DOWNSTATE ILLINOIS INNOCENCE PROJECT. Latent print on Findley Bridge

Transcription

1 DOWNSTATE ILLINOIS INNOCENCE PROJECT INSTITUTE FOR LEGAL AND POLICY STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD Public Affairs Center, Room 429 One University Plaza Springfield, Illinois Phone: Latent print on Findley Bridge A key piece of physical evidence in the Slover homicide is a latent fingerprint that was discovered on the railing of the Bruce-Findlay Bridge that was in close proximity to blood belonging to the victim. The investigation determined that the perpetrator disposed of the dismembered body from the north side of the Bruce-Findlay Bridge. At year s end, Master Sergeant Colin McClain of the Illinois State Police prepared a detailed synopsis summarizing the case and evidence. A latent fingerprint on the bridge was the first physical evidence that he identified as having some significance to solving the crime: Forensics Services have been evaluating several pieces of evidence obtained from various sources. Fingerprints and blood samples were obtained from the north side of the Bruce-Findlay Bridge on Lake Shelbyville. The blood sample was tested and found to belong to Karyn Slover. The fingerprints were found to be legible and a usable print has been retained for later comparisons. [Illinois State Police Investigative Summary, thru , Master Sergeant Colin McClain, Document Control # 2208) Master Sergeant David W. Crouch, presented the above summary to the grand jury on April 7, 1997, prompting one juror to ask about the fingerprint that was found on the bridge: Questions by Grand Juror: Q: When you were reading awhile ago, you said something about a fingerprint that was found. A: We do have a fingerprint that was found on the bridge where we believe the body parts were thrown and six inches from that fingerprint or so is a blood sample that can be traced by DNA to Karyn Slover. Q: But the fingerprint is capable A; We have not been able to find whose fingerprint it is yet. 1

2 Q: It is not necessarily related? A: We believe it could possibly be since it is six inches from the blood. [Control # 3042 Grand Jury testimony of David W. Crouch, April 7, 1997, pp.371, ]. Case agent Crouch believed this fingerprint on the bridge railing was likely left by the perpetrator due to it s proximity to the blood on the guard rail. Clearly, this evidence was considered to be crucial evidence in law enforcement efforts to solve the homicide. On Monday, September 30 th, 1996 around 5 a.m. CSI Michael Kyrouac received a page from supervisor Thomas K. Martin requesting that he proceed to the Findlay Bridge of Lake Shelbyville to assist with the collection of evidence. He arrived two hours later. This was his first involvement in the case. (Trial Tr. Kyrouac, April 19, 2002). Kyrouac testified that he and Martin walked the Bruce-Findley Bridge looking for possible evidence and discovered blood on the rail of the bridge, near some debris. [Direct examination by prosecutor Ahola] Q: Did you find anything suspicious? A: Yes. Q: And what did you find? A: About the time that I met with my supervisor, he had pointed out a small amount of debris that was on the top of the... north rail of the bridge spanning the lake. The debris was located about 300 yards west of the east bank. While examining the rail in that area I observed a small reddish colored stain which I suspected it to be blood. This was located approximately 12 inches to the west of the amount of debris we saw on the top of the rail. Q: What kind of debris was on this rail? A: I could describe it as a brownish black colored, kind of like a dusk (sic) or something to that effect. Q: Now, you saw what you thought was blood... Can you describe it for the jury... A: It just appeared to be a small, possibly a blood drop or smear. It was on the south face of the bridge rail. It wasn t very large in size, not quite half an inch... This 2

3 sample was collected using sterile cotton tip applicators... (Trial Tr. Kyrouac, April 19, 2002, pages ) Brown substance found on railing, determined to be foam rubber by the crime lab. Streak marks are seen to the right of the debris, likely caused when the bags scraped across the rail as they were tossed into the lake by the perpetrator(s). The blood stain Kyrouac described in his testimony above appears in the top right corner on the top of the rail. Forensic scientist Paula Cardosi of the state police crime lab in Springfield reported the brown substance appears to be deteriorating (crumbles on hand) foam plastic/rubber. It is a polyurethane type polymer. (Cardosi report, Oct. 8, 1996, Control # 1707 I). Kyrouac described the debris like a seat cushion kind of material that had been old. It looked as though when you have a seat cushion that is burned like when a cigarette is dropped on it, and after time it turns a dark brownish color. (Trial Tr. Kyrouac, April 22, 2002, p. 1045) Kyrouac testified that he found an additional blood smear and an unidentified greasy substance on the bridge rail about a foot away, to the left of the brown debris. [Direct examination by prosecutor Ahola] Q: Will you go to the next slide, please. What is this? 3

4 A: This is a [ ] white mark and kind of a reddish brown colored stain which was located on the south face of the north bridge rail. This is located [ ] I believe it was just to the west of the debris that had been observed on top of the bridge rail. (Trial Tr. Kyrouac, April 22, 2002, p. 1046) A large grease stain was found with the blood of the victim, suggesting that the bag had come into contact with oil or grease. This stain was approximately 12 to 14 inches west of the brown foam debris. CSI Kyrouac described the blood stain above as a transfer stain. (Kyrouac trail transcript p. 1065). Blood possibly dripping from the garbage bag was left on the rail as the bag came into contact with the bridge. CSI Joe Siefferman was directed to the blood stain on the bridge and processed the rail for fingerprints. According to Siefferman s report: Field Supervisor Martin related to CSI Siefferman that blood was observed on the railing on the north side of the bridge. The blood had been collected by Crime Scene Investigator Michael Kyrouac. CSI Siefferman processed the area of the railing on the north side of the Bridge for latent fingerprints. A latent was developed on the railing just east of the blood. (Control #1840 at D and E) Siefferman s supervisor, Tommy Martin, observed Siefferman collect the fingerprint. Martin described the location of the print as approximately two inches below the blood stain, and approximately 12 inches east (to the right) of the stain. After discovering the blood on the bridge, Martin requested that Siefferman a search for fingerprints within a two foot area on either side of the stain. I suggested Mr. Siefferman process on either side of that stain to see if there were any latent fingerprints. (Martin trial transcript, May 8, 2002, pp. 122, 123). 4

5 Siefferman labeled the latent print on the bridge BCSS Exhibit # 6.and transported the evidence to forensic scientist Mark Mills. (Control # 1840E) When it was received at the crime lab the latent print was relabeled as Crime Lab Exhibit # 2, and Agency Exhibit #135. (Control # ) ISP eliminates contamination of the crime scene as a possible source for the print. ISP conducted an investigation to eliminate those who had access to the bridge railing as a possible source of the latent finger print. Forensic scientist Mark Mills compared the inked prints of crime scene supervisor Tommy K. Martin, (Mills report Oct. 23, 1996, Control # ) along with crime scene technicians Joel Siefferman and Michael Kryouac, and eliminated the three as a source of the latent print that was found on the guard rail in close proximity to the victim s blood. (Mills report Oct. 29, 1996, Control # ). At trial, prosecutors implied to jurors that the finger print on the bridge guard rail was left by someone who had possibly contaminated the crime scene. After the defense presented evidence of the latent print, prosecutors displayed crime scene photos of Tommy Martin and a TV news crew on the bridge while CSI s were present. The prosecution implied that journalist may have been the source of the unknown finger print. (CITE AND QUOTE) Investigation fails to link print on bridge to Slovers or their friends On Oct. 11, 1996, forensic scientist Mills reported that he compared the latent print to Michael Slover Jr., but there was no match. (Control # 1707-B) When the focus of the investigation began to turn toward the Slover family this evidence was cited by investigators in their application for a search warrant on Feb. 6, 1997 that focused on gathering evidence from the Slover family: The Springfield Crime Laboratory has seven unidentified latent fingerprints that were located on a Hardee s sack inside the black 1992 Pontiac Bonneville driven by Karyn Slover on Friday, September 27, In addition, there is one unidentified latent print located on the north guard rail of the Bruce-Findlay Bridge. The crime laboratory has requested that major case prints be taken from any suspects. Officers do not have major case prints from Jeanette Slover or Micheal Slover Sr. (Complaint for Search Warrant, Control #2226M) 5

6 On Feb. 14, 1997, Mr. Mills compared the inked prints of Michael Slover Sr. and Jeanette Slover to the latent print from the Findley Bridge. Again, there was no match. (Control # 2224 A) After failing to link the print on the bridge to the Slover family, police investigators later submitted fingerprint standards from individuals who were closely associated with the Slover family, under the theory that the fingerprint belonged to an accomplice of the Slovers who may have assisted in the disposal of the body. On February 17, 1999, over two years after the crime, case agent Michael Mannix of the Illinois State Police submitted fingerprints of Joseph Hoffman, William Richter, and Arthur Beasley for comparison to the latent fingerprint taken from north side of Findlay Bridge. (Control # 2551 B, Evidence Receipt). 6