Room 312
A 26-year-old woman reports a sexual assault in hotel room 312 at 06:00; she says the assault occurred around 01:30 after she had been drinking. She showered at 05:00 and changed clothes. Housekeeping entered at 05:40 and stripped the bed before being stopped. The room has two queen beds; the complainant thinks the assault occurred on the bed nearer the window, but she is unsure. A used condom wrapper is in the bathroom trash; no condom is visible. The suspect is a hotel guest in room 410 who has not checked out. The complainant's clothing from the night is in a plastic grocery bag in her car. It is now 09:00. You have a sexual assault nurse examiner available, an alternate light source, and a lab with a 72-hour rush request.
1. What do you collect in room 312, and in what order, given that housekeeping stripped the bed?
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The stripped bed changes the priority but does not eliminate evidence. First photograph the room as found, including the bed nearer the window and the bathroom trash. Then collect the condom wrapper from the bathroom trash with gloved hands, package it separately, and swab the wrapper's exterior and interior for DNA; do not handle it by the torn edges. Collect the top and fitted sheets and pillowcases from the housekeeping cart if they can be identified, and the mattress pad if still on the bed; label them as bedding removed by housekeeping rather than as scene bedding. Swab the mattress surface and headboard for semen or saliva. Use the alternate light source on the bed area and bathroom before chemical enhancement. Collect the complainant's clothing from the plastic bag last, after air-drying, because the bag may have created a humid environment favorable to DNA but also to degradation. Sequence: trash and DNA first, bedding, surfaces, then clothing.
2. How do you handle the complainant's clothing in the plastic grocery bag?
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A sealed plastic bag is poor long-term packaging because moisture promotes degradation and mold. At the lab or in a controlled drying room, remove the clothing, photograph each item, and air-dry it on clean paper; do not dry it in direct heat or sunlight. Package each item separately in paper bags after drying. Document the bag and its contents as found, including any visible stains or debris. Because the complainant showered and changed, the clothing may still hold transfer DNA, semen, or trace from the suspect; the crotch and inner thigh areas are priorities, but do not cut out areas before photography and documentation. If the clothing is wet, note that and dry it before packaging. Chain of custody must record the transfer from the car to the drying room.
3. How do you prioritize the suspect in room 410 and the 72-hour rush request?
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The suspect is a moving target: he may check out, shower, or leave. First confirm his location and request a hold on the room without alerting him, then coordinate with law enforcement for a voluntary or consensual interview and collection of reference DNA. Do not enter room 410 without consent or a warrant unless exigent circumstances exist. If consent is obtained, collect his clothing, swabs, and any condom or wrapper from his room; if not, document and seek a warrant. The 72-hour rush should prioritize the complainant's vaginal and cervical swabs, the wrapper, and the bedding, because those are most probative. The suspect's reference sample can be processed later if the rush expires. Keep the complainant's interview and medical exam separate from the suspect's to avoid cross-contamination of accounts and evidence.