Void patterns in bloodstain pattern analysis are often used to determine the absence or move-
ment of an intermediate object from its original position during or after a bloodletting event. This ar-
ticle examines the use of void patterns as a method of estimating the area of origin of events that pro-
duce bloodstains. Employment of this method, which the authors have termed the Void Pattern Shadow
Matching (VPSM) method, can help the analyst or investigator at the scene to quickly determine an
approximate area of origin, which can later be confirmed by mathematical analysis.
