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Abstract
Given the nature of unsolved homicide, a complicated dynamic exists between survivors of cold case homicides and law enforcement personnel. The current study utilizes interviews with 24 survivors to explore the perceptions associated with this relationship. Employing a grounded theory framework, we find several themes depicted within these narratives that guide survivors' overall perceptions of their relationship with law enforcement, including investigative and communication efforts. Results indicate that the survivors universally perceive original detectives were incompetent or ineffective in their original investigation, thus leading to the unsolved status of their case. Over time, secondary and current investigators were also perceived as unable to properly investigate, due to challenges such as insufficient evidence or simply not conducting a comprehensive examination of the case. Regardless of this negative view of police activity on the case, relationships were defined by the level and nature of communication survivors had with their detective. Families who felt listened to, included, and/or valued reported a positive relationship with police that allowed them to trust their case was in good hands. Participants who perceived communication to be secretive, misleading, or completely absent noted strained relationships and further disappointment. Survivors may adopt roles, such as investigator, spokesperson, or advocate, to help compensate for their perception that the case is not properly cared for by police. With regard to grief progress and health of cold case homicide survivors, it is possible treatment by law enforcement outweighs the significant of case resolution years after the homicide. Recommendations for more productive survivor/police interactions are included.
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Wisniewski KD, Cooper N, Heaton V, Hope C, Pirrie D, Mitten AJ, Pringle JK. The Search for "Fred": An Unusual Vertical Burial Case. J Forensic Sci 2019; 64:1530-1539. [PMID: 30802952 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Police witness intelligence stated a murdered adult male "Fred" had been vertically buried in wooded hilly terrain 30 years ago in the Midlands, U.K. Conventional search methods were unsuccessful; therefore, the police requested a geophysical investigation to be undertaken to determine whether "Fred" could be detected. A multiphased geophysical approach was conducted, using bulk ground conductivity and metal detectors, then follow-up magnetics and ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey profiles on electromagnetic (EM) anomalous areas. A tight grid pattern was used to account for the reduced target size. Relatively high-resolution EM and GPR techniques were determined optimal for this terrain and sandy soil. Geophysical anomalies were identified and the most promising intrusively investigated, and this was found to be a large boulder and tree roots. Study implications suggest careful multiphase geophysical surveys are best practice and give confidence in cold case searches. This study yielded a no-body result, effectively saving police time and costs from further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher D Wisniewski
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, U.K.,Department of Criminal Justice and Forensics, School of Law, Policing& Forensics, Science Centre, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DF, U.K
| | - Nicholas Cooper
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, U.K
| | - Vivienne Heaton
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, U.K
| | - Colin Hope
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, U.K
| | - Duncan Pirrie
- School of Applied Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, CF37 4AT, U.K
| | - Andrew J Mitten
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, U.K
| | - Jamie K Pringle
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, U.K
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Clark M, Gill J, Sasinouski K, McGuire A. Cold Case Homicides: DNA Testing of Retained Autopsy Sexual Assault Smears. J Forensic Sci 2019; 64:1100-1104. [PMID: 30731031 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Archival medical examiner specimens may contain perpetrator DNA evidence useful in unsolved ("cold case") homicides. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) histology slide archives were searched for sexual assault smears for all 376 female homicides from 1990 to 1999. Of these, the OCME had sexual assault smears on 84 of which 13 slides had sperm. Of these 13, six were still unsolved. DNA profiles were obtained on all six (5 from smears and one from swabs). Combined DNA Index System ( submission resulted in two matches ("hits") for new suspects. In addition, three suspects were eliminated in two cases. Our review of archival sexual assault smears resulted in DNA profiles that were able to assist in the investigation of four cold case homicide investigations. It may be worthwhile for medical examiner offices to search their archival histology slides for sexual assault smears on previously unsolved cases particularly those prior to the mid-1990s when DNA testing was less widely available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Clark
- Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 11 Shuttle Road, Farmington, CT, 06032
| | - James Gill
- Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 11 Shuttle Road, Farmington, CT, 06032
| | - Kristin Sasinouski
- Deputy Director- Forensic Biology and DNA, CT DESPP Division of Scientific Services, 278 Colony Street, Meriden, CT, 06451
| | - Angela McGuire
- Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 11 Shuttle Road, Farmington, CT, 06032
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Wellman A, Borg M. Envisioning Justice: The Complex Journey of Cold Case Homicide Survivors. Violence Vict 2018; 33:1102-1123. [PMID: 30573553 DOI: 10.1891/0886-6708.33.6.1102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
While police make an arrest in the majority of homicide cases occurring annually in the United States, a portion remain unsolved and are eventually classified as "cold cases." Family members of the victims are not only left grieving the loss of their loved ones, but also plagued by the knowledge that the murderer has yet to be officially identified or held accountable. How do these family members-cold case homicide survivors-navigate their open-ended journey through grief? Using a social constructivist approach, we analyze in-depth interviews with 24 cold case homicide survivors to describe the unique dimensions of their experience, including how their hopes are tied to understandings of achieving justice for their loved ones. Three themes emerge from their narratives: a certainty that the killers will be identified; a demand for the harshest punishment possible; and an underlying anxiety about what the identification of the offender will ultimately mean for them. We consider the implications of survivors' expectations for the future, especially for their relationships with the police, other family members, and the criminal justice process in general.
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D'Argenio V, Torino M, Precone V, Casaburi G, Esposito MV, Iaffaldano L, Malapelle U, Troncone G, Coto I, Cavalcanti P, De Rosa G, Salvatore F, Sacchetti L. The Cause of Death of a Child in the 18th Century Solved by Bone Microbiome Typing Using Laser Microdissection and Next Generation Sequencing. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18010109. [PMID: 28067829 PMCID: PMC5297743 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The history of medicine abounds in cases of mysterious deaths, especially by infectious diseases, which were probably unresolved because of the lack of knowledge and of appropriate technology. The aim of this study was to exploit contemporary technologies to try to identify the cause of death of a young boy who died from a putative “infection” at the end of the 18th century, and for whom an extraordinarily well-preserved minute bone fragment was available. After confirming the nature of the sample, we used laser microdissection to select the most “informative” area to be examined. Tissue genotyping indicated male gender, thereby confirming the notary’s report. 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing showed that Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were more abundant than Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and that Pseudomonas was the most abundant bacterial genus in the Pseudomonadaceae family. These data suggest that the patient most likely died from Pseudomonas osteomyelitis. This case is an example of how new technological approaches, like laser microdissection and next-generation sequencing, can resolve ancient cases of uncertain etiopathology. Lastly, medical samples may contain a wealth of information that may not be accessible until more sophisticated technology becomes available. Therefore, one may envisage the possibility of systematically storing medical samples for evaluation by future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria D'Argenio
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Marielva Torino
- Department of Paleopathology, University of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa, via Suor Orsola 10, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Vincenza Precone
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Casaburi
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
| | | | - Laura Iaffaldano
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
| | - Umberto Malapelle
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Giancarlo Troncone
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Iolanda Coto
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Paolina Cavalcanti
- Microbiology Unit, Hospital of Cosenza, via San Martino, 87100 Cosenza, Italy.
| | - Gaetano De Rosa
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Francesco Salvatore
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
- IRCCS (Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico)-Fondazione SDN, via Gianturco 113, 80143 Naples, Italy.
| | - Lucia Sacchetti
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
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