Military

‘I’m Your Huckleberry’: Air Force Uses Set, Characters From ‘Tombstone’ for CSI Training

July 3, 2021Hannah Ray Lambert
Tombstone

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in ‘Tombstone.’ Screenshot from Tombstone.

Agents with the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations got to learn crime scene documentation skills recently at one of the most recognizable Western movie sets around. Last month, OSI officers from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, just outside Tucson, Arizona, went to Mescal Movie Set, where the majority of the iconic 1993 Western Tombstone was filmed. 


Forensic science consultants from the 12th Field Investigations Squadron at Buckley AFB, Colorado, re-created the murder scenes of town marshal Fred White and Morgan Earp from Tombstone, using the same buildings from the film and period clothing, weapons, and other movie props. Training focused on crime scene documentation such as photography, sketching the scene, and locating and collecting evidence — an Old West-style revolver in this case.


air force osi training tombstone
From left, 355th Security Forces Investigator Christopher Lewis and Office of Special Investigations Detachment 217 Special Agent Devon Henry measure points of interest at a “murder” scene during training at Mescal Movie Set on June 11, 2021, in Mescal, Ariz. Photo courtesy of OSI Public Affairs.

Lt. Col. Special Agent John Hoffmann, commander of Davis-Monthan’s OSI Detachment 217, conceived the hands-on training idea while he and his wife were watching a show at the Gunfight Palace in Tombstone, Arizona, which looked like an Old West saloon.


“I thought it would be interesting to use a set like that to do crime scene training” for the forensic consultants, Hoffmann said in a news release. “I wanted to make the training interesting by incorporating some of the local history as the backdrop, instead of the usual dorm room or day room.”


Mescal was his Huckleberry.


tombstone
Kyle Sitkowksi, 355th Security Forces investigator, left, and Matthew Simonton, a special agent and forensic science consultant for the Office of Special Investigations, 12th Field Investigations Squadron, discuss the murder of Morgan Earp during training June 11, 2021, at Mescal Movie Set in Arizona. Photo courtesy of OSI Public Affairs.

The training gave officers the opportunity to work together and enhance their “crime scene investigation skills in a fun, historically-rich environment,” said 355th Assistant Staff Judge Advocate Capt. Jordan Grande. Including judge advocate and security forces members in OSI’s training also allowed the different teams to practice investigating criminal matters as a cohesive unit.


OSI is considering using the set again for future training. Volunteers have been restoring Mescal in hopes of soon offering guided tours for the public.


Read Next: ‘The Devil’s in the Details’ — Former Green Beret’s Marketing Company Is Operator AF



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

Army vs. Navy mascot
The Navy Goat vs. the Army Mule: Mascot Origin Stories

For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.

ukraine long-range weapon
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Has Developed a Long-Range Weapon, a Day After Strike Deep Inside Russia

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

ambush
7 of the Best Movie Ambush Scenes of All Time

Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, reportedly named Ju Ae, review the honor guard during their visit to the navy headquarter in North Korea
North Korea Launches Missile Toward Sea After US Flies Bomber During Drills

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved