AFTE Store - Re-Examination of the Value of Bunter Marks Using Evofinder

Correspondence in the class and individual characteristics in bunter marks between crime scene cartridge cases and live ammunition in the possession of a suspect can be critically important evidence in ‘no-gun’ cases; particularly when the responsible firearm is never recovered and the matching live cartridges are contained in a partial box of ammunition in the possession of the suspect. The value of such a correspondence stands to improve when the partial box of ammunition possesses a lot number. Other facts developed during the investigation may combine to strengthen the evidentiary value of such correspondence. These would include the age of the live ammunition (derived from the brand and lot number),
whether it is common or uncommon, its date of manufacture and any explanation offered by the suspect for his acquisition of the ammunition. Major improvements in image capture, image storage, image manipulation and image comparisons via devices such as the Evofinder® system employed in this study make such otherwise lengthy and tedious comparisons much easier and available for study and review by other competent forensic firearms experts.