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Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

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You are here: Home / Archives for phenotyping

phenotyping

Sophie Sergie: Hearing Day 6

March 12, 2021 By Alice

Sophie Sergie black and white version

Central Maine reports that on Thursday, the hearings in the 1993 rape-murder of Sophie Sergie continued by video conference. Steven H. Downs attended. He is charged in this case. We heard from CeCe Moore, the chief genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs. She matched part of the DNA found in semen to a profile in GEDmatch. […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Unsolved Tagged With: Alaska, DNA, phenotyping, Sophie Sergie

Michelle Martinko: background information

December 21, 2018 By Alice

Michelle Martinko

Jerry Lynn Burns is facing first-degree murder charges for the Dec 20, 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko. He is held at the Linn County Jail (Iowa). Burns Burns has his own company Advanced Coating Concepts in Delaware County, Iowa. It is a powder-coating shop but they are also a Hustler turf equipment dealer. Burns was […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: DNA, Iowa, Michelle Martinko, phenotyping

Break in 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders

August 10, 2018 By Alice

Alexander Christopher Ewing

Alexander Christopher Ewing (57) is accused of using a hammer to kill Bruce, Debra, and Melissa Bennett  and Patricia Smith. He faces charges for six counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of sexual assault on a child, burglary and five counts of committing a violent crime for the January 1984 killings of Bruce […]

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Filed Under: Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith, phenotyping

Arrest in 1986 Bastian case

May 11, 2018 By Alice

Jennifer Marie Bastian

Police have arrested the man who might be responsible for the murder of Jennifer Marie Bastian in 1986. His name is Robert D. Washburn (60) of Eureka, Illinois. Police declined to talk about the suspect, other than to say he lived out-of-state and was taken into custody. Washburn will be taken to Pierce County to […]

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

In Loving Memory: Patricia Louise Smith

September 19, 2017 By Alice

Patricia Louise Smith

Patricia Louise Smith would be 84 years old today. She was born on September 19, 1933. Her life was ended Jan 10, 1984 by an unknown person who raped and murdered her inside her own home. Patricia’s murder is connected to a string of hammer murders in Aurora, Colorado. DNA Unfortunately, having DNA has not advanced […]

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Filed Under: Forensics Tagged With: Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith, phenotyping, staged crime scene

Suspect composite in case of Michelle Martinko

May 17, 2017 By Alice

Michelle Martinko, courtesy Robert J. Riley

The Cedar Rapids Police Department can now show the public the suspect composite in the cold case of Michelle Martinko (18) who was murdered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Dec. 19, 1979. Michelle Martinko was found dead around 4am on Dec. 20, 1979. She was repeatedly stabbed most notably in her face and chest. Police […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics Tagged With: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Michelle Martinko, phenotyping

Pardon for Jens Soering

May 3, 2017 By Alice

Jens Soering

Albemarle County Sheriff J.E. “Chip” Harding wrote a 19-page report to support the release of Jens Soering. Soering was convicted of the 1985 Bedford County double murder of Derek & Nancy Haysom. He is serving life. Soering was dating the Haysoms’ daughter Elizabeth. She pled guilty and is serving 90 years in prison. Most likely, this […]

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Filed Under: Miscarriages of Justice Tagged With: Derek & Nancy Haysom, DNA, Jens Soering, phenotyping, Virginia, Wrongful Convictions

Phenotyping and Cold Cases

January 23, 2017 By Alice

Parabon_Snapshot_Workflow_Diagram

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Tom Shaw. He is an IAI Certified Forensic Artist & Snapshot Account Specialist at Parabon NanoLabs in Reston, Virginia. We started talking about phenotyping and how that could advance the investigations in cold cases. There are cases that grow cold because there is no DNA match […]

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Filed Under: Forensics Tagged With: Bennett Family, French Murders, Jennifer Marie Bastian, Michella Welch, Patricia Louise Smith, phenotyping

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Author Notes

I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era as they need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave the active investigation of these cases to professionals.

Posts include 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. Please check the FAQ page for more.

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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 cannot find the answers there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler
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