photos

1. Where do you usually find V-Shaped burn patterns? Happens where the fire originated

2. What was the cause of the crazed glass? Rapid cooling of hot glass by the application of water

3. Where was the victim during the fire? Laying on the floor

4. Does the puddle pattern confirm use of ignitable fuel? NO

5. Does the plug tell us if the heater was on or not? YES

B. Process Flooring Sample

1. What is happening during heating to the floor samples? They will vaporize into the container’s air space

2. What does the gas chromatograph do? Shows all the chemicals in a substance

3. What does a peak’s height depend on? There is signs of gasoline and other fuels

4. What abnormal chemical is found in the puddle sample? perchloroethylene

C. Process Space Heater

1. What were the heater controls set on at the time of the fire? Yes

2. What does the bead demarcation tell us? Burning from the outside

D. Process Matches

1. What method did you use to collect fingerprints? Superglue fuming

2. Did the IAFIS find a match to the print? YES

3. Who does the fingerprint belong to? Donald Parker

4. Neighbor’s House

1. Why was the neighbor at Trevor’s house? He checked on the girlfriend

Look for any other interactive objects in the room, then ask Sara if you are done before moving
on to the next activity.
5. Morgue

1. What does Robbins believe to be the cause of death? Smoke inhalation

2. What time did the victim die? Between 1 am and 4 am

3. What did you find in the victim’s airway? Soot

4. At what point on the scale of 1-100 for carbon monoxide will a person die? 60

Write any evidence you find in the graph below.

Evidence Collected Where It Is Processed In the Lab

Victim’s blood sample- spectrophotometer

Exit to the hallway by clicking the left side of the room.

6. CSI Lab

A. Process Blood (ELISA)

1. What does the ELISA test actually test for? Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay

2. What did the victim have in his blood, according to ELISA? Opiates

B. Process Blood (Gas Chromatography - Drugs)

1. Why is a standard used in this process? To find drugs in blood

2. What drug was found in the victim’s blood (not the standard)? Oxycodone

3. Was there enough of the drug in his blood to kill him? Yes
C. Process Blood (Gas Chromatography - Alcohol)

1. What area of the vial are you testing for alcohol? Headspace

2. Is there ethanol present in the blood? YES

3. What was the victim’s BAC? 0.8% Could that have killed him? No

D. Process Blood (Spectrophotometry)

1. What will this test analyze? How much carboxyhemoglobin

2. What principle is spectrophotometry based on? To find unknown chemicals in the system

3. Did the victim die from carbon monoxide poisoning? No

Ask Hodges if you are done before moving to a new location.

7. Crime Scene

Search the bathroom for any evidence of oxycodone, and write down any evidence you find.

Evidence Collected Where It Is Processed In the Lab

A bottle of oxycodone- used for questioning

Check your message from Catherine.

8. Lina Perez’s House

Talk to Lina to learn more about the oxycodone.

1. What is Lina’s relation to the victim’s girlfriend? Sister

2. How does Lina feel about Trevor? She doesn’t like him

Read your message from Brass, then move to the next location.

9. Hospital

Enter the patient room in the hallway.

1. How does Natalie claim the fire started? Doesn’t know

2. Did Natalie know anything about the gasoline? No What about the oxycodone? No

Leave Natalie’s room and find the doctor’s office on the right.

1. What does the doctor tell us about Natalie’s condition? Mild CO2 poisoning. Should be fine soon

2. The report reveals that what was in Natalie’s blood? Carboxyhemoglobin

1. What plant do opiates derive from? Poppy Plants

2. What system does oxycodone act upon? Nervous

3. What is the process of increasing and decreasing pain relievers called? Neuroadaptation

4. What happens to painkiller levels in the brain when a person without a prescription takes

oxycodone? They lessen because there's artificial painkillers

5. Name two side effects of withdrawal: Nausea and Depression

Read your message from Catherine and wrap up the investigation.

10. Interrogation Room

1. What did Natalie reveal about Trevor’s oxycodone use? He abused as long as she knew him

2. Who and why did they start the fire? Natalie, because she didn’t want drugs to ruin her future

3. What were they charged with? Possession of a controlled dangerous substance and First degree arson