The main assignment of Forensic science is to provide objective rendition of scientific evidence for use by non-scientific persons in law courts. The results of forensic examination can have significant effect for the accused in an investigation. Forensic scientists must show high levels of competence. Forensic science often requires the interaction of a wide range of scientific specialties and disciplines and attempts to provide answers to a number of questions such as: What happened here? Why, where, when, how did it happen? The forensic scientists take great pains and time in their work to achieve results.
One of the cases whose investigation was based only on forensic science results was Enrique Camarena case. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique Camarena was kidnapped near the U. S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico. A DEA source, Capt. Alfredo Zavala, was also abducted from a car near Guadalajara Airport. Both were tortured and murdered.
This kidnaps started a series of events leading to one of the largest investigation ever directed by DEA “Operation Leyenda” and resulted in one of the most extensive cases ever received by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratories. On this occasion the DEA Administrator John C. Lawn wrote: “For the DEA and American public, the 1985 torture and murder of Agent Camarena marked a turning point in the war on drugs. His violent death brought the American public face-to-face with the vicious brutality of drug trafficking.”
A special unit was located in Mexico to coordinate the investigation where they faced enormous challenges. On the Mexican side the investigation was lead by Migrant Farmworkers Justice Project (MFJP) whose representatives were not cooperative and impeded the investigation. Indicative is the fact that DEA was notified that they had arrested five Jalisco State officers, suspected to have participate in the kidnapping of Special Agent Camarena, but they did not inform DEA about it in advance, nor invited them to participate in following interviews of these officers. Another hold-back to successful investigation was the high level of corruption among the Mexican officials who worked together with the drug families. Because of the US pressure upon the Mexican high level administration, it is believed that drug traffickers and curtain Mexican law enforcement officials fabricated a plan, according to which “the MFJP would receive an anonymous letter indicating that Special Agent (SA) Camarena and Capt. Zavala were being held in at the Bravo gang’s ranch in La Angostura, Michoacan.” (Michel P. Malone, Special Agent FBI, Sept. 1989) The MFJP was supposed to inspect the ranch, arrest the drug gang and eventually find the bodies of SA Camarena and Capt. Zavala. MFJP officers raided the Bravo ranch and in the resulting skirmish all the gang members and one MFJP officer were killed. Due to a mix-up , the bodies of Sa Camarena and capt Zavala instead of being burrid on the ranch as planned, but they were left by the side of a road, near the Bravo ranch, by the people who were paid to do this job. Shortly after the shoot-out, two bodies were found along a road, near the Bravo ranch, wrapped in plastic bags, partially decomposed. They were transported to a local morgue where they were autopsied.
The DEA was then informed, again with delay, about the discovery of the two bodies and they were removed to another morgue in Guadalajara, where a second autopsy took place. The FBI dispatched a forensic team in Guadalajara. It was March 1989. They immediately proceeded to the morgue to identify the bodies and collect evidences which might be found. One of the bodies was quickly identified as SA Camarena by the finger prints while the Mexican officials did not allow the identification of the second body. It was identified later, through dental records, as Captain Zavala. Along with the variety of obstacles, performed by the Mexican official during the whole investigation, we have to mention the political protection upon the primary suspect Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo.
After an eight-week trial, carried on tight security and involving hundreds of witnesses, all the defendants were found guilty.
Works Cited
Lawn, John C. Camarena investigation leads to Operation Leyenda, Web 15. January, 2009,
A tradition of Excellence, History: 1985 – 1990, DEA, p. 64, Retrieved 21 October
Malone, Michael, P. Special Agent, Laboratory Division FBI, Wasington DC,
The Enrique Camarena case. A Forensic Nightmare, September 1989,
( FBI, Law Enforcement Bulletin)
