Virtual crime scene inspection celebrates premiere at a Swiss court

In the murder trial at the Meilen ZH district court, a virtual crime scene inspection took place on Tuesday. It was a Swiss premiere. Using the recordings, experts explained what might have happened at the time.

The method of virtual crime scene inspection has been used ten times in Switzerland since 2017 in preliminary proceedings, i.e. in the investigation. However, it has never been used in a main trial, as Ralph Hirt, media spokesperson for the Zurich Cantonal Police, said. There are several reasons for a virtual instead of a real crime scene inspection.

Virtual crime scenes cannot be changed

Once a crime scene has been recorded virtually, it can no longer be changed. Moreover, in the present case, a real inspection by all those involved would have been very costly. This is because the crime scene is in Mallorca.

Specialists had flown to Mallorca especially for the recording in order to measure and virtually scan the building.

The recordings were explained by experts in accident mechanics, a biotechnician and a forensic pathologist. On behalf of the public prosecutor's office, they had written an expert report on the incident on Mallorca. The situation was based on the statements of the paramedics who had treated the injured woman at the time, the experts said.

Accident sequence in VR

One of the experts Markus Muser, engineer and biomechanics specialist puts on virtual reality glasses in court. A stone house appears in colour on a large monitor; it is the rented finca. There is a window on the first floor where a human figure is sitting. In front of the house is a forecourt, a driveway a good 40 centimetres below.

In front of the wall ledge, a human figure can be seen in various positions. Next to it are red bloodstains, and in front of the woman is a car with its rear facing the house. Both can be moved virtually. This is how he explains what might have happened.

As written, the method is not new. We already reported in 2018 on the first uses of VR to investigate criminal cases. reports.

Source: Nau / Zol