Kelly Smith, Crime Scene Tech

Smith is a crime scene technician in Santa Rosa County, Florida. She has taken crime scene classes, aquatic abuse death and homicidal drowning investigation classes in 2021, suicide investigation classes in 2022, a 40 hour class for basic crime scene investigation in 2019, and a crime scene processing class in 2020. She was a 911 dispatcher for 13 years prior to becoming a crime scene tech.

Crime scene techs document, photograph, collect and package evidence, take fingerprints, and take DNA samples.
On March 17, 2020 she was called to respond to the Escambia River Bridge for a report of a suitcase with a body in it.
She responded to the east side of the bridge and was briefed on the situation by Detective Jason Yoder.
Initially, Smith saw an olive green suitcase and material beside it, from a distance. The indentation nearby appeared to be where the suitcase had been dropped from the bridge.
When she got closer to the suitcase she could tell she was looking at a blanket and a body. She photographed the scene.
Exhibit 77 - 85 are photographs of the scene.
E77 are the pylons to the bridge and the suitcase from a distance.
E78 is the same thing from a different angle.
E79 a closeup of the material and Gannon's body.
E80 is a photo of the suitcase.
She could tell that decomposition was already happening due to maggots and discoloration.
E81 is looking down off the bridge to where the suitcase had been dropped.
E82 is a closeup of the same view.
E83 is a side view of the suitcase; one wheel is visible. A deep spot in the indentation is likely caused by the wheel.
E84 is a photo of the inside of the suitcase. It was very wet inside.
E85 is the back side of the suitcase, discolored from fluids.
Smith attended Gannon's autopsy on March 18th at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
A tentative ID was made of Gannon Stauch.
Exhibits 87, 88, 89 are evidence and photos of evidence.
Exhibits 90 - 102 are photos from Gannon's autopsy.
E87 is the bullet that was removed from Gannon's head.
E88 is the bullet, I think in an envelope.
E89 are red plastic pieces that Smith believes is part of the bullet.
E90 is the pillow that was inside the suitcase; it's unclear immediately what caused a defect in the pillow.
E91 is the other side of the pillow, it is wet and discolored. It had remnants of decomposition on it.
E92 is an x-ray of the pillow; two projectiles are visible.
E93 is a closeup of the damaged part of the pillowcase; potentially consistent with a bullet being fired into the pillow.
E94 is a closeup of the defect of the pillow with the pillowcase off.
E95 is a closeup of the bedding with a projectile.
E96 is a closeup of the damage from the projectile.
E97 is a projectile recovered from the pillow.
E98 is a second defect in the pillowcase.
E99 is a view of the defect with no pillowcase.
E100 is a closer shot of the pillow.
E101 is another view of the pillow with a cut made to get into the pillow.
E102 is another projectile pulled out of the pillow.
Exhibit 103 is both of the projectiles recovered from the pillow.
Exhibits 104 - 120 are photos from Gannon's autopsy.
Exhibit 104 was excluded as cumulative.
Exhibit 105 is the T-shirt Gannon was wearing when they recovered him. There are defects on the shirt.
Exhibit 106 is a closeup of the same defect on the shirt.
Exhibit 107 is a closeup of another defect.
E108 is another view of the same defect; the first two defects are on the lower left chest area.
E109 is a defect in the left collarbone area.
E110 is a closeup of the same image.
E111 is the sleeve of the left arm.
E112 is a closeup of the arm defect.
E113 is the upper portion of the sleeve.
E114 is a closer view of the upper sleeve.
E115 is the other side of the shirt; this one is larger.
E116 is a close up view.
E117 is the back side of the left arm.
E118 is a close up.
E119 is further up the back side of the left sleeve.
E120 is a close up view of the left sleeve.
Exhibit 121 - 142 are photos of the jacket Gannon was wearing when they located him; admitted after sidebar.
E121 is the lining of the jacket Gannon was wearing. There are at least five defects in the jacket.
E122 is a closer view; it would coincide with the victim's back area.
E123 is a closer view.
E124 is a view of a defect in the lining.
E125 is a closer view.
E126 is a different defect.
E127 is a closer view.
E128 is a different defect; coinciding more with the back shoulder.
E129 is a closer view.
E130 is a different defect; closer to the top of the shoulder area.
E131 is a closeup view.
E132 is the hood of the jacket with some defects in it.
E133 is a closer view of a defect.
E134 is a closer view of a defect.
E135 is a defect in the hood.
E136 is a closer view of the defect.
E137 is the back of the jacket.
E138 is a defect.
E139 is another defect.
E140 is another defect.
E141 is another defect in the back of the jacket.
E142 is another defect closer to the zipper of the jacket.
Exhibit 143 is a photo of the pants Gannon was wearing when they recovered his body
E143 is a pair of jogging pants with a white stripe down the side of the legs. They are discolored.
All of the items recovered from the suitcase including Gannon's clothing were covered in decomposition fluid. They brought photos instead of the items due to the smell.
Exhibit 86 is the suitcase. They bring it toward the witness. We could see the size and shape but not the suitcase itself.
It is an olive green suitcase, the one from the scene. It was collected from under the bridge.
They carry the suitcase to the jury before taking it out of the courtroom due to the smell. The witness points out a broken handle to the jury.
Gannon's remains, two blankets, and a pillow were all inside the suitcase.
Prosecution asks Smith about the various bridges in the area. The Escambia River Bridge is a less traveled bridge than the others.

No cross examination. Jurors have questions:

Was the suitcase cleaned? It appears cleaner: No, it was hard to see through the plastic.
You visited the discovery site on March 17 2020 and the autopsy was on March 18 2020. You already knew on March 18 2020 that it was Gannon?: Not for sure. It was a tentative. They went by some pictures and then had to do followup identification. A finalized identification came later.