5 Day Homicide and Death Investigation

Instructor: Michael Murphy

Location: Columbus, OH (Franklin County, ZIP 43204)

Dates: October 12–16, 2026

Duration: 36 hours

Cost: $550.00

Continuing Education Credit: This program has received ABMDI approval for 31.5 hours of continuing education credit (Accreditation # 24-073)

Course Overview

This comprehensive five-day program is designed to prepare law enforcement investigators with the expertise, practical skills, and methodologies required to execute thorough investigations into homicides and other deaths while maintaining prosecutorial integrity. Upon completion, participants will be able to accurately classify and investigate various manners of death and successfully resolve complex investigative cases.

Course Content

The program opens with an engaging case review session where participants examine evidence, share observations, and practice classifying deaths as accidental, suicidal, or homicidal in nature.

Investigators will learn a systematic approach to handling challenging and multifaceted investigations, including cases involving multiple victims, crimes targeting vulnerable individuals, unexplained disappearances of children, abductions, and sexual assault cases. Throughout the training, real-world scenarios and documented cases are utilized to illustrate practical investigative approaches and provide valuable insights from past investigations.

The course also covers modern investigative technologies and techniques, including:

• Forensic genealogy
• DNA phenotyping
• Data analytics
• Cell phone forensic analysis
• Social media investigation strategies

Special attention is directed toward addressing investigator wellness and stress management, sexually motivated child abductions, investigations of unidentified human remains, and strategies for prosecutions involving no physical remains.

Categories: Homicide, Investigations