When does a shooting leave a trace?

Eyewitnesses in Rudy's murder have told investigators that the trainee waiter was shot from about one meter away, while a forensic test done by Mun'im Idris concluded he was shot from several meters away. Mun'im's conclusion was partly based on the fact that he found no trace of gunpowder residues in Rudy's wound.

But when does a shooting leave a trace?

According to forensic expert Handoko, close range is 75 centimeters, and far away if more than one meter.

"If somebody is shot in between that range then the shooting will leave a trace of, among other things, gunpowder around the wound," he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Handoko said the farther the target from the shooter, the less traces it leaves.

"Also, the smaller the bullet, the less it trace leaves in the wound. A .22 caliber bullet used in a shooting is considered very small, and at the range of 90 centimeters, we found no trace of gunpowder from such small bullet," he said.

"So, it is logical that they found no trace in the forensic tests (on Rudy) because the range could be over 90 centimeters.

"Also, it is illogical to conclude that Rudy was shot from several meters away because the bullet hit Rudy with such precision," Handoko said. -- JP