Defrosting Cold Cases

From the Netherlands: The prosecution announced today that Willeke Dost‘s foster parents are no longer regarded as suspects. The court in the city of Assen had told the prosecution that if they wanted to prosecute the foster mother and foster brother, it had to do so before Jan 1, 2012. Right now there does not [...]

Tags: Crime Scene, Evidence, Investigations Division, Missing Person, Police, the Netherlands, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Willeke Dost, Witnesses

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

Losing a parent is a devastating experience. The loss of her father, Raymond Nels Nelson, to senseless violence has left its mark on Rebecca. Her father, Raymond Nels Nelson, was not without flaw. However, everyone you asked had a positive first impression from Raymond Nelson. Rebecca has chosen to share her thoughts about her father, [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Chief Aide Senator Claiborne Pell, Crime Scene, DC, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Raymond N Nelson, Rhode Island, Unsolved Homicide, US SEnate Staff Member, Victim, Washington, Witnesses

There is no way of knowing when the murder of Trey Noah will finally go to court. Brandon Harber and Shelby Moore were charged with Trey’s murder and will eventually be tried in Gillespie County, TX. However, “an initial confession from Moore was tossed out in a pre-trial hearing. The DA is appealing that decision. That [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Ballistics, Crime Scene, Evidence, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Kendalia, Police, Texas, Trey Noah, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

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

James Vincent Stanaway, born on Dec 5 in 1966, was killed in Jersey City (NJ) on Feb 3, 1990. Everyone knew his simply as “Jimmy.” This nickname was also his well known signature and is the feature on his headstone. To this day, there are questions in this case that have never been answered. One [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Crime Scene, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Jersey City, Jimmy Stanaway, Knife Attack, New Jersey, Police, Stabbing, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

From the New Hampshire Sentinel: “The [Hina Family] case — originally slated for trial in August — has been delayed twice and will remain on hold indefinitely while the N.H. Supreme Court considers whether to hear an appeal from the N.H. Attorney General’s Office of a pre-trial ruling by Judge Marguerite L. Wageling, who is [...]

Tags: Arson Detection, Autopsy, Crime Scene, David McLeod, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Forensics, Hina Family Murders, Investigations Division, New Hampshire, Police, Unsolved Homicide, Victim

In 2012 “Cold Case Research” will come out. The author is Silvia Pettem and this is how she describes her book: “Cold Case Research: Resources for Unidentified, Missing, and Cold Homicide Cases,” to be published by CRC Press in 2012. Topics include the latest search engine tools such as TLO, the revolutionary missing and unidentified [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Ballistics, Book Reviews, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Rape kits, Silvia Pettem, Unidentified, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

In October 2007, retired policewoman Kathy Gilleran received a call from Vienna, Austria, informing her that her 34-year-old son, Aeryn, was missing. Kathy immediately flew overseas to aid in the search for Aeryn, but upon arriving in Vienna, she was shocked to learn that the local police had no interest in pursuing the case. Aeryn, a US Citizen, was [...]

Tags: Austria, Crime Scene, Evidence, Identification, Investigations Division, Missing Person, Victim, Vienna, Witnesses