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Scientific aspects of cold case reviews

Scientific aspects of cold case reviews. Presented by: Ian Hamilton Biology Manager SPSA (Glasgow) SIPR Annual Conference 12.09.2007. Named Suspect. In 1998 person named as having committed the murder. Murder of Mary Gallacher. Springburn 1978.

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Scientific aspects of cold case reviews

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  1. Scientific aspects of cold case reviews Presented by: Ian Hamilton Biology Manager SPSA (Glasgow) SIPR Annual Conference 12.09.2007

  2. Named Suspect • In 1998 person named as having committed the murder • Murder of Mary Gallacher. Springburn 1978 • In December 1999 main line of enquiry came to nothing however deceased’s pubic hair sample located and DNA recovered from semen. • Bad news – did not match suspect • Good news – matched person on Database. Angus Sinclair subsequently convicted.

  3. Wronged Partner • On 30 August 2002 Agnes Mechan was reported as missing and no trace of her despite police and family activity. In December 2006 an ex partner of Robert Kelly told a friend that he had killed Agnes Mechan. On 24 January a body was found hidden beneath the floorboards of his house. DNA analysis of the mummified body confirmed her to be Agnes Mechan.

  4. Family pressure • Family members often cannot accept apparent police inactivity. In some cases this is because there has been no crime proved due to an inconclusive PM result. Did she fall or was she pushed? • Family liaison may produce new line of enquiry to take the enquiry forward.

  5. Detection in similar case • Following on from the murder of Angelika Kluk and the subsequent conviction of Peter Tobin, the enquiry into the disappearance of Vicki Hamilton was reviewed and a house occupied by Tobin at the time was examined. • Ground radar • Forensic archaeologist • Luminol

  6. Scientist review • In 1996 the National DNA Database was introduced, • however the technology was not compatible with the • previous method. Samples were retained in unsolved cases • and loaded to the new database. • DNA analysis became available in Scotland on 1 April 1990. During the late 1980s samples were sent to establishments south of the border. • Murder of Mary Lynch, December 1987. DNA work carried out by FSS in 1988. In 1997 DNA from semen was loaded to Database. In January 1999 a match was obtained from a sample from Richard Crawford taken for a drugs offence

  7. Police Review • Some cases have therefore been reviewed several times as technology has evolved. Investigating officer usually had to carry out the review between current investigations. • Do you do something now, and use up available material or wait to see if technology improves? • Drip feeding to laboratories. • ACPOS guidelines are for unsolved cases to be reviewed biennially • Strathclyde Police have now appointed a full time serious crime review officer. • Potential for deluge into the laboratories

  8. Problems • Reference samples Aids • Location and integrity of productions • Laser capture micro-dissection • Mitochondrial DNA • Y chromosome DNA

  9. Problem Is the sample crime related? • DNA found on prostitute. Is it from killer or client?

  10. Problem Results in • Changes in knowledge / procedures • Contamination from personnel at locus • Time spent eliminating police personnel

  11. Police expectations • Lack of knowledge – close liaison between police and scientist • Senior Investigating Officer’s ‘ignorance’ • I believe in miracles – Unrealistic expectations. • Request to try to obtain DNA from items which had been buried for 2 years. • Communication between scientist and police to understand each other’s point of view

  12. New technologies • High probability of contamination issues • Low copy number (LCN) DNA • Familial DNA ie perpetrator is not on database but a relative may be. • Geographical and behavioural profiling • Pandora’s box -When do you commit resources?

  13. The future • Will the need for this die out as our current cases are examined using extremely sensitive technologies from productions gathered by scene examiners, scientists and police officers aware of contamination issues from scenes controlled by trained Crime Scene Managers? • Probably this need will continue as science continues to advance. • In the future we may be able to report • The serial rapist is between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches, with brown hair and from the clan Fraser

  14. Any questions ?

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