In November 2019, federal and local law enforcement were investigating a suspected drug-trafficking operation in Dayton, Ohio. The investigation led to a residence where investigators believed evidence connected to a drug trafficking operation was taking place. A cooperating defendant provided information, and investigators conducted additional surveillance before ultimately obtaining a search warrant. On November 7, 2019, law enforcement officers conducted a search warrant of the residence. During the search, DEA Task Force Officer and Dayton Police Detective Jorge Del Rio entered the residence and was shot in the left cheek. Detective Del Rio later died due to his injuries. Cases involving officer shootings can require particularly careful presentation because the evidence must be understood within the environment and circumstances in which events occurred.
A reconstruction can help establish that by showing how the various pieces of evidence relate to one another and by providing a visual framework through which the evidence can be evaluated and understood. Evidence Room was hired to assist in presenting the circumstances of the incident through forensic reconstruction and demonstrative evidence. The team’s goal was to help communicate the circumstances surrounding the shooting in a clear and organized way. The reconstruction served as a demonstrative tool, allowing the relevant evidence and scene information to be presented within the location and in the exact way the incident occurred. Evidence Room transformed complex investigative information into a visual exhibit designed to assist in explaining the events surrounding the November 7, 2019 incident. The resulting demonstrative evidence provided a way to present the scene and relevant evidence in a format that was accessible, organized, and easily understood.