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You are here: Home / Archives for touch DNA

touch DNA

Four Shots in Oskie by Justin Wingerter

May 21, 2021 By Alice

Justin Wingerter 500

From the moment I held the book ‘Four Shots in Oskie’ by Justin Wingerter in my hands, the word unassuming started to flutter around in my brain. Like the sound of rustling leaves on a windy fall day, the sound popped up in various degrees of loudness, often just a whisper, to never really leave. […]

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Floyd Bledsoe, Justin Wingerter, Kansas, touch DNA, Wrongful Convictions, Zetta Camille Arfmann

The Peterson Murders

February 15, 2021 By Alice

The Peterson Murders

Henry W. and Ann M. Peterson were found murdered in their two-bedroom apartment around 10am on April 3, 1978. They worked as on-site residential managers of the 36-unit Canterbury Apartment complex on 875 Liberty St, SE in Salem, Oregon. Henry Peterson had retired from the US Army Corps of Engineers. They were ‘avid bowlers, square […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: Ann M. Peterson, arson, Henry W. Peterson, Knife Attack, M-Vac Systems, Oregon, salem, the Petersons, touch DNA

John David Watson Jr (1959 – 1974)

February 12, 2021 By Alice

John David Watson Jr.

John David Watson Jr (Oct 18, 1959 – May 2, 1974) was fourteen years old when he left his home in Wheeler, Pennsylvania, around 9pm on May 2, 1974. He never came back home. He was found murdered on May 3, 1974. His murder was never solved. While reading up on his case, I found […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: gun powder residu, gunshots, John David Watson, M-Vac Systems, Pennsylvania, touch DNA

Sophie Sergie: Hearing Day 4

February 6, 2021 By Alice

Sophie Sergie tiled background

On Friday, Feb 5, the evidence hearings in the 1993 murder of Sophie Sergie continued. Gun Steven H. Downs’ former girlfriend Katherine deSchweinitz Lee testified through videoconference in court: according to her Steve did not own a gun during the years they dated at Alaska State University (ASU) and they dated for about 4 years. […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: Alaska, DNA, M-Vac Systems, Sophie Sergie, touch DNA

Remembering Cherilyn Ann Gartin Hawkley

May 4, 2018 By Alice

Cherilyn Ann Gartin Hawkley grid Ads

Cherilyn Ann Gartin Hawkley (Mar 19, 1954 – Oct 31, 1993) was murdered on Halloween night in 1993. Two days later, she was found just off Elmhurst Drive less than a mile from Eureka Elementary School where she taught fifth grade, in Granite Bay, California. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: California, Cherilyn Ann Gartin Hawkley, DNA, Strangulation, touch DNA

Cold cases and the M-Vac

February 26, 2018 By Alice

JB and M-Vac in BYU Mag

Please welcome back guest blogger Jared Bradley. Jared will give us an overview of exciting developments in the field of cold cases and the M-Vac. _________________________________ Guest blogging is always full of pressure, but writing for Alice’s Defrosting Cold Cases takes it to a whole new level. Like all of you, I thoroughly enjoy reading […]

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Filed Under: Forensics Tagged With: DNA, Jared Bradley, M-Vac Systems, touch DNA

Zeigler: touch DNA denied

April 22, 2017 By Alice

Zeigler denied touch DNA April 21 2017_Page_1 500

The Florida Supreme Court has denied William Thomas Zeigler’s request for touch DNA testing. I have converted the PDF to images below. On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held for William Thomas Zeigler to request touch DNA testing in his case. Judge Whitehead denied that request for touch DNA on July 18, 2016. On November […]

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Filed Under: Zeigler Tagged With: Florida, Prosecutorial Misconduct, touch DNA, William Thomas Zeigler, withheld evidence

The Sims Family: 1966-2016

October 1, 2016 By Alice

The Sims Family Murders/Grid AdS

The Sims Family Murders (Tallahassee, Florida) are Case of the Month for October as this year marks the 50th anniversary of their unsolved homicides. We lost Robert Wilson Sims (Aug. 24, 1924 – Oct. 22, 1966), Helen Sollie Sims (Feb. 23, 1932 – Oct. 31, 1966), and Joy Lynn Sims (Mar. 5, 1954 – Oct. […]

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Filed Under: Case of the Month Tagged With: Case of the Month, Florida, gunshot, Jeremy A. Mutz, Knife Attack, M-Vac Systems, Sims Family Murders, touch DNA

M-Vac secures conviction in Krystal Beslanowitch case

September 30, 2016 By Alice

Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch

The M-Vac System has secured a conviction in the 1995 cold case of Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch. From KSL: “After about four hours of deliberation, jurors found Joseph Michael Simpson, 49, guilty of aggravated murder Thursday in the 1995 death of Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch. The teenager who had been living in Salt Lake City was found […]

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Filed Under: Forensics Tagged With: Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch, M-Vac Systems, touch DNA

Zeigler’s touch DNA request denied

July 19, 2016 By Alice

Grid Justice (Photography AdS)

On Monday July 18, 2016 Judge Whitehead denied William Thomas Zeigler’s latest DNA request. It asked for testing of evidence with modern technology with emphasis on touch DNA. From the Orlando Sentinel: “In the 30-page ruling, Orange-Osceola Circuit Judge Reginald Whitehead held that Zeigler’s petition for DNA testing was too similar to others that he’s […]

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Filed Under: Forensics, Zeigler Tagged With: Death Row, DNA, Florida, touch DNA, William Thomas Zeigler

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Author Notes

Since 2009, I write about unsolved cases that need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigations to the authorities.

My posts cover homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to unsolved 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, tone, and research. It is my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more.

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Thank you,

Alice de Sturler
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