By Gaeil Farrar
Tribune Staff Writer
Some of the most popular shows on television these days are ones involving solving murders and cold case crimes through forensic science.
On Thursday evening, April 7 lakecity residents will have an opportunity to solve a cold case of their own at Thompson Rivers University’s CSI-Solve the Mystery Night/Open House.
From 7 to 8:30 p.m. all academic sectors of the university will be open to provide clues for solving the crime.
In addition, the RCMP will have a crime lab display and will announce the winners at 8:30 p.m.
“Our story is full of twists and turns — disease, poison, violence,” says English professor Barbara Bearman, and all kinds of nefariousness and skullduggery.
English, you ask — what could English possibly have to do with solving a crime?
Quite a lot, says Bearman.
In your visit to the English department clues will be provided on critical thinking methods used for assembling and assessing information sleuthed out from other departments to develop a plausible scenario for the crime.
In addition, you will be able to read about the list of suspects and even question them as they wander the halls in costume in order to identify opportunities and motives. In a visit to the anthropology/archaeology department you might find small vials that once contained poison or some bones with suspicious looking marks on them that might have been made by a knife, or the bite of a dog, coyote, or rodent.
“The study of marks on bones is called Taphonomy and is very interesting,” says anthropology/archaeology professor Beth Bedard.
“Archaeology has broad applications to forensic science.”
Every department in the university will have a role to play.
The psychology department will provide modern psychological profiles of each suspect to help you identify the murderer.
Of course, lots of evidentiary clues on physical evidence, such as poisons, insects, diseases, and trauma will be found in the biology, chemistry and nursing departments.
People can follow the clues alone or form teams of up to three people; single people can come along and be matched up on a team if they wish.
The university will also be open for browsing the various areas and picking up information about the various courses and programs TRU offers.
All participants will have their names entered into a draw for an Amazon Kindle E-Reader. Prizes will be awarded for each member of the winning team with the choice of a flash-drive, T-shirt, or mug.