Officer Richard Stanley Burchfield (May 26, 1918 – Nov 26, 1953) was murdered on Nov 26, 1953. He was a patrolman with the Colorado Springs Police Department. Burchfield was killed with a .22 caliber handgun by an unknown man during an armed robbery investigation in the area of 1600 N. Wood Ave. That robbery was part of a […]
Ballistics
Penn State’s Forensic Science students to explore the Zeigler case
I am proud to announce a special collaboration with Penn State University’s Forensic Science Program. The students in this program will get access to crime scene photographs, police reports, witness statements and more to apply everything they have learned in class in a real case. The students will be able to explore bloodstain patterns observed […]
Zeigler, Part XVI
Zeigler, Part XVI: On misplaced pride, loyalty, and sacrifice On Nov 4, 2010, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley (a.k.a. the Memphis Three) will get their cases reviewed in a lower court hearing to see whether they should be granted a new trial. This means that they will […]
Zeigler, Part XV
Zeigler, Part XV: “Just testify that you were Zeigler’s homosexual lover and we’ll help you out!” A Florida, Orange County woman in her 80’s, reads an affidavit that she signed alleging that the state tried to get her son to testify that he was William Thomas Zeigler’s homosexual lover. As you know, the state went through great […]
Manoa murder mystery
While renovating a home at 3156 Oahu Avenue, Manoa, Hawaii, construction workers found human remains buried in dirt under a concrete slab. Renovation can indeed lead to surprises. This is the same way that ultimately Elizabeth Heath was found. Police told Hawaii News Now that the remains belonged to a man who had been shot in the head […]
Did a cop murder the Crewes?
Author Ian Wishart has named Detective Sergeant Len Johnston as suspect in the murders of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe. Johnston was a detective who played a pivotal role in the police investigation into their deaths. Johnston passed away in 1978. The accusation has created an uproar amongst those who knew Johnston personally and professionally. It has also sparked a bitter attack […]
Sentencing in Julius Schnoll case
Darrell Kastel has accepted a plea bargain in the 1979 murder of Mr. Julius Schnoll as I wrote in my previous post. I did not have further details then. I know learned that on August 30, 2010, Kastel was sentenced to 10-15 years for 2nd degree murder as part of a plea deal. He was credited […]
Update 1979 Julius Schnoll case
Darrell Kastel, facing a first-degree murder charge, entered a plea this morning, bringing relief to the people who were present during the 1979 shooting of a supermarket supervisor in Farmington, MI. Kastel, 56, pleaded no contest to an added charge of second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement. The first-degree felony murder charge against him […]
Police Reopen 1970 murder Leon Jordan
Police want to reopen the cold case of Leon Jordan. Kansas City police announced this today. Leon Jordan was a civil rights and political leader. In a news release, police said that they “have located the weapon used in the murder and partial fingerprints taken from the weapon and cars around the crime scene. The fingerprints […]
Update Kimberly Dunkin
Update in the Kimberly Dunkin murder: Brad Ballantyne, accused of killing Kim on New Year’s Day in 1993, will face a judge for the first time. Ballantyne was arrested in Vancouver, Wash. in mid-June. Dunkin was found shot to death in her car in the 4900 block NE Skidmore St. in Portland on Jan. 1, 1993. Ballantyne was arrested by […]