RS&A WORLD CLASS TRAINING INSTRUCTORS

Alex Luby is a Firearms Examiner with the Unified Forensic Laboratory (UFL) in Englewood, CO. Alex holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice with a minor in Criminalistics. Alex began his career as a NIBIN Technician at the UFL and is a graduate of the National Firearms Examiner Academy hosted by the ATF. He is a member of committees within the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) and the Technical Working Group for 3D Toolmark Technologies (TWG3D2T). Alex has also presented numerous times including his own research on machining operations at the 2024 AFTE annual training seminar in Anchorage, AK. His professional interests focus on machining methods, firearm manufacture, firearm function, and law.

Alicia McCarthy is a professor at Thomas College and a practicing forensic scientist with more than two decades of experience. She earned a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Statistics from the National University of Ireland, followed by M.S. degrees in Forensic Science, Criminal Justice, and Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde and Husson University. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Dundee, where her research focused on how juries understand and evaluate forensic science testimony. Since 2001, Dr. McCarthy has worked in forensic science across public and private sectors, including roles with Forensic Science Ireland, the Maine State Police, and as a private consultant. She serves on the Board of Directors for both the International Association for Identification (IAI) and its New England Division, and contributes nationally through her service on the OSAC Human Factors Task Group and the Pattern/Impression Scientific Area Committee.

Andy Smith, MS, is a Distinguished member of the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE). He is also certified in the areas of Firearms, Tool Marks, and Distance Determination. He is the Supervisor of the Firearm and Tool Mark Unit at the San Francisco Police Department Crime Laboratory. Mr. Smith served as a past President of AFTE from 2018-2019. He is the current AFTE representative to the Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) for the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) and is currently serving as the Chair of the FSSB. Mr. Smith earned his B.A. degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a M.S. in Forensic Science from the University of New Haven. He began his employment and training in the field of Firearm and Toolmark Examination with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Orlando Regional Crime Lab from 1999 to 2004. In 2004 he left Florida for California and began his employment with the San Francisco Police Department. Mr. Smith has extensive knowledge and casework experience in firearms examinations, toolmark examination, serial number restorations, fracture / physical fit comparisons and muzzle to garment distance determinations. Mr. Smith has also been trained and performed casework in primer residue testing and examination utilizing scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. Mr. Smith is a Technical Assessor for ANAB and is an instructor for the National Firearms Examiner Academy.

Brian Dew began his career as a Forensic Analyst with the Wilson, NC Police Department, where he was responsible for major crime scene investigations, latent print examinations, and AFIS operations. During his career, he has successfully completed in excess of 750 hours of forensic training in a wide array of evidence collection and laboratory examination topics. Brian has provided assistance in crime scene investigations, latent print examinations and other related matters to a large number of local, state, and federal agencies.

Dr. Christine Craig is the Crime Scene Supervisor and an Impression Examiner at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office in Sanford, Florida. She holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology with a concentration in Anthropology from the University of Florida. Dr. Craig is a Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst and a Certified Footwear Examiner with the IAI. Dr. Craig is the Secretary of the Crime Scene Certification Board of the IAI and a past President of the Florida Division of the IAI. Dr. Craig is an ANAB assessor and a member of the Academy Standards Board Footwear and Tire Working Group.

Dan Craft has 31 years of investigative experience as an FBI agent specializing in violent crimes, with a broad range of duties and responsibilities that he brings to the classroom. He has been a criminal profiler and polygraph examiner who has written a 40-hour advanced interview/interrogation course for the FBI and taught it at the FBI training academy in Quantico, VA. Dan has taught nationally and internationally and at the graduate level at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Mr. Craft has worked closely with local law enforcement agencies to better train their crime scene units to understand what investigators and profilers need to see at crime scenes. Among Dan’s duties with the FBI were investigating street gangs, violent crimes, homicides, bank robbery, organized crime, serial murder cases, crimes against children, criminal profiling, hostage negotiations, and terrorism. He has worked in the Middle East as an advisor and worked with other US Federal agencies to conduct security investigations. Among the courses taught to law enforcement personnel over those years are Street Gangs, Terrorism, Major Case Investigations, Reading a Crime Scene – Crime Scene Analysis, Sex-Related Crimes, and a variety of Interview and Interrogation and Hostage Negotiation courses. Dan has also taught how to combine the work done at the crime with the investigation of a crime and then the successful interview and interrogation of the suspect to several local IAI Divisions and local chapters of the Homicide Investigators conferences, and is a past president of the Wisconsin Homicide Investigators Association and the past National Chairman of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Advisory Committee. As you can see, he has a wealth of both practical and teaching experience to share with each student and enjoys interacting with law enforcement and crime scene personnel. Dan has received two medals of Valor, one for saving the life of a four-year-old girl while under fire. Dan worked undercover against a terrorist group holding three Americans hostage. Dan was also awarded the Green Beret for his work with the Army Special Forces.

Dr. Christiansen has provided psychological services to dozens of law enforcement agencies for more than 30 years. In this role, he has written thousands of pre-employment and fit for duty evaluations, and conducted debriefings, consultation, and training to officers from across the country. Dr. Christiansen developed his training after his experience with law enforcement and other first responders, twenty years as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Northern Colorado, and many adventures among the mountains, rivers, and trails of the American West. His trainings are always very well received.

David Pinner is currently employed with Ron Smith and Associates as a forensic consultant. He has worked in the Law Enforcement field since 2005. He has worked as a dispatcher, an animal control officer, a police officer and a crime scene technician. When he left law enforcement, he was the Officer in Charge of the Crime Scene Unit and was a Latent Fingerprint Examiner. David earned an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice, and is a Level 3 Animal Cruelty Investigator through the University of Missouri. He is a board certified Crime Scene Analyst and Latent Fingerprint Examiner through the International Association for Identification.

Debbie Benningfield, CLPE is a retired latent print examiner from the Houston Police Department. During her 31 year career with HPD, she worked as a Tenprint Examiner, AFIS Manager and upon her retirement in 2006 she was a latent print examiner. Ms. Benningfield is a past President and Chairperson of the Texas Division of the International Association for Identification, a past Chairperson of the Printrak (now known as MorphoTrak) International AFIS Users Group, served as the first Chairperson of the International Association for Identification (IAI) Tenprint Certification Board and served on the IAI Latent Print Certification Board from 2003 to 2010. In addition to her service to the fingerprint community, from 2005 – 2007, she served as an appointee by the Governor of Texas to help create and serve as Chairperson over the newly legislated Texas Forensic Science Commission. She was an appointed member of the Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis Study and Technology (SWGFAST). Ms. Benningfield has taught over 100 courses in fingerprints throughout the United States and has traveled outside the country to instruct for the Taiwan National Police and Israeli National Police forces. RS&A Courses Taught by Debbie Benningfield • Complex Latent Print Examinations • IAI Latent Print Certification Test Preparation • Friction Ridge Examination for Tenprint Examiners Publications by Debbie Benningfield “To Be or Not to Be…….Certified”, published in the Texas Division of the International Association for Identification. “The Wheel”, published in the Journal of Forensic Identification, 54 (1), 2004 \ 3

Deion Christophe is a Forensic Firearms Examiner, in the Firearms Examination Unit and NIBIN Center, at the Plano Police Department. Mr. Christophe is a licensed Forensic Analyst with the Texas Forensic Science Commission (TFSC), and serves as a member of the TFSC Licensing Advisory Committee. He is an expert in the areas of microscopic comparison of firearms evidence and ammunition components, the operation of the NIBIN/IBIS terminal, tool mark examination and comparison, GSR (primer residue) analyses, distance determinations, serial number restoration and firearm functionality. He has trained law enforcement in several states and has experience in identifying, collecting, preserving, examining, and interpreting the results of physical evidence associated with criminal acts, and testifying to those results in Federal, State and district courts of law. Christophe has previously been employed as a Firearms Examiner with the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences, NMS Labs, Oklahoma City Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory - Austin. He formerly served as a professor with the University of Central Oklahoma’s Forensic Science Institute, a visiting Adjunct Professor with Staffordshire University, United Kingdom, and as an advisor with the Oklahoma Innocence Project. He is a distinguished member of the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), Associate member with the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Criminalistics), Past President and Lifetime member of the Oklahoma Division of the International Association for Identification, and member with the Texas Division of the International Association for Identification.

Derek Mahlum is currently employed as the Investigations Bureau Chief with the Montana Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation. Derek has over 20 years of law enforcement including over half conducting complex and violent criminal investigations. Mr. Mahlum is currently certified as a Crime Scene Analysist through the International Association of Identification. Mr. Mahlum serves as the Regional Vice President for the Pacific Northwest IAI and previously served as an Executive Board Member for the MVCIA since 2017. Mr. Mahlum provides training in multiple disciplines of crime scene investigation to include shooting reconstruction, crime scene photography, bloodstain pattern analysis, latent finger printing and cellular geolocation analysis.

Douglas A. Young is a Senior Criminalist with a law enforcement agency in the Denver metropolitan area and the founder of Triad Forensics, LLC. With more than three decades of experience in forensic science and forensic investigations, his work focuses on major crime scene investigation, forensic reconstruction, blood and shooting evidence interpretation, and forensic entomology. Doug also serves as a Training Specialist and Triage Team Member with the Cold Case Foundation and has held national leadership roles within the Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction and the American Academy of Forensic Science Standards Board. Doug provides forensic training worldwide and has been certified as an expert witness in both state and federal courts.

Erik Malz serves as a forensic consultant and latent print examiner for Ron Smith and Associates Inc. He has been working in the field of forensics for over ten years, with experience in both crime scene investigation and latent print examination. He was formerly employed as an assistant supervisor and training officer for a law enforcement agency in Central Florida and is currently an instructor for the International Latent Print Examiner Training Academy. Erik is certified by the International Association for Identification as a Certified Latent Print Examiner, Certified Forensic Photographer, and Certified Crime Scene Analyst.

Glenn Langenburg is a certified latent print examiner and has been performing fingerprint examinations for over 25 years. He manages a consulting business (Elite Forensic Services, LLC) which provides training to fingerprint examiners and consultations for casework. Glenn has a Ph.D. in Forensic Science from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. His thesis, “A Critical Analysis and Study of the ACE-V Process”, focuses on decision-making and the application of ACE-V. Glenn has lectured internationally at forensic science conferences on topics including Daubert, probabilistic approach, error rates, and fingerprint methodology. He co-hosts a podcast, “The Double Loop Podcast”, on fingerprint topics with Eric Ray.

Glenn Davis has been in Forensic Science for over 24 years. He has a Master of Science degree in Forensic Science from The University of New Haven, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Genetics and Cell Biology from Washington State University. He has worked with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Laboratory of Forensic Science, the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Crime Laboratory. He has worked as a DNA analyst, Crime Scene Responder, and a Firearms and Tool Mark examiner. He has also served as the technical leader for the Washington State Patrol Firearms and Tool Mark section. He was the Training Coordinator and Detail Manager for the Firearms and Tool Mark unit of the LVMPD and has successfully trained a number of Firearms Examiners. For the past eight years he has participated in the National Firearms Examiner Academy as a moot court instructor. He has served on several committees for the Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) and has been awarded several awards for his dedication to his profession to include the Washington State Patrol Forensic Laboratory Services Bureau Civil Service Employee of the Year award, and the Exemplary Service Award from the LVMPD. He is the owner and operator of Sandstone Forensics, an independent company dedicated to forensic consultation, casework, and training.

James E. “Jamie” Bush earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He began his career in criminal justice as a uniformed police officer in 1975 with the City of Laurel, MS Police Department. After four years in the Patrol Division, he was transferred to the Criminal Investigative Division (CID) where he was trained in crime scene investigation and fingerprint science. After thirteen years in CID, he served as Chief of Police for three years before retiring and accepting a Forensic Scientist position with the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory (MSFL). After serving 28 years with the MSFL, Jamie retired to accept the Senior Consultant position he now holds with Ron Smith and Associates, Inc.

Jeff Goudeau is currently the Firearms Supervisor for the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory. He is a Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst (IAI) and certified in Firearms Evidence Examination and Identification (AFTE). Jeff has earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science. He is the past President of the Louisiana Association of Forensic Science (LAFS). Jeff is a Distinguished Member of the Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE), served as Chair of the Ethics Committee and was the Chairman for the 2016 training seminar. He is a member of the Association of Crime Scene Reconstruction (ACSR) and the International Association of Identification (IAI). He is currently an instructor for the National Firearms Examiner Academy, an adjunct professor for Oklahoma State University, and a former adjunct professor at Baton Rouge Community College and Our Lady of Lake College. Jeff has also been an instructor for numerous crime scene courses over the span of his career. He is a routine guest speaker for several colleges and professional organizations. Jeff has published papers in Firearms Examination and Shooting Reconstruction. He’s been qualified as an expert witness numerous times in various fields including Firearms Examination, Crime Scene Investigation, and Shooting Reconstruction.

Jennifer Gelston has a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master’s of Science in Forensic Science from the University of New Haven. She began her forensic science career in 2005 at the Acadiana Crime Lab in New Iberia, LA, as a technician processing evidence for biology and physical evidence cases. In 2009, she began training in firearms and toolmarks, completing the ATF’s National Firearms Examiner Academy in 2010. In 2012 she transferred to the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services where she is currently a senior forensic scientist and the NIBIN Program Administrator for the State of Utah. Jennifer is currently the editor of the AFTE Journal and assists the NFEA in reviewing student research projects. She has been an instructor for crime scene and trajectory/reconstruction classes and is a safety advisor for the NSSF annual SHOT Show.

Jimmy Palma brings over 14 years of expertise in Firearm and Toolmark Identification. He currently serves as the Senior Firearms Examiner and Technical Lead of the Firearms Unit at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) Crime Laboratory. Jimmy holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a specialization in Forensic Science from Saint Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida. He is an active and certified member of the Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE), holding certification in Firearms Evidence Examination and Identification. Since 2015, Jimmy has contributed to the Electronic Resource Committee’s (ERC) Quality Assurance Sub-Committee. He has completed training for ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) internal auditing and has provided expert witness testimony at the county, state, and federal levels.

John P. Black serves as the Training Coordinator for Ron Smith & Associates, Inc. Prior to this, he worked for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Chemistry and entered the forensic science workforce in 1991. John’s research has been published in the Journal of Forensic Identification and the Wiley Encyclopedia of Forensic Science. He has conducted over 300 training events in the U.S. and abroad. He was awarded Distinguished Member status by the IAI in 2007.

Jon S. Byrd is currently employed as the Chief Executive Officer of Ron Smith and Associates, Inc., where he oversees its ISO/IEC 17025 and 17043 accredited forensic laboratory in Collinsville, Mississippi.  He earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Forensic Science, both from the University of Southern Mississippi, and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Forensic Science program at Oklahoma State University.  He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1989 to 1998 and in Law Enforcement as a patrol officer.   He is an active member of the International Association for Identification (IAI), is currently board-certified as a Latent Print Examiner and Footwear Examiner by the IAI, and served on the IAI Footwear Certification Board for 16 years.  Mr. Byrd has been honored with distinguished membership in the IAI and an award for the Most Outstanding Faculty Member in a University setting.  He has published several peer-reviewed articles, the most recent being “Confirmation Bias, Ethics, and Mistakes in Forensics” and “Form Blindness”.  Mr. Byrd has lectured at all levels, ranging from Universities to Government agencies, as well as internationally.

Jon Stimac is a practicing Senior Forensic Scientist and both a Certified Latent Print Examiner and a ‘Distinguished Member’ of the International Association for Identification (IAI). Additionally, Jon serves as Editor for the IAI’s quarterly publication, IDentification News. He was a Scientific & Technical Review participant with the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) and a fourteen-year member of the NIJ-sponsored Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis (SWGFAST). Jon has had several research projects pertaining to the latent friction ridge discipline published in the Journal of Forensic Identification, Forensic Science International: Synergy, Fingerprint World, and various Divisional IAI newsletters. More recently, he has instructed numerous comparison courses to forensic science and biometric analysts throughout the United States and 17 other countries.

Justin Bechaver is the Forensic Scientist Manager and Technical Leader for the Firearm and Toolmark section of the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services. Justin has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Eastern Oregon and began his forensic science career as a drug chemist in 2005. In 2009, he began training in FATM and completed the ATF’s National Firearm Examiner Academy in 2010. Justin is active in AFTE and has been a member of the glossary and nominating committee (chair in 2023), along with currently being a member of the editorial committee and an AFTE Web Forum moderator. Justin has been an instructor for classes involving crime scene, trajectory/reconstruction, forensic aspects of reloading, and has been an instructor at the NFEA for the toolmark module. Justin has testified over 50 times in Utah and is a safety advisor for the NSSF annual SHOT Show.

Laura Molyneux is an AFTE Certified Firearm and Toolmark Examiner and Crime Scene Reconstructionist with over 12 years of experience in the field. Ms. Molyneux earned a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University and a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Ms. Molyneux began her career in research, performing analytical research in academic laboratories developing and implementing research protocols, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and writing grants while also mentoring and training new scientists. After nearly 10 years in academic research, in 2013, Ms. Molyneux started in the Firearms Unit at the San Diego Police Department Crime Laboratory, where she became a Firearms Examiner and Crime Scene Reconstructionist while serving as the site’s NIBIN Program Administrator. Since 2023, she has owned and operated Forensic Firearms Associates, a consulting company based in Southern California. Ms. Molyneux is a member of The Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE) and currently serves as the Secretary for the Firearms and Toolmarks Consensus Body of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board.

Lauren G. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Science with an emphasis in Polymer Science and a minor in Administration of Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi and has been in the forensic field since 2008. Lauren is a Senior Consultant for Ron Smith and Associates, Inc. and is an IAI Certified Latent Print Examiner. She is also an instructor at the RSA National Latent Print Training Academy, covering topics such as basic processing, advanced processing, recording known prints, and comparison techniques. She is actively involved in the Mississippi Division of the IAI and has served on the board of directors, as Vice President, and as 2018-2019 President.

Matthew Marvin has been employed in the forensic identification field for over 16 years and has worked cases in over 35 states and 5 countries. He was employed at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Laboratory for 10 years, where he served as the technical leader for latent prints, footwear, and tire tracks. He is presently employed as the latent print technical manager with Ron Smith and Associates, Inc.’s headquarters laboratory. Mr. Marvin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with graduate work in biochemistry. He has been published four times in peer-reviewed journals. Mr. Marvin has lectured on numerous occasions regarding both latent print and footwear examinations. He is a standing instructor at The National Latent Print Examiner Academy. As a board-certified latent print examiner by the International Association for Identification (I.A.I.), he currently serves on the Science and Practice Subcommittee on Latent Print Development and on the Latent Print Certification Board. Mr. Marvin is also a board-certified footwear examiner by the I.A.I. and serves on the OSAC Footwear and Tire Subcommittee as well as the ASB Footwear and Tire Consensus Body. He has been qualified numerous times as an expert witness in court.

Mike Jordahl is a Senior Consultant for Ron Smith and Associates, Inc. in Clearwater, FL. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. Prior to his current position, Mike worked for the Rapid City Police Department in Rapid City, South Dakota, for 18 years. He has been a latent print examiner since 1998 and is an IAI Certified Latent Print Examiner. He is also a graduate of the National Forensic Academy in Knoxville, TN. Mike is a lifetime member of the International Association for Identification.

Michele Triplett is Director of the International Association of Identification’s Forensic Certification Program, and the Forensic Operation Manager for the King County Regional AFIS Program in Seattle, WA. She holds a BS in Mathematics and Statistical Analysis and has been employed in forensics since 1991. She is actively involved with several organizations, committees, and educational events promoting scientific based procedures.

Nathan Von Rentzell is an AFTE Certified Firearm and Toolmark Examiner with over 10 years of experience in this role. He is currently employed by the Denver Police Department Crime Laboratory (DPDCL) in Denver, CO. Nathan holds a B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Forensic Science. He began his career as a NIBIN Technician, then became a Firearms Examiner at the DPDCL, and is a graduate of the National Firearms Examiner Academy hosted by the ATF. Nathan is a regular member of the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), and he has presented at AFTE training seminars multiple times, including presenting his own research on a novel ammunition’s impacts on firearm/toolmark examination. He has also published his research in the AFTE Journal. Nathan is a court-qualified expert in the area of Firearm and Toolmark Analysis, having testified in both state and federal courts.

Omar Felix has been a Firearms Examiner for 25 years and is a distinguished member of the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners. He began his training with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Orlando crime lab before moving to South Florida to work for the Palm Beach County Sheriffs office in West Palm Beach. In 2021, he moved to Englewood, Colorado where he currently works as a Firearms Examiner with the Unified Forensic Laboratory. Omar is currently the Chair of AFTE’s Machining and Subclass subcommittee which created a machining and subclass guide for the association’s members.

Paul J Murphy has been a Forensic Firearm Examiner since 1984 and served in the South African Police for 22 years (1977-1999). Mr. Murphy was trained as a Forensic Firearm Examiner by the South African Police Forensic Science Laboratory. During his career of 15 years in the South African Police Forensic Science Laboratory he worked more than six thousand (6000) Forensic Ballistic and Tool Mark related cases. Mr. Murphy testified in the various court systems of Southern Africa. During 1996 Mr. Murphy established the Eastern Cape Forensic Science Laboratory in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and served as the Commanding Officer with the rank of Senior Superintendent (Colonel) until his resignation from the South African Police Service in 1999. Paul J Murphy worked for the Virginia DFS (Division of Forensic Sciences) from 1999 to 2005 as a Senior Forensic Scientist and completed more than two thousand (2000) Forensic Ballistic and Tool Mark related cases and testified numerous times in the District Courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia as well is the United States Federal Court. Paul J Murphy is former the Senior Firearms Technical Advisor (subject matter expert)/Forensic Firearm Examiner for LeadsOnline Forensic Technology, a position he held from November 2005 to November 2024. Mr. Murphy visits Forensic Laboratories across the world in his capacity as Senior Firearms Technical Advisor for LeadsOnline Forensic Technology. Paul Murphy is currently the Principal Consultant for Paul Murphy Firearm Forensics : www.murphyfirearmforensics.com. Mr. Murphy holds an Advanced Diploma in Forensic Criminalistics from the University of South Africa Mr. Murphy holds a Certificate in Forensic Firearms and Tool Mark Examinations for Specialists from the South African Police Service Forensic Science Laboratory. Mr. Murphy holds a certification as a Forensic Scientist from the Commonwealth of Virginia Mr. Murphy holds a Diploma in Firearms Examination from the British Forensic Science Society Mr. Murphy has been a Distinguished Member of AFTE (Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners) since 2000 and has been an AFTE Member since 1987.

Ron Smith, 69, of Collinsville, MS, passed away peacefully in his home on November 11, 2023. He was an active lifetime member of Antioch Southern Methodist Church, where he served faithfully in many leadership roles and taught Adult Sunday School for many years. He never missed an opportunity to witness to others about having a deep and personal relationship with God. Ron was a loving son, brother, husband, father, papaw, and friend. He never met a stranger and always made sure everyone felt welcome. He loved anything related to West Lauderdale or Mississippi State athletics. In his spare time, he played golf and followed his grandchildren to all their sporting events. He rarely missed a ballgame, and if he did, it was because he was torn between which grandchild to watch. He often visited and went to dinner with his West Lauderdale Class of 1972 classmates. He always cherished spending time with his family and took them on many family vacations. Ron has often been titled as one of the “Fingerprint Gurus” in the Forensic world. He began his Forensic career at the age of 18 when he moved to Washington, D.C. to work with the FBI. He and LaDonna moved back closer to home, and he worked with the State of Alabama Crime Laboratory as a Crime Scene and Fingerprint Examiner. He then transferred to the Mississippi Crime Laboratory until he retired as the Director of the East Mississippi Crime Laboratory in July 2002. Ron began sharing the love of Forensics in the early 1990s, when he taught the first-ever Palm Print Comparison course. He traveled all around the U.S. and many foreign countries and inspired forensic scientists with his vast knowledge of forensic and courtroom testimony. In 2002, he began a private consulting firm, Ron Smith and Associates, Inc. Through this company, he continued to assist examiners and government agencies in many facets of crime solving.

Stefanie Happ is an AFTE Certified Firearm and Toolmark Examiner with over 17 years of experience in the field. She is currently employed by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office/Colorado Springs Police Department’s Metro Crime Laboratory as the Sr. Firearms Examiner, Unit Technical Lead, and NIBIN Program Administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with an Emphasis in Criminalistics from the Metropolitan State College of Denver and is a court qualified expert in the areas of Forensic Chemistry and Firearm and Toolmark Analysis. Stefanie has experience in policy/procedure development and implementation, ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation implementation and maintenance, and case management. She has served as in instructor for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) National Firearm Examiner Academy and serves as a member of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) – Firearms and Toolmark Subcommittee.

Tim is the Training Capability Lead for Idemia Australia. Before taking on this role with Idemia, he was the Fingerprint Identification Director with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, California. Prior to the Sheriff's Office, he was a Crime Scene Officer – Fingerprint Expert with the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) in Australia. He has over 18 years of experience in forensics, with over 16 years of experience specifically in fingerprints. Tim has taught classes in fingerprints and photography for more than 14 years with Idemia, the NSWPF, the Canberra Institute of Technology, and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. Tim is an International Association for Identification (IAI) Certified Latent Print Examiner and is also certified as an Expert in the Science of Fingerprints by the Australasian Forensic Science Assessment Body (AFSAB). Tim is currently the Chair of the IAI Latent Print Certification Board (LPCB), and has served on the LPCB since 2015. He is a recipient of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal for his contributions to the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake disaster victim identification response.

Toniann Rebick is an AFTE Certified Forensic Firearms Examiner and a Crime Scene Reconstructionist with 20 years of experience in Forensics. She received a Masters of Forensic Science degree from National University and Bachelors of Science degrees in Microbiology and Crime, Law and Justice with an emphasis in Forensics, as well as a minor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, all from Penn State University. She is a graduate of the California Criminalistics Institute's (CCI) Firearms and Toolmarks Examiners Academy. Toniann began her career in 2005 as a Field Evidence Technician, processing crime scenes and examining latent prints for the Oceanside Police Department. In 2010, Toniann began work as a Criminalist in The Firearms and Crime Scene Reconstruction Units at the San Diego Police Department, where she eventually promoted to Supervising Criminalist. While in San Diego, Toniann taught forensic classes at Grossmont College and ITT Technical Institute, as well as the forensic portions of a POST class for investigators. In 2022, Toniann began working at the Mississippi State Forensics Laboratory, where she is currently a Team Lead in the Firearms Unit. Additionally, Toniann trains and works cases through her business, Rebick Forensic Services and she is a Forensic Science Instructor at the University of Southern Mississippi. Toniann is a member of The Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE), the Chair of AFTE’s Sub-Committee on Unpublished Works, an AFTE Mentor, and a Peer Reviewer for the AFTE Journal. She also organizes the Gulf Coast Firearms and Toolmark Examiners Study Group. Toniann loves to shoot and is excited to have a job that gives her an excuse to shoot guns in the name of “science!”