forensics cases

Trubilla/Strausser homicide weapons

cast-iron skillet and kitchen knife

ET called WS the day before saying he wanted to kill his father, WS drove to Fort Lauderdale, stopping to buy a knife and rubber gloves, also brought a change of clothes

Trubilla/Strausser homicide premeditation

Trubilla/Strausser homicide injuries

trauma to head by frying pan; stabbed repeatedly

her hands were cut off —> no fingerprints

What complicated victim identification when Lady of the Dune’s body was originally found

clay

facial reconstruction is done by laying __ over skull or skull pieces

investigative genetic genealogy

process of identifying victims through DNA analysis, genealogy research, family trees, and historical/public records. Investigators use shared DNA matched to trace family relationships and narrow down a victim.

key evidence in Helle Crafts case

Robert had rented a woodchipper, Helle’s loose tooth at the riverbank, skull fragments, nightshirt fibers, hairs, the painted fingernail, and the blood smears on the mattress

9

Monique sustained _ GSWs, including 1 at close range

7

Spencer sustained _ GSWs

3 spent 9 mm casings

What was found at the Tepe double murder crime scene?

Katz v United States

Subjective and objective expectation for privacy. If both are reasonable than a search warrant is needed

Maryland v King

collecting and analyzing a DNA cheek swab upon arrest for a serious crime is a minimal intrusion comparable to fingerprinting and photographing

Murder of Allison Feldman

perpetrator was identified using private family DNA tracking website so the evidence was obtained in violation of the 4th amednment

Robert Durst’s alleged confession

“But the Fourth Amendment, which bans ‘unreasonable searches and seizures’ probably isn’t in play because the government likely isn’t involved. Unless Mr. Durst and his lawyers can show that the government was somehow actually behind or involved in the film, something one legal observer called ‘possible, but not likely,’ the utterance would likely not be excluded by Fourth Amendment concerns.”

Terrance Everett FaceBook friending

the Fourth Amendment does not protect a defendant who exposes incriminating evidence to an undercover police officer after he voluntarily "friended" the officer on Facebook.

William Heirens

clothes wrapped around victim’s head plus lipstick ransom note