Informative Paper on the Green River Killer
Olvera, Lucio
October 28, 2012
Green River Killer Investigation The Green River Killer (GRK) was a serial killer in the 1980’s who obtained many victims in the Seattle, Washington area. Since the 1980’s the technology used in criminal investigations have improved tremendously in efforts to aid investigators in their investigations. Some technology advances are in the field of forensic science the study of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and how DNA analysis can tell from what substance(s) a person died from and can link a victim to a killer or a killer to a victim. Also advancement in the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) allowed the comparison of thousands of 10-print fingerprints in the system in less than 30 minutes. Another advancement would be in the Forensic Entomology and how insects can help determine the time of death of the victim and if the victim’s body had been moved from a previous location. The first crime scene where multiple bodies were found was when investigators found Marcia Faye Chapman, Cynthia Hinds, and Opal Charmaine Mills in the Green River in 1982. Evidence was being collected at the crime scene by the first responding officers Dave Reichert and Sue Peters; Reichert was obtaining photographs of the riverbank while Peters recorded the procedures. “Reichert half slid down the bank-it was very steep, at least a seventy-degree angle” (Rule 20). As a result of Reichert’s recklessness he possibly contaminated the crime scene and both Reichert and Peter’s failed to continue taking pictures of the area where the third body was found on the river bank resulting in missing evidence of the crime scene. With missing evidence the task force assigned to the case will have trouble determining where the body was moved from because the microscopic evidence that would have been captured with pictures are now gone. According the our text Criminal Investigation in chapter nine it states “Thoroughly photograph everything before
October 28, 2012
Green River Killer Investigation The Green River Killer (GRK) was a serial killer in the 1980’s who obtained many victims in the Seattle, Washington area. Since the 1980’s the technology used in criminal investigations have improved tremendously in efforts to aid investigators in their investigations. Some technology advances are in the field of forensic science the study of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and how DNA analysis can tell from what substance(s) a person died from and can link a victim to a killer or a killer to a victim. Also advancement in the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) allowed the comparison of thousands of 10-print fingerprints in the system in less than 30 minutes. Another advancement would be in the Forensic Entomology and how insects can help determine the time of death of the victim and if the victim’s body had been moved from a previous location. The first crime scene where multiple bodies were found was when investigators found Marcia Faye Chapman, Cynthia Hinds, and Opal Charmaine Mills in the Green River in 1982. Evidence was being collected at the crime scene by the first responding officers Dave Reichert and Sue Peters; Reichert was obtaining photographs of the riverbank while Peters recorded the procedures. “Reichert half slid down the bank-it was very steep, at least a seventy-degree angle” (Rule 20). As a result of Reichert’s recklessness he possibly contaminated the crime scene and both Reichert and Peter’s failed to continue taking pictures of the area where the third body was found on the river bank resulting in missing evidence of the crime scene. With missing evidence the task force assigned to the case will have trouble determining where the body was moved from because the microscopic evidence that would have been captured with pictures are now gone. According the our text Criminal Investigation in chapter nine it states “Thoroughly photograph everything before
Cited: Rule, Ann. Green River Running Red. New York: Pocket Star Books, 2004. Print. Swanson, Charles R., Neil C. Chamelin, Leonard Territo, and Robert W. Taylor. "Injury and Death Investigation." Criminal Investigation. 11th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.