George V. Ravtoyiannis

Expertise in: Examination of Firearms (Ballistics – Forensic Ballistics Investigation, Traumatic Ballistics, Traces of Explosive Results from Explosive – Incendiary Devices), Tool Marks & Lock – Key Marks in Burglary Investigations.

Forensic Analyst / Ballistic Expert ID AFTE: 2463.

Consultant in Forensic Investigations.

Registered in the Expert Lists of the Courts and Prosecutors of the country.

George V. Ravtoyiannis was born in 1959 in Athens and hails from Evrytania. He is a Forensic Analyst / Ballistic Expert, trained in Greece and further trained in the USA, Canada, and Germany.

He has worked for many years in the state laboratories of the Directorate of Forensic Investigations of the Hellenic Police, as a Senior Officer. He later founded the Forensic Investigation Laboratories, through which he continued to operate in the field of court-certified experts, providing his services for the administration of justice.

Additionally, he has specialized in 3D Imaging Investigation – Crime Scene Evaluation (AFTE / FSS-Inc), in Photographic Imaging, Trace Analysis, and Processing (FORENSIC-FTI), and in the Analysis Evaluation of Gunshot Residue (GSR) (AFTE / FBI-Lab). He has also received training in “Medicine Through the Microscope” on Pathological Anatomy, Heart Failure, and “Forensic Psychiatric Psychology” at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA). He collaborates in research with Emeritus Professor E. Agapitos of the First Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, Medical School of EKPA, focusing on “Histopathological alterations due to kinetic energy release from firearm bullets.”

He served as the communication liaison with the KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CENTRE of EUROPOL on issues related to the automated system for comparative examination of cartridge case and bullet traces (IBIS).

He has teaching experience in topics related to his specialty, training and retraining at the Directorate of Forensic Investigations, the Police Academy, the staff of the Forensic Laboratory of the Palestinian Authorities (A.T.L.) in Athens, Gaza, and Ramallah, Palestine, for two years as an EU Trainer – Inspector, and for students of various educational institutions.

He has numerous publications on topics related to his specialty in published conference proceedings in Greece and abroad, focusing on the contribution of evidence to forming forensic judgment, scientific proof, and the forensic approach to traumatic ballistics.

He has also contributed to publications in scientific books, receiving acknowledgments and references in several books for his assistance, cooperation, guidance, and suggestions that led to their publication.

 

Authorship: Beyond other literature as listed below, he collaborated in writing the book “Forensic Medicine from Theory to Practice,” 3rd edition by Emeritus Professor of Forensic Medicine at AUTH, Dimitrios Psaroulis (University Studio Press – 2018), contributing a special chapter on Ballistics and Traumatic Ballistics.

He has repeatedly been invited and participated as a speaker at international conferences and workshops in Greece and abroad, covering topics in Ballistics and in Medicine & Surgery, related to Traumatic Ballistics and the effects of energy discharge on tissues.

He has prepared a large number of Forensic Laboratory Reports, which he has supported as a witness – expert before the Courts of First Instance and Courts of Appeal in the country. Additionally, he has conducted expert reports for the investigative authorities of Italy for the case of the murder of MARCO BIAGI, for which the “BRIGATE ROSSE” organization claimed responsibility, and for France upon request by the examining magistrate MARIE – CATHERINE MARCONI, through the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL.

He has been repeatedly awarded for his exceptional activity, willingness, interest, zeal, and methodical approach while performing his duties, utilizing material-technical infrastructure and his high scientific-technical expertise to conduct laboratory examinations, identifications, and correlations of objects – evidence, which have led to the substantiation of serious offenses such as robberies, homicides, etc., and to support pending forensic cases before the Judicial Authorities.

In addition to his work in State Laboratories (indicative cases include the 17N, five hunters, Vakrinos, etc., where he examined approximately 30,000 pieces of evidence related to similar cases), he has assisted in investigating hundreds of cases, such as the murder of Alexandros GRIGOROPOULOS by a Special Guard of the Hellenic Police, the involvement of a Coast Guard vessel with an inflatable boat in South Chios resulting in the death of an occupant due to gunfire, the murder of actor N. SERGIANOPOULOS, the ZONIANOS case, the KOMOTINI HOSTAGE case, the shooting of STRAWBERRY PRODUCERS in Manolada, the multiple homicide case in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, analysis of traces from the passage of metal bars through a vehicle, the PANTELIDIS case, analysis of traces from arson in MATI, and many other cases, including cases involving insurance companies to verify if the claims meet the criteria as reported by the complainants, etc.

Lastly, he is an active member of the International Association of Firearm & Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), served as an EU Auditor & Instructor Certification for Laboratory Ballistics Examinations, was a founding member of the Hellenic Association of Forensic Sciences, served as an INTERPOL Expert, Ballistics Systems Manager of EUROPOL, and is a member of the board of the association “GREEK INNOCENCE PROJECT – SCIENTIFIC PROOF OF INNOCENCE & ATTRIBUTION.”