Defrosting Cold Cases

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

My very first eBook, a compilation of blog posts in the case of William Thomas Zeigler, has reached the market. It is published with Nook Pubit from Barnes & Noble and can be found here in their catalogue. It already has two ratings but only one explained why they gave it some stars. The reactions [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, 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

Not everyone reads blogs so in an effort to reach those who do not, Vidster is going e! Today, my first eBook is on sale. “Zeigler, through Vidster’s eyes” documents all the blog posts I have written about the Zeigler case. Those posts are of course, in between all my other (700+) posts. I thought [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Scene, 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 New Zealand Herald brings the fantastic news that  Senior Detective Superintendent Andy Lovelock, who is reviewing the Crewe murders, has urged anyone with information about their deaths to speak out and help find answers for their only child Rochelle Crewe. I quote: “I am extremely keen to hear from anyone who may have information concerning [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, arthur allen thomas, Autopsy, Ballistics, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Jeanette and Harvey Crewe, Miscarriage of Justice, New Zealand, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

Some of you have been emailing me asking why I have stopped posting about the William Thomas Zeigler case. Am I now convinced that he is guilty? Am I bored with the case? Am I in a clinch with the defense team?   NO to all of the above!   I have been trying to [...]

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

“A preliminary hearing was held Wednesday for two men accused in the shooting deaths of two San Diego-based sailors in Otay Mesa 18 years ago.  The hearing for Edward Jesus Elias and Leopoldo Castro Chavez II, both 35, was to have started Tuesday morning but was postponed until Wednesday because one of the defense attorneys [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Ballistics, California, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Finger Printing, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

Who killed Carl Bridgewater? We may never know but after reading Paul Foot‘s excellent analysis of the police interrogations, I am sure that none of the Bridgewater Four were involved. Even though the case dates back to 1978, I consider this book to be a classic to study how cases can go wrong fast. It [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Book Reviews, Carl Bridgewater, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, UK, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

Michigan has not forgotten its cold cases and is working diligently towards justice for the victims. “In Oakland County, law enforcement has stepped up efforts to close cases, aggressively pursuing old homicides. Their efforts have paid off. Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper has obtained convictions against seven men in six old murders in the last two [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Michigan, Missing Person, Police, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

The Crewe Murders will be explored once more but in a different setting. “Although much of the detail of the filming and direction the programme will take is being kept under wraps the film company has confirmed the Crewe murders programme will be a “one-off special”. No firm date for the screening has yet been [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Crime Scene, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Jeanette and Harvey Crewe, New Zealand, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

The Orlando Sentinel reports that “Just hours after the verdict was read in the biggest case of his career [Casey Anthony], veteran Assistant State Attorney Jeff Ashton announced he will retire at the end of the week.” As you know, he also handled the Zeigler case. No word yet on who will replace Ashton. To be [...]

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