Crime Scene Cleanup
Crime scene cleaning begins after police release and covers blood, odor and the affected property.
See crime scene cleanupGet blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials and odor removed after investigators release a home, rental, business or vehicle in Hancock County. The cleanup scope is based on where contamination traveled.
Homicide cleanup is specialized crime scene work performed after investigators complete their duties and release the property. It removes bodily fluids, blood and other contaminated materials.
While the medical examiner or coroner and law enforcement concentrate on investigative duties, they do not clean what remains at the property. Homicide cleaning can be arranged after release of the scene by an authorized person, including an owner, landlord or relative.
The cleanup process goes beyond ordinary cleaning services. Cleanup technicians locate contamination in the affected area and surrounding areas, protect unaffected rooms, remove materials that cannot be disinfected and treat cleanable surfaces. The work also includes hazardous waste packaging, waste disposal, odor removal and records for an insurance company when requested.

Personal property that can be saved is separated and discussed with you before removal decisions are made.
Your questions can cover items marked for removal, surfaces to be cleaned, plans for taking waste away and remaining restoration needs.
Your discussions with insurance companies and property owners may be supported by photographs, item inventories, work notes and waste documentation.
During a painful event, privacy can be supported when you limit entry to approved people and ask that crews arrive in unmarked vehicles.
Homicide cleanup services may be necessary after a violent death affects a rental, vehicle, home or business with blood or biological material. Common circumstances include:
The landlord or an authorized property manager may schedule scene cleanup once police release the rental and essential items have been taken by the family.
Surface wiping is not enough when visible blood extends under the floor or behind trim.
Checks of carpet, insulation, seats and trim determine which materials are cleanable and which require removal.
A bedroom, hall, living area and surrounding exposed surfaces may all require blood cleanup after the event.
Your first steps are to respect the investigation, avoid exposure and preserve useful claim information. Before cleanup technicians enter:
Call (888) 440-9227Available homicide cleanup cost guides put violent crime scenes in the $2,500 to $9,000 range. They place smaller scenes in a range from $2,000 to $6,000 and larger scenes between $3,000 and $10,000 based on their published figures. These are planning ranges rather than a quote. An assessment determines the final scope.
These national ranges are taken from published cost guides, rather than a property visit. An on-site assessment determines your property's price, which is explained to you before the cleanup starts.
Ask about cost: (888) 440-9227Insurance may pay toward homicide cleanup through a commercial, homeowners or renters policy. Coverage is determined by the loss, the policy and its deductible.
Once police release the property, explain the event to your insurer. Find out whether the policy includes damaged building components, restoration and biohazard cleanup.
The lease, local law, property ownership and policy terms can affect who arranges work and who pays. Tenants and landlords should each contact the appropriate insurer.
Victims of violent crime can ask the Indiana Violent Crime Victim Compensation Program, run by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, about cleanup. The program lists crime scene cleanup as an eligible expense for crimes after July 1, 2022. Insurance is usually checked first.
Ask the insurance company which photos, item lists, scope notes, invoices and waste records it needs. Save a copy of every submitted document.
Remediation proceeds in a controlled sequence once the scene is released. The path of contamination, the materials that are still safe to save and applicable waste rules guide each step.
Technicians check contents, nearby surfaces, possible travel paths and flooring edges after an authorized person identifies the affected areas already known.
The work zone is separated from clean rooms. Cleanup technicians rely on proper personal protective equipment and containment controls to keep contamination from being tracked past the scene.
Visible blood and bodily fluids are collected with methods suited to each surface before detailed cleaning and disinfection begin.
Carpet, pad, drywall, upholstery or subfloor that cannot be fully disinfected is removed in the smallest practical area.
Cleanable materials undergo detailed scene cleaning before an EPA-registered disinfectant is applied and stays wet throughout the label contact time.
Targeted treatment and air filtration can address odors in connected spaces, room air and retained materials once the source has been removed.
After contaminated waste is sealed and labeled, it is moved in accordance with applicable requirements and available disposal records are retained.
A final check covers finished work, the agreed return of saved personal property and a list of removed finishes for restoration services.
Phone any hour. A specialist in homicide cleanup takes your call, explains each step and agrees on a start time with you.
Blood, other bodily fluids and contamination hidden from view may create serious health risks. A dry appearance or a visibly small area does not remove those concerns.
Soaked absorbent materials and used protective equipment may need compliant packaging, transport and disposal under relevant medical waste rules.
Fluids can enter seams, grout, carpet pad, subfloor and wall cavities. Material concealed behind or under a surface remains after only the visible spot is cleaned.
Blood can carry hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. According to the CDC, hepatitis B remains viable on surfaces for at least seven days, meaning dried blood needs careful controls.
Can you clean it yourself? With disposable gloves, a small quantity of fresh blood may be cleaned off a hard, non-porous area by keeping an EPA-registered disinfectant on it for the full label contact time. When blood enters carpet, drywall, wood, fabric or an area without clear limits, avoid the space and get professional cleanup.
Blood-absorbing porous materials generally must be taken out. A non-porous surface can often stay if the entire exposed portion can be reached and disinfected.

A timeline for homicide cleaning is shaped by scene access and size, the number of affected rooms, depth of contamination and amount that must be taken out. You can receive a more practical schedule once the initial assessment is complete.
| Scene | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Accessible surfaces within a small affected area | Schedule set after inspection and scene release |
| One room with porous material removal | May involve cleanup followed by restoration as another phase |
| Several rooms or structural contamination | Usually needs a staged scope and longer restoration work |
Odor cannot be corrected with fragrance alone when fluids remain absorbed in drywall, hidden cavities, carpet, furniture or subfloor. The source must be located and removed first.
After contaminated material is removed, HEPA air scrubbers can filter airborne particles. Hydroxyl treatment may be used in occupied settings when equipment instructions allow it. Ozone requires strict controls and an empty treatment area. The cleaning process may also include checking vents and adjacent rooms before you move forward.
The full homicide cleanup guide covers what is cleaned or removed, odor and air quality work, and the rules that apply in Indiana and Hancock County.
Read the full homicide cleanup guide
Local housing, population and access details can shape containment, access and cleanup planning.
Only 15.3% of homes in McCordsville are renter occupied, so many cleanup decisions may rest directly with resident owners.
The local median home dates to 2009, and modern ventilation can carry odor beyond the room where an incident occurred.
In McCordsville, 402 older adults live alone, so relatives may need clear photos and records when managing cleanup from afar.
Because 91.6% of local housing is single-family, owners often can make direct decisions about removing affected structural materials.
You can ask about cleanup in nearby communities and ZIP codes during the call.
Crime scene cleaning begins after police release and covers blood, odor and the affected property.
See crime scene cleanup
Walls, carpets, furnishings and hard floors receive blood cleanup, with safe disposal afterward.
See blood cleanup
Trauma scene cleanup addresses the aftermath of accidents, injuries and violent incidents.
See trauma scene cleanup
After a person dies at home, cleanup addresses fluids, odors and belongings that were affected.
See death cleanup
Careful, private suicide cleanup keeps family members from having to confront the scene.
See suicide cleanup
Cleanup when a death went unnoticed for days, with decomposition and odor control.
See unattended death cleanup
Forensic cleaning of blood also covers investigation residue, tissue and fingerprint powder.
See forensic cleaning
Death odor removal at the source with air scrubbers, hydroxyl and ozone treatment.
See death odor removalBoth authorities must clear the property first: law enforcement and the medical examiner or coroner. A relative, landlord, manager or owner with authority can then arrange cleanup. Homicide cleaners perform biohazard remediation, blood cleanup, disinfection, odor work and hazardous waste removal. Police are responsible for investigating the scene, not performing the cleaning service.
Published homicide cleanup cost data lists a violent crime scene at $2,500 to $9,000. While the smaller range is $2,000 to $6,000, costs for a larger scene are listed at $3,000 to $10,000. Police release status, scene dimensions, depth of contamination, number of rooms and disposal requirements all affect the scope.
Yes, separate hazards may exist at the same property. When evidence controls no longer apply, hoarding cleanup services may begin for the property's heavy contents. Sewage cleanup may be needed after a sewage backup, and water damage may require drying. Every hazard requires its own cleaning process, containment steps and disposal planning.
Items outside the contaminated zone can be protected in place or moved to a clean area. Scene property is evaluated item by item. Hard, non-porous belongings may be cleanable. Before deciding, the team should speak with you about papers, photos and keepsakes, while absorbent property may have to be removed.
Different property conditions can be present in each, although both qualify as death cleanup and trauma scene cleanup. Evidence-processing material may remain at a homicide scene, which is controlled by law enforcement until formal release. Time between death and discovery means an unattended death may involve decomposition along with more extensive odor issues.
A homeowners policy might pay for homicide scene cleanup or death cleanup, but coverage varies according to policy language, exclusions, the event and the deductible. Speak with the insurer before cleanup starts. Before work starts, find out which documents are required and ask about biohazard cleanup, personal property, restoration and damaged materials.
Discreet, respectful homicide cleanup, 24 hours a day, with crews in unmarked vehicles.