Case Not Closed
The Louisville, Ky., Police Department’s Cold Case Squad studies old evidence with the latest technology to help bring a suspect to justice years after a crime has occurred. The squad is now working on 40 cases, reports homicide detective Larry Carroll.
One victory involved John Boston, who in 2002 unknowingly placed a fingerprint and his own DNA sample on the flap of an envelope he licked, sealing a letter to police stating that he would never be caught. Boston, convicted in 2004 for rapes that occurred during the mid 1990s, had been suspected of rape cases during that time, and was in violation of parole three years ago on a prior conviction.
The DNA from the envelope was eventually linked to genetic proof acquired from one of the rape victims.
The success rate in old investigations has been increased most by innovations in forensic technology. In addition, ballistics testing can now provide new data concerning old shell casings discovered years ago at a crime scene.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Louisville Courier Journal (KY) (04/17/05) P. 1E; Larry, Muhammad .