How the tiniest trace of red shimmer helped solve one of California’s most brutal crimes

How the tiniest trace of red shimmer helped solve one of California’s most brutal crimes

Jacqueline Detwiler-George at Popular Mechanics: Trace evidence analysis is the most versatile of the crime scene disciplines, requiring a specialist to be ready for whatever comes through the door. Officially, a trace analyst handles anything that doesn’t fit into the other standard crime lab departments, which tend to include body fluids (also known as serology), fingerprints, and ballistics. In reality, it can include analyzing an absurd vari…