Defrosting Cold Cases

Blood Pattern Analysis: A follow up to #cclivechat of Feb 3, 2012, Part I (or, How I Punched a Side of Pork in a Sheffield Morgue) by Sue Carney ___________ In this week’s #cclivechat we focused on blood pattern analysis. The previous week we’d touched on the issues of whether it might be possible to [...]

Tags: Blood Pattern Analysis, cclivechat, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, DNA, Forensics, Identification, Sue Carney

It has been dubbed the most entertaining Cold Case Live Chat ever and the only thing I did was mention snot. He! We were talking about body fluids so it was not that far out, right? But seriously, we had an enlightening chat with Sue Carney about blood patterns, how they evolve, wet versus dry [...]

Tags: Crime Scene, DNA, Evidence, Forensics, Identification, Sue Carney

Forty-six years ago, Jim and Nancy Beaumont were confronted with a nightmare that has been ongoing ever since. Their beloved children, all three of their children, vanished without a trace. It broke their hearts, their hopes, and their marriage. Over the years, South Adelaide Police did investigate more leads. They checked into child serial rapist [...]

Tags: Austria, Beaumont Children, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Missing Person, Police, South Adelaide, Victim, Witnesses

Tragedy has struck the Meredith family again. Very early this morning, Brandon Meredith was found dead at his sister’s home. Brandon was Trisha‘s brother whose cold case can be found here on DCC. The cause of Brandon’s death is still unknown and details will follow later. Trisha’s case is not forgotten. During his life, Brandon [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, Evidence, Forensics, Identification, Indiana, Investigations Division, Police, Trisha Meredith, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

From the New York Times: “In an opinion that harshly criticizes the tactics of the police and prosecutors, an Illinois appellate court on Friday night reversed the conviction of Juan Rivera, who has spent 19 years in jail for the 1992 rape and murder of an 11-year-old baby sitter in a suburb of Chicago. There [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Illinois, Investigations Division, Juan Rivera, Miscarriage of Justice, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Rape kits, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

  Rockford Police (IL) are going to set up a cold case website next year! “Over the years in Rockford, hundreds of murder cases have gone unsolved and many leads have now gone cold. The Rockford Police are in the process of setting up a new website they hope will help them close the book [...]

Tags: Crime Scene, DNA, Evidence, Forensics, Illinois, Investigations Division, Missing Person, Police, Rockford, Unidentified, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

This is the original crime scene diagram made by private detective George Anan who was hired by the defense in 1976 and who searched the furniture store together with attorney Vernon Davids. In a two-week examination of the store, Davids and Annan found a .38 caliber slug and a .38 caliber exit hole in the [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Scene, Crime Scene Diagram, Cruelty, Death Row, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Florida, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, William Thomas Zeigler, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

Today Mr. Zeigler‘s DNA hearing took place in Orange County, Florida, before Judge R. Whitehead. Mr. Zeigler himself was not present. However, he was available by phone if he was needed by the State, otherwise, his presence was waived in person and by phone. Passionate opening statements were made by defense attorney John Houston Pope. [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, Death Row, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Florida, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, William Thomas Zeigler, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

On this day, that Mr. Zeigler has his long awaited DNA hearing, we have to deal with the press and their inadequacies for getting the facts right. This local paper, Channel 13, brings you the ludicrous allegation that Zeigler supporters have claimed and I quote: “that Zeigler’s wife was having an affair with a man [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, Death Row, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Florida, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, William Thomas Zeigler, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

The Grand Jury is making progress in the cold case of Moira Holly Branagan! New material have been sent to the labs to be examined for DNA, and a report is expected at the end of the month! Stay tuned!  

Tags: Autopsy, Bethlehem, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Partial Finger Printing, Pennsylvania, Police, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses