Bloodstain Pattern And Footwear Mark

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis and footwear mark evidence combine to help reconstruct events in a fatal assault case

Edward O’Sullivan was fatally assaulted in his apartment at High Hayes Terrace, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny on the 6th of February 2020. Garrett Smith was accused of carrying out the fatal assault.

Scientists from the DNA and Biological Analysis and the Physical Analysis sections of FSI carried out Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) and footwear mark analysis in this case. BPA can help determine the activities that took place during an assault and footwear mark analysis can help identify the footwear involved. The BPA examination of the footwear and jeans of Garrett Smith supported the view that he had stamped on a bleeding individual. Most of the bloodstaining sampled on the footwear and jeans gave DNA profiles matching that of Edward O’Sullivan. The soles of Garrett Smith’s footwear were compared to footwear marks on Edward O’Sullivan’s face. The findings of this comparison provided strong support for the view that Garrett Smith’s runners, rather than some other runners, made the marks on Edward O’Sullivan’s face.

In October 2022, a jury at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Kilkenny, heard expert witness testimony from three FSI Scientists in this case. Garrett Smith was subsequently convicted of the manslaughter of Edward O’Sullivan.