Medicolegal Death Investigation (MDI) is designed to provide basic and recurrent guidance for medicolegal death investigators, coroners, medical examiners, crime scene investigators, firefighters, and emergency medical service providers. This step-by-step field guide provides instructions for a variety of death scenes including: homicides, suicides, drug overdoses, suspicious deaths, and much more.

Death Investigation is a complex process involving coordination with many parties. MDI summarizes the pertinent elements of scene investigation from medical and legal perspectives. This manual reflects up-to-date best practices in an area which has more recently become a focus of increased scrutiny. Basic investigation elements, as well as red flags, are presented in an easy-to-use format to enable an investigator to evaluate a scene with confidence.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office Investigation Unit investigates over 1200 scenes a year. Our team of investigators are certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) and have over 100 years of experience between them.

James Wentzel