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Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

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You are here: Home / 2019 / Archives for January 2019

Archives for January 2019

Sentence in 1986 Jennifer Bastian murder

January 27, 2019 By Alice

Jennifer Marie Bastian

Robert D. Washburn was sentenced to 27 years in prison after he pled guilty to the 1986 first-degree murder of Jennifer Marie Bastian (13) in Tacoma, Washington. Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Martin gave him a 320-month sentence: a month for every year the Bastian family was robbed of their beloved. Washburn must serve a minimum […]

Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: DNA, Jennifer Marie Bastian, Tacoma, Washington

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson

January 25, 2019 By Alice

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson is another book I found while reading the BBC History magazine. I read it was part about the history of the cholera outbreak in London, 1854. But it was also described as a detective story. We obviously have victims but where was the culprit coming from? What were the […]

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Book Reviews, Cholera, Steven Johnson

Guilty plea expected in 1986 Bastian murder

January 18, 2019 By Alice

Jennifer Marie Bastian

The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office reports that Robert Dwane Washburn’s attorney asked for an appointment to change his client’s plea. “The expectation would be that Washburn changes his plea to guilty on January 25 at 1:30 pm.” No details about a plea agreement are known but Washburn will not face the death penalty if he is […]

Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: DNA, Jennifer Marie Bastian, Michella Welch, Tacoma, Washington

The Girls are Gone by M. Brodkorb & A. Mann

January 14, 2019 By Alice

The Girls are Gone/Samantha and Gianna Rucki

The Girls are Gone by Michael Brodkorb and Allison Mann tells the story of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, two teenage sisters, who vanished on April 19, 2013 while their parents Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki battled each other in court over custody and other elements of their divorce. I announced the release of the book […]

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Michael Brodkorb and Allison Mann, Minnesota, missing children, parental alienation, Samantha and Gianna Rucki

The Last days of Night by Graham Moore

January 10, 2019 By Alice

Graham Moore

I just watched an episode of the Big Bang Theory where Leonard, Howard, and Sheldon take a closer look at themselves to see who amongst them is Edison and who resembles Tesla. With that discussion in mind, I wondered through my local book store and saw Moore’s book. Westinghouse, Edison, Tesla. I flipped to the […]

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Book Reviews, Graham Moore, historical fiction

Hope for William Thomas Zeigler

January 5, 2019 By Alice

William Th. Zeigler with his wife Eunice Edwards-Zeigler

The Tampa bay Times announced Jan 3, 2019 that the Florida State Attorney’s office is “taking a fresh look” at the 1975 case of William Thomas Zeigler. Whether that fresh look is indeed an official review does not become clear in the article. However, we finally have a Florida state representative who “wants to introduce […]

Filed Under: Miscarriages of Justice, Zeigler Tagged With: DNA, Florida, Prosecutorial Misconduct, William Thomas Zeigler, Wrongful Convictions

Sandra Kay Ross (Feb 6, 1952 – missing Jan 8, 1984)

January 1, 2019 By Alice

Sandra Kay Ross

On January 8, 1984 Sandra Kay Ross disappeared from Apex, Wake County, North Carolina. She was 31 years old and the mother of a young daughter. Her case was entered into the NamUs database on July 15, 2009 (#MP2482 link below). There is very little information online about Sandra’s case except for some repeated content. […]

Filed Under: Case of the Month, Missing Persons Tagged With: Case of the Month, Missing Person, North Carolina, Sandra Kay Ross

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On this website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and are in need of renewed media attention. I only do research and leave the active investigation of these cases to the professionals.

My posts are about homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book.

My database has over 300 cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database will always be free to the public to use. You cannot buy ad space on my website, ever.

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Alice de Sturler

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William Thomas Zeigler

Category: ALL POSTS

On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held to request touch DNA testing. On July 18, 2016, Judge Whitehead denied that request.

On November 23, 2016, an appeal was filed with the Florida Supreme Court. On April 21, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court denied the request for touch DNA analysis.

On May 8, 2017 a motion for a rehearing with the US Supreme Court was filed. It was denied November 13, 2017.

In the summer of 2019, the appeal for DNA testing to the Florida Conviction Integrity Unit was denied.

Richard Lapointe

Category: ALL POSTS

In March 2015, the Connecticut State Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Richard lapointe. On Oct 2, 2015, International Wrongful Conviction Day, Richard was set free. The judge ruled that he cannot be retried for the 1987 rape-murder of Mrs. Bernice Martin. Richard Lapointe died on Aug 4, 2020 of Covid19 complications.

In 1987, someone killed Bernice Martin. I hope that she will not become a forgotten file.
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Copyright: Please add a link back if you use my work. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. If you need help with this, just contact me. Thank you, Alice de Sturler

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