What can be inferred from the presence of stippling on a victim?

Stippling refers to the small abrasions or powder burns on the skin that result from the discharge of a firearm at close range. When a gun is fired, unburnt gunpowder particles can travel with the bullet and impact the skin. The presence of stippling indicates that the victim was likely shot from a range where these particles could reach them, typically within a few feet.

When the bullet is fired at close range, the stippling patterns are often present, along with necessary factors for significant wounding. Stippling helps forensic investigators determine the distance from which the firearm was discharged, making it a crucial factor in reconstructing the crime scene. In contrast, other scenarios, such as being shot from a considerable distance, do not produce stippling, as the powder would disperse before reaching the victim. Similarly, impacts from ricochets do not leave stippling, nor would a shotgun, which could produce wadding and larger pellets, not typical of what stippling represents. Thus, the presence of stippling strongly suggests that the bullet was fired at close range.