Dr. Neil Haskall,Entomologist

George & Cindy are walking into the Orange Co County Courthouse. They opted not to be in Court the last day and a half.Prosecutors here. Dorothy Sims & Cheney Mason with defense here.Jose Baez just entered courtroom.
Doctor Haskell is the most recent addition to our Biology department.  His main area of expertise is Forensic Entomology.  Entomology refers to insects and Forensic refers to investigation into the cause of death.  Dr. Haskell uses his knowledge of the life cycles of insects to determine time and location of death.  He is one of the creators of this area of criminal investigation.  For example, he coauthored the first textbook on Forensic Entomology for law enforcement.  He has testified at numerous trials across the country and around the world.  This link takes you to one such case.  The FBI, Indiana State Police, New York State Police, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Canada’s Office of the Chief Coroner are among hundreds of law enforcement agencies that have hired Dr. Haskell as forensic entomology consultant.
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Dr. Haskell and his work have been featured on PBS, A&E, The History Channel and The Learning Channel as well as in Popular Science andDiscovery magazines.  His work has been published in several major journals and books and helped inspire the television show CSI.  The book “Dead Reckoning” by Baden and Roach has a full chapter on Dr. Haskell.  He has participated in hundreds of criminal investigations and testified as an expert witness in numerous criminal trials throughout the country as well as outside the United States.  Dr. Haskell is recognized as an expert witness in the courts inCanada and in 27 States in the United States.  Here is a link to a case where Dr. Haskell’s testimony may help free three possibly wrongfully convicted young men. Our students have accompanied him on several of his trips and participated in his research. 

Dr. Haskell has received 11 grants for his research.

Dr. Haskell’s degrees include:
- Doctorate, Forensic Entomology, Purdue University
- Master of Science, Forensic Entomology, Purdue University
- Bachelor of Science, Entomology, Purdue University

Dr. Haskell can be contacted here, or by phoning 219-866-7822

Dr Neal Haskell on the stand he is a forensics science professor. He has been an expert witness in 27 states, Canada, Australia, Spain. 40 or more cases in just Florida. Haskell is the bug guy. Says there are so many different types of "critters" to study. Haskell was sent samples from Casey's car in September 2008. He looked at larve from flies.Haskell says he found hundreds of tiny flies. Haskell put in a request to have a paper towel analyzed. In the past he called these "coffin flies" Haskell looked for signs of decomposition in these insects. Haskell says the flies match a scenario if a body was in the trunk and then taken out. Jury is all listening to witness. The bug talk is very scientific but Haskell does a good job of explaining it.The flies are attracted to a decomposition liquid--  Haskell says body in trunk 3-5 days could produce this liquid. Haskell flew to Florida and visited scene and impound yard


He found two types of blow flies and others which is consistant with a decomposing body. He found entire life cycles of flies present.
DR HASKALL STATES THERE WAS AN INITIAL PLACEMENT OF THE BODY SOMEWHERE BEFORE THE BACKYARD. THIS IS BASED ON THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF FLIES FOUND.
Haskins "Based on the recovery of the scene, I believe I stated June or early July," Haskell says about remains of Caylee Anthony and when they were placed. Haskell is explaining how he knew the body had been "deposited" at the scene. Haskall  states it was because of hte number and types of flies found. “I had no question that that body had been out there for many, many months,” says Haskell.
Haskell found species and groups that would be in a body with advanced decomposing process.
    Haskell knows Dr. Vass from the body farm .Ashton objects to Baez's questioning of Haskell's relationship to Vass. Baez moves on. 
Haskell told Dr Vass b4 seeing flies that they could be "coffin flies" The mix up of the words "trash" and "garbage" makes the jury all laugh. This has happened several times in this case.Baez asks if the flies were found in trash. Haskall corrects him and says garbage. In previous testimony with Dr Vass he would correct Baez on the use trash and garbage. Apparently, to the scientist there is a difference. Baez laughs and says"ok, here we go again." and laughs.  The whole courtroom laughs and so does Casey.
Baez is asking Dr. Neal Haskell about DNA analysis on the paper towelsHaskell did not send paper towels for DNA analysis. He sent it to Dr. V ass. He trusts Dr. Vass , his trusted colleague, to do what is  needed.
Baez is questioning him on the types of flies found . Blow flies can be found in  home. They are found where there is raw meat.  
Haskell found 1blow fly's leg in garbage. There can be thousands of these bugs around a body. Baez will try point out only 1fly leg found. 
Hanson can get in the trunk. They did not get in the trash. Baez is trying to get Haskall to say the flies came from the trash bag found in the trunk.    Baez: So it is your testimony, sir, that flies can get into the trash bag but can't get out? Kind of like the roach motel?  Haskall states there is no evidence to support the flies came from the trash.
Haskell is a gray-haired, bearded old man. Looks like a sailor. He's pretty sarcastic at times with Baez. He knows his bug stuff!


Post mortem interval. Procedure done on fies and bugs found on scene. It is done to determine time of death. Haskall states he does it on almost every case.   
Haskall states the body could have been in the trunk 4-5 days.Caylee Marie's body was not in car very long, said insect expert, read our full story here:  He states in his 50 years of entomology and 30 years of forensic astrology, this was the best collection. The OCSO did an excellent job. 


Haskell says they got as much evidence as they could out of the car. Reading notes now to check #s of bugs. Dr Haskall looks at his report to find out if blowflies were found at the scene of remains. They were present.Baez: "certainly not tens of thousands?" Haskell: "Correct" He states that the maggots can go a hundred feet.  (Important, because Cindy said the maggots were there because of the trash). Most of the latre "colonizers"  are beetles and others. 
 Baez> Water would wash away blowfly evidence and change your opinion?Objection by Ashton is sustained.  
Baez> How much have you been paid today? 
HaskaLL> 22,000 dollars. By the way, I have not been paid , yet." He charges 400 dollars an hour to testify.
Redirect by Ashton.  Haskall> It is not funny in regard to the difference to garbage and trash. 
Trash is non organic stuff. Garbage has food and organic stuff. Flies do not go to trash, cardboard boxes and cans.  They go to garbage to raise their young. The trash bag in the car had trash.  There was no food.  There were only a few of the ford flies. It is possible a mother was transported to remians site and laid 400 eggs thus the presence of pupua. Key point: bugs were feeding on fluid when it was wiped up from trunk.


Baez is showing pics of the trash collected. Dr Haskall testifies to the state of the trash he studied.Baez> You did not check to see if there were openings for the flies to get into the trunk.
Haskall> NO. 
Baez is showing him the pics and asking him about inorganic materials. 
Haskall> There is not inorganic material. For the flies to be present , there would have to be a great amount of trash. 


Excused.


BOTTOM LINE, THE PRIMARY BUGS WERE NOT FOUND AT REMAIN SITE. HOWEVER, THE PAPER TOWELS IN THE TRUNK HAD HUNDREDS OF FLIES . THE HAD THE PRIMARY BUGS ASSOCIATED WITH DECOMP. THE FLIES HAD ADIPOSE TISSUE, BY PRODUCT OF DECOMP. IN HIS OPINION, SOMEONE HAD TRIED TO WIPE DECOMP FLUIDS IN THE TRUNK.  BASED ON FLIES AND HEAT PATTERNS IN JUNE 2008, CAYLEE HAD TO HAVE BEEN IN TRUNK 4-5 DAYS PRIOR TO PLACEMENT IN WOODS.