Above: Explorer Cianna Hobson serves as the crime scene photographer as Adrianna Ryan displays her pickle autopsy.

By Mahalia Guidry, Kaylee Hampton, Cianna Hobson, Sasha Hollins, Alayna Swift, and Aaliyah Swift

KALAMAZOO (MICH.) Fred Grabanzo’s life didn’t end well. Explorer forensic scientists learned upon investigation that his mutilated body had experienced more than they ever expected. The young scientists discovered gunshot wounds, stab wounds, and various intoxicants in his body. What happened to Gradanzo? The Merze Tate Explorers were on the case. 

Fred is not a human. He is a pickle with a history of drugs and homicide in his file. This fictional character was one of the many autopsy “victims” teams of Explorers investigated with the professional expertise of Kathy Mirakovits, a Forensic Science instructor. Mirakovits joined the Explorers during one of their Saturday career exploration workshops to share how she found her passion, and how she helps others learn the basics of crime scene investigation. The visit was in partnership with Kalamazoo Valley Community College under the leadership of Deborah Coates, Dean of Instruction at KVCC. 

“Before today, I had never heard of an entomologist (a scientist who studies bugs in bodies,)” said Sasha Hollins. “I think I would like to go into something cool like that.”

“I learned that sometimes when you find blood splatters, it can be used to find out what happened to a victim,” Kaylee Hampton said.

Mirakovits brought forensic science to life through blood spatter experiments and hands-on experiments using chemicals to show how blood tells a story on a crime scene. Students worked in teams to perform an autopsy, create blood splatters, and analyze blood splatters on a crime scene. 

Her career reboot began after attending jury duty. The former Southwest Michigan high school science teacher shared her jury duty experiences with her students, whose curiosity led her to create crime scene kits to help her students understand crime scene investigation. Today, she not only helps students learn science in the criminal justice field but teaches science teachers how to make crime scene science an interactive part of their curriculum.  

“Pathways can diverge,” said Mirakovits during the interactive workshop. “I never thought I would be a science consultant.”

Explorers were thankful to Mirakovits for taking the time out to share her passion and inspire them to consider career paths in science.

“This experience was different, and it changed my ideas on crime scenes,” said Aaliyah Swift, who said she was most impressed by how blood splatters can tell what happened at a crime scene. 

“Today we learned about something amazing that I would have never known before. Now I know how to correctly investigate a crime scene,” said Alayna Swift.