Police are using 3D diagrams from a laser scanner in their investigation of the Champion family deaths Sunday.
The device, a Leica ScanStation, is a portable laser that can capture digital photographs and tens of thousands of measurement points per second. The Kentucky State Police have three across the state, purchased with funds from a Violence Against Women Act grant. Scan stations cost between $100,000 and $200,000.
Lieutenant Chad Mills said KSP uses the scanner for examining serious crimes, including cases of domestic violence, homicides, serious fatal incidents, and officer involved shootings, as well as traffic accidents. He said a major advantage of scanning is detail.
“It’s captured in space forever," Mills said. "So if there was a measurement that we didn’t get that we didn’t think is important at the time, we now have the ability to go back and capture that accurately.”
This technology is being used for crime scene investigation across the nation and was even used to reveal new information regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Mills said the scanner merges the measurements with the digital pictures it takes simultaneously, creating a 3D diagram that can help juries better understand the crime scene. Though the scanner adds a level of precision and detail to the investigation, Mills said it is in addition to the usual manual investigation techniques.