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Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

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You are here: Home / Archives for Partial Finger Printing

Partial Finger Printing

Fingerprint Misidentification

November 27, 2012 By Alice

Fingerprint Misidentification: State of Indiana v. Lana Canen. Based on a fingerprint misidentification, Lana Canen spent eight years in prison for a murder she did not commit. But now, she has finally been exonerated of Helen Sailor’s 2002 murder. From the Wrongful Convictions Blog: “On Thanksgiving 2002, Helen Sailor, an elderly woman living in Elkhart, Indiana, was […]

Filed Under: Forensics, Miscarriages of Justice Tagged With: Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Indiana, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, post-conviction relief

Gone but not forgotten: Raymond Nels Nelson

June 1, 2012 By Alice

Gone but not forgotten: Raymond Nels Nelson: thirty-one years ago, someone killed Raymond Nels Nelson by hitting him on the head with a typewriter. Nelson, bureau chief of the Providence Journal and Evening Bulletin in Warwick, Rhode Island, and later a member of Senatorial candidate Claiborne Pell’s team, was a dynamic man and public figure in Washington, D.C., but foremost, he […]

Filed Under: Forensics, Help the Cops!, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Crime Scene, D.C., DNA, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Raymond Nels Nelson, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Washington, Witnesses

Guest Post: “In loving memory: Raymond Nelson”

November 30, 2011 By Alice

Losing a parent is a devastating experience. The loss of her father, Raymond Nelson, to senseless violence has left its mark on Rebecca. Her father, Raymond Nels Nelson, was not without flaw. However, everyone you asked had a positive first impression from Raymond Nelson. Rebecca has chosen to share her thoughts about her father, his […]

Filed Under: Cold Case News, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Chief Aide Senator Claiborne Pell, Crime Scene, DC, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Raymond Nels Nelson, Rhode Island, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Washington, Witnesses

Moira Holly Branagan Alert

November 19, 2011 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

The Grand Jury is making progress in the cold case of Moira Holly Branagan. New material have been sent to the labs to be examined for DNA, and a report is expected at the end of the month. Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962 – 1979) was found stabbed 18 times in the back with a 10-inch kitchen […]

Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics Tagged With: Autopsy, Bethlehem, Cruelty, Finger Printing, Forensics, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Partial Finger Printing, Pennsylvania

Book alert: Cold Case Research

November 16, 2011 By Alice

Book alert: Cold Case Research. In 2012 “Cold Case Research” will come out. The author is Silvia Pettem and this is how she describes her book: “Cold Case Research: Resources for Unidentified, Missing, and Cold Homicide Cases,” to be published by CRC Press in 2012. Topics include the latest search engine tools such as TLO, the […]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: Autopsy, Ballistics, Book Reviews, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Rape kits, Silvia Pettem, Unidentified, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

Penn State CSI Students on the Zeigler Case

July 29, 2011 By Alice

Penn State CSI Students on the Zeigler Case: a review of Zeigler Project. During their final spring semester twenty five (25) undergraduate and five (5) graduate students from Penn State University (PSU) reviewed documents pertaining to the trial and conviction of William Thomas Zeigler. Mr. Zeigler was convicted in 1976 of murdering his wife Eunice Zeigler, […]

Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics, Miscarriages of Justice, Unsolved Tagged With: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Death Row, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Florida, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, William Thomas Zeigler, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

Hodel answers questions about the Black Dahlia

June 19, 2011 By Alice

Elizabeth Short Black Dahlia les amoureux photography AdS

Steve Hodel will answer your questions. As you know, our #cclivechat on July 15, 2011, centers on the case of Elizabeth Short. Elizabeth (July 29, 1924 – January 15, 1947) was found savagely murdered and her body was left in plain view for anyone to see the grotesque mutilations that she was subjected to before she […]

Filed Under: #CCLiveChat, Book Reviews Tagged With: Autopsy, Black Dahlia, Book Reviews, California, DNA, Elizabeth Short, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Partial Finger Printing, Rape kits, Unsolved Homicide

Follow-up #VI Karen Caughlin

May 11, 2011 By Alice

Karen Caughlin

Continuing the posts in the cold case of Karen Caughlin: Guest post by Miriam Said and Stephanie Saunders with Alice de Sturler ________________________________________ We have some new details in the 1974 Canadian cold case of Karen Caughlin. Karen was NOT wearing saucer earrings but hoops. I think that we described them in an earlier post […]

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Canada, Expert Testimony, Forensics, Karen Caughlin, Michigan, Partial Finger Printing, Sarnia, Unsolved Homicide

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Author Notes

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.

All writing suggestions that come in by email are added to my to-do list in the order in which they were received. Please be patient. My to-do list is very long but no case gets dropped and I will get back in touch.

Defrosting Cold Cases is NOT an organization. It is my brainchild.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you still cannot find the answer there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

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If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

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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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