An Introduction to Building 3D Crime Scene Models Using SketchUp

Elissa St. Clair, Andy Maloney, & Albert Schade III

Abstract: Crime scene investigators generally have two options when they need to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of a crime scene: enlist the services of an expert 3D modeler who specializes in graphic modeling or learn one of the full-fledged modeling tools to create the model themselves. Many modeling tools have a very steep learning curve, so the time required to invest in learning a tool to get even a simple result is often prohibitive. In this article, we introduce SketchUp (version 8) as a relatively easy-to-use tool for modeling crime scenes in 3D, give an example of how the software can be applied, and provide resources for further information.

PDF: An Introduction to Building 3D Crime Scene Models Using SketchUp

Supplemental Materials: The supplemental materials may be downloaded here and consist of the following:

· the complete SketchUp model for the crime scene example used in this article

· the SketchUp file for the muryoung body model posed for the example crime scene in this article

· the SketchUp file for the new male body model, mentioned in the Resources section, posed for the example crime scene in this article