By Michael G. Stogner
San Mateo County News.com held three ZOOM meetings last night open to the Public with no pre registering and nobody muted to discuss the Daly City Police Department’s behavior on January 21, 2020. In other words, an AUDIT of the DCPD actions compared to the Daly City Police Department Death Investigations Policy. These 3 Zoom sessions were very productive, one thing I had not considered is the 6 hour time difference for people in the U.K..
A great question for the Daly City Elected Officials and Shawnna Maltbie is: Did the Daly City Police Department ever consider the remote possibility of Homicide or Suspected Homicide?
Daly City Police Department Death Investigations Policy
344.2.3 Death Cases
Death investigations require specific investigation methods depending on circumstances and should be handled in accordance with the Death Investigations Policy. The handling officer should notify and apprise a supervisor of the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine how to proceed. The following cases shall be appropriately investigated and documented using the approved report: (a) Sudden or accidental deaths. (b) Suicides. (c) Homicide or suspected homicide
On the morning of January 21, 2020 at 1:59 AM Munir Edais wife of 6 months called San Mateo County 911 Dispatch to report “He had hung himself”
Daly City patrol officer Lorena Reyes was the first to arrive on the scene a few minutes later. She met the wife who had blood on her hands and clothing and went inside the apartment were the wife of 6 months said “Why would he do this?” “He hung himself.”
The wife of 6 months also told patrol officer Lorena Reyes that there is a Nanny Camera in Bedroom #2 where Munir Edais supposedly hung himself.
The wife of 6 months also told patrol officer Lorena Reyes that Munir Edais was a Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Officer.
There was no suicide note.
Here are some things the Daly City Police Department should have done.
Suspicious circumstances; possible homicide. Unattended death, physician not in attendance, within last 30 days.
DCPD Investigating officer didn’t document whether or not she asked this very important question -goes to her competency, training & experience.
Should have:
searched the residence for additional victims only
frozen & secured the scene (residence)
removed the wife from the scene
prepared an affidavit seeking a search warrant for the residence
requested the wife voluntarily surrender her described stained clothing for exam o if she refused, obtained a search warrant for same
requested the wife voluntarily provide a buccal specimen for DNA exam o if she refused, obtain a search warrant for same
requested wife to voluntarily submit to a physical exam & photographing of her person if she refused, obtain a search warrant for same
examine the death scene & residence for blood evidence, using a Woods (ultraviolent) lamp
examine toilets, sinks, bathtub, and shower for blood evidence, to include their respective P-traps
documented where was belt, the one assumed to be the ligature, was upon the officer’s arrival
attempted to identify who this belt belonged to and documented its description to include its size
the officer should have seized the belt and preserved it for forensic exam for DNA
the on-duty DCPD supervisor should have been notified of the totality of circumstances by the officer and detectives summoned, to conduct a follow-up investigation
wife should have been asked to voluntarily go the DCPD’s station for a comprehensive recorded interview
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) record and all DCPD radio traffic for the event should have be gotten
Wife should have been asked to voluntarily surrender both the victim’s and her cellphone and a search warrant sought for the forensic examination of both
DCPD Investigator should have attended autopsy/examination A search warrant sought for the Call Detail and Geo-location records for both described cellphone phones should have been sought
The Apartment complex should have been checked for any video surveillance records Was front door to residence locked, during event? If so, how was this established?
Under circumstances, the County’s Homicide Investigation Protocol should have been implemented
Wife stated the two had been arguing and refused to disclose about what
Wife stated, during preliminary investigation, the husband had no medical condition or history of depression and or suicidal ideation
Officer observed blood, on both the victim and wife’s hands and shirt
Victim suspected wife of infidelity
Officer observed victim’s hands to have green color/tint
No suicide note
Victim was a Peace Officer
Wife should have been asked to provide a timeline of the day’s events
Who were the wife’s boyfriend(s), particularly the one identified as her having seen, one week prior to her engagement to the decedent?
Wife would have had motive & opportunity.
DCPD Investigating Officer observed blood and green tint (color) to victim’s hands
Crime lab should have been summoned and, at a minimum, the death scene thoroughly examined, documented, and photographed
What did the examination of the surveillance camera records reveal? Had any of the cameras utilized remote storage -cloud, etc.? It was mentioned the victim utilized an application in connection with a surveillance camera.
Victim (husband) obviously suspected infidelity, on the wife’s (Eman’s) part ergo the surveillance cameras in their bedroom & living room
The couple’s internet service provider should have been identified and browsing history sought
The couple’s respective email history & records should have been sought
No mention, in DCPD’s report, of any suicide note being present and or sought
No mention of any computers being present at the residence and or sought and examined
No mention of the two daughters being interviewed; seeing how they stayed with dad, at his residence, every other week, information they might provide about his state of mind would seem particularly relevant & material
No mention of the ex-wife being interviewed: seeing how she most likely would have had frequent contact with the victim regarding child care and exchanges information she might provide about his state of mind would seem particularly relevant & material
What was the victim’s work scheduled, in the period leading up to his death?
What had been the child visitation schedule been, in the period leading up to his death?
Was a formal search of the victim’s locker, at work, conducted? Was an inventory of what had been present inside the locker done?
Text and SMS message records sought and examined
The type and model of the wife and victim’s cell phones
Bank account & credit card records/examinations -purchases, etc.?
Life insurance coverage/policy(s) coverage, payout examination
Birth certificate of Eman’s child -did it list the victim as the father?
Was the described belt and the victim’s clothing examined for blood/DNA evidence?
Had victim installed any monitoring application(s) on wife’s cellphone?
What is San Mateo County Coroner’s Office policies and procedures?
Blood toxicology screen should not be relied upon.
A Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) examination should be utilized to identify foreign substances, the Victim’s blood.
Typical blood toxicology utilizes panels, looking for typical common substances, in testing the blood. It will not capture/identify exotic drugs/substances.
Shawnna Maltbie if you don’t want to do the heavy lifting you should RESIGN.
I once asked someone “on the inside” why it seems all these murders seem to be staged as “suicide by hanging” and they replied – so there’s no ballistics.
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