Investigative Failures: Murder of Stephanie Crowe and Murder of Edward McMillan - Assignment Example

1. Review chapters 8-12 in the Rossmo text. Discuss the investigative failure associated with these cases. Cite relevant facts or details and discusstheir meaning. Be sure to discuss each of the cases. 2. Review the Brent England murder case. What were the problems with the case? Are there any investigative failures that could have been avoided? Name: Course No: Course Name: Instructor’s Name: Date: 1. Investigative Failures Investigators have a major responsibility in solving crimes and getting hold of wrongdoers. However, the investigation process is not easy, as it requires enough effort and understanding. The investigators can commit certain mistakes while handling different investigations and this mishandling leads to the conviction of innocent people and liberty of criminals. There are many investigative mistakes that are in the investigation process such as cognitive biases, probability errors and organizational traps (Rossmo, 2009). Each of the described factors can become a reason to mislead the case underhand and to convict those who nothing to do with the crime. For evaluating criminal investigation failures, this paper will discuss some cases in order to highlight the mistakes made by investigators in convicting the involved criminals. Case 1: Murder of Stephanie Crowe Stephanie Crowe, a twelve years old girl, was found murdered on 21st January 1998 in her bedroom. When investigators started investigating the case, they overlooked certain important factors and claimed the murder to be done by some person inside the house. Stephanie’s brother, Michael Crowe (14 years) and his teenage friends, Joshua Treadway and Aaron Houser were considered as suspects and were interrogated extensively to get their confessions for the crime (Rossmo, 2009). The investigators ignored the fact that the laundry door was not closed. Officer Walters saw the door open when he was on duty in the night. However, this information was not given any importance and there was an anchoring effect. With incomplete and wrong information, the investigation process can be misled. The investigators just focused on the notion that the murder was an inside story. They also just ignored the fact that Richard Tuite, a mentally ill person was just prowling in Crowe’s neighbourhood and many people reported his wandering and marauding (Rossmo, 2009). When the detectives saw Michael playing a hand videogame when his other family members were interviewed about the murder, they at once formed a cognitive bias and connected his playing the videogame with his criminality. The investigators connected Michael’s one trait to some other supposed one, which was their mistake. With the initial misunderstanding about suspecting attitude of Michael, the officers formed a tunnel vision and a confirmation bias. They gave utmost attention to Michael and made him confess the crime that he had not done. The confessions given by Michael and his companions were unclear and pressurized. The investigators proved the three teenagers guilty, but later on, Richard Tuite was convicted of manslaughter as forensic evidence proved his involvement (Rossmo, 2009). Case 2: Milgaard v. The Queen On 31 January 1969, Gail Miller, a twenty years old nursing assistant, was sexually assaulted and murdered. Her dead body was found after an hour of her leaving the rooming house. David Milgaard was considered the primary suspect and was arrested based on an eyewitness given by Nicole John who accompanied him and Ron Wilson to their drive to their friend Albert Cadrain’s home. They lost their way and got stuck in snow due to which, Milgaard and Wilson moved in different directions to find their location. They found Cadrain’s home and together left the place. The investigators were busy in finding any evidence other than the paring knife blade found underneath the dead body. The investigators ignored the residents in the neighbourhood, but tried to find the visitors on the place on murder’s day (Rossmo, 2009). Cadrain informed the investigators about seeing a blood spot on Milgaard’s clothes that morning. Later on, Ron Wilson also claimed of seeing blood on Milgaard’s clothes and Milgaard’s having a paring knife in his car. Nicole John did not notice any blood on Milgaard’s clothes, but informed the investigators that she was an eyewitness to Milgaard’s crime. She reported that Milgaard tried to snatch the woman’s purse, stabbed her and took her behind the alley. Considering all the claims, the law enforcement officials arrested Milgaard and he was convicted of first-degree murder and was given punishment of life in prison (Rossmo, 2009). The investigators had a tunnel vision in suspecting Milgaard. They never investigated an alternative. They even relied blindly on the eyewitness and wrong statements of Milgaard’s companions without any physical prove. They also formed confirmation bias and cognitive bias. The wrong eye witness and wrong accusations misled the investigators and made them suspicious due to which, Milgaard had to suffer imprisonment for twenty there years. When DNA tests were conducted, Larry Fisher living in Miller’s neighbourhood and who took same route bus with Miller was found guilty. He was also required in many other rape cases (Rossmo, 2009). Case 3: Murder of Edward McMillan Edward McMillan, a civil engineer was found murdered on 26th February 1994. His ATM card and American Express Credit card, both were used at multiple locations to get financial benefit. The user of the cards was identified as a short white female, who was later on identified as Susan Thomas. The investigator Trainum was unable to find any physical evidence, but he was able to get a false confession from the female. The female was interrogated for seventeen hours after which, she confessed for the crime (Rossmo, 2009). There were cognitive biases, organizational traps and erroneous thinking in convicting Susan for the murder. The signatory of the credit cards and the short woman in the ATM’s photograph was considered the same and a tunnel vision was created after holding Susan Thomas as the suspect. Trainum formulated his own investigative theory in relation to McMillan’s murder and after getting knowledge of Susan Thomas, he tried to fit her in his predefined theory. Susan Thomas fell in the criminal profile generated by Trainum leading to obtainment of her false confession. Confirmation bias is present here in this case as Trainum tried to attain some evidences that were supportive to his theory and that were enough for holding Susan guilty. Lastly, she was made to give up in form of a confession in order to making Trainum’s theory as right (Rossmo, 2009). Case 4: Murder of Theresa Allore Theresa Allore disappeared on 3rd November 1978 and there were not much effort in finding her. The law enforcement officials and other related people regarded her disappearance as some wilful act on her side. However, after five months, when her dead body was found, the investigators did not put in enough efforts to know the cause of her death and just claimed it to be a suicide or death because of over dosage of drugs. The investigators ignored the strangulation marks around her neck and the bruises in her armpits. In addition, she was only found in her undergarments, but nobody suspected for a sexual assault. Even if someone had any notion about sexual assault, he remained silent because of group thinking (Rossmo, 2009). When the investigators arriving at the scene, claimed it to be some suicidal attempt or death because of over dosage of drugs, other investigators never tried to collect any other evidences or evaluate the facts and figures involved. In the investigation, cognitive bias, probability errors and organizational traps are quite clear. The investigators were not ready to consider it a murder or a rape attempt but what Theresa brought on herself because of her negligence. The area was getting ill reputed because of some sexual criminal seen there by students and other people, but law enforcement officials and authorities paid no heed to the complaints. Therefore, the investigators and law enforcement officials ignored certain important facts and also tried to suppress certain clues in order to announce the death of Theresa Allore as some suicide or negligence by her own self. They were not ready to think it a murder instead of seeing strangulation marks on her neck (Rossmo, 2009). Case 5: Conviction of Roger Colman and Benjamin LaGuer On 10th March 1981, 19 years old, Wanda Faye Thompson was raped and then murdered by his brother in law, Roger Coleman who was married to her younger sister. Roger Coleman was the suspect and all the physical and forensic evidences proved his guilt. However, until his death through death penalty, he continued to negate his doing. Because of his continued persistence about his innocence, he was able to convince McCloskey, an investigator (Rossmo, 2009). McCloskey found gaps in the investigation process prior to his work due to which, he regarded Coleman to be innocent. However, he ignored many physical evidences. When he obtained a DNA test to check some forensic evidence in support of Coleman, the results proved Coleman’s guilt. However, the investigators were mentally convinced about Coleman’s innocence due to which, they regarded the forensic report as wrong. After Coleman’s death, another DNA test was conducted that again proved Coleman to be guilty of the crime. The investigators made a number of investigative mistakes such as they had erroneous group thinking about injustice with Coleman, they formed a tunnel vision by considering Coleman to be innocent and probability errors by disapproving the DNA reports and all other evidences against Coleman (Rossmo, 2009). Like Roger Coleman, Benjamin LaGuer also claimed his innocence while he was guilty of rape, beating, robbery and brutal sexual assault of a fifty nine year old woman living in his neighbourhood. All the evidences were against him and the victim identified him as his assailant. LaGuer negated all the proofs whether they were forensic reports or physically found evidence. He claimed them to be tampered and planted to convict him. All his efforts went in vain, as he remained in prison for his whole life. However, he was able to get support of various people who considered him innocent. The investigators supporting him regarded the evidences and conviction as wrong. They developed psychological bias and probability errors in understanding his guilt (Rossmo, 2009). Conclusion The cases discussed and evaluated here inform about various investigative failures due to which, there were wrongful convictions and erroneous concepts related to innocence of criminals. The investigative failures are quite crucial as they are quite enough in destructing the lives of innocent people. The investigators should work on better understanding and gain knowledge of various investigative failures in order to understand their implications. 1. Brent England’s Murder Case Brent P. England was charged of murdering his missing friend Jack Berry Jr. who was his best friend. They spent a lot of time together. Berry have given two handguns to England, which he wanted to retrieve when he went to England’s residence on White Oak Lane, southwest of U.S. England reported that Berry left his house without the handguns because “he had pawned the guns at a Terre Haute pawn shop” (Wright, 9 March 2009). According to England, he paid Berry for the handguns and later on, Berry left and England saw him drive away. After finding her son missing, Connie Berry reported to the police. Police wanted to search England’s home and during the search, they found “blood splattered on a box” in England’s garage and also “substantial amounts of blood in the trunk of England’s car on duct tape, bandage wrap, the trunk’s seal and “pooled” in the bottom” (Wright, 9 March 2009). Along with the blood, the investigators also found “a zip tie, an unfired bullet and duct tape” (Trigg, 26 February 2010). The blood found was tested against DNA sample retrieved from Berry’s toothbrush. The DNA report that was attained proved the guilt of England (Wright, 9 March 2009). Berry’s body was never discovered (Trigg, 10 September 2009) and neither the murder weapon was discovered (Trigg, 23 February 2010). Problems with the Case There were many difficulties in investigating the case as the investigators never found the murder weapon and the body of Berry. Investigators themselves accepted that investigation of a case without the victim’s body and absence of murder weapon is quite complicated (Trigg, 1 March 2010). The investigators found connection of England with Berry’s murder through the physical evidence found in his car. However, the physical evidences found there can be planted by the real murderer who was never found. England was released because investigators were unable to convict him based on collected proofs (3 March 2010). There was another suspect of the murder of Berry. His name was Christopher Stephens who had some enmity with Berry based on Berry’s affair with Stephens girl friend who was also six months pregnant. However, this suspect was dealt leniently as there were no proofs against this suspect. Even his girlfriend denied any involvement of Stephens in Berry’s disappearance (Trigg, 24 February 2010). England promised one of his friends to meet her, but he cancelled his meeting an hour later on 15th December, but according to his friend, he was not upset or depressed and he previously also broke promises of meeting. England’s girlfriend Stephanie Rollins negated any involvement of England in Berry’s disappearance (Trigg, 26 February 2010). For the blood that was found in England’s car, England informed that it might be left there when Berry injured his leg accidently when they were at ‘Turkey Run State Park’ (Trigg, 3 March 2010). The problems that led the case to remain unsolved were basically the absence of Berry’s body and the weapon used for his murder. Even the van belonging to Berry, which was found two blocks away from his sister’s home appears problematic (Trigg, 25 February 2010). Whether Berry himself drove it there or was there any other person driving the vehicle. According to England, Berry drove away from his home, if he was in his van, how his blood was found in England’s car and why there was no blood in the van. Who left it there and whether any traces left in the van were examined or not? There are many problems leading to the difficulty in solving the case. Investigative Failures The case of Berry’s disappearance was quite complicated and investigators faced enough issues in solving it. The major reasons identified by the investigators in making the case unsolved are absence of Berry’s body and the murder weapon. According to England’s report, the blood found in the car was because of Berry’s injury on his leg when they were at a park. Therefore, it creates a doubt as whether Berry was killed or not at all. Berry’s murder was even asked about Berry’s suicidal ideations, but she negated any such clue. The investigators formed a tunnel vision when they singled out England only. They gave utmost consideration to England and examined all his belongings, but when they had another suspect, Christopher Stephens, they gave him less consideration leading to retaining the guilt of England. England never confessed for his crime and based on doubt and absence of solid evidence, he was released and pleaded not guilty. The investigators also formed cognitive bias due to which they targeted England only. The other neighbourhood members were not interviewed and investigated enough to come up with any other suspects related to the case. Then, there were organizational traps such as groupthink, rumours, and perception biases. The investigative officers devoted all their attention towards England considering him the murderer who should be convicted. However, they were unable to get a confession from England. Framing is also found here as investigative failure. The information that the investigators attained was Berry’s last visit to England’s home for retrieval of his handguns, which England sold because of requiring money. England himself reported that Berry was irritated, but he also said that there was no harsh argument or discussion between the two of them. If England was guilty and involved in Berry’s disappearance, he would have concealed the irritation and anger of Berry. Nevertheless, he informed the investigators about it. The blood found in his car made him the chief suspect and Berry visited England lastly before his disappearance, all of this information made investigators to frame England as the murderer. Therefore, there were enough investigative failures due to which, the case remained unsolved. Conclusion Berry’s disappearance case was a unique one in which, neither the dead body of Berry was found nor the weapon that was utilised for killing him. The absence of weapon and victim’s body made the case quite problematic to solve. The investigators found blood in England’s car, but this evidence was not enough in convicting him guilty. The investigators also made investigative mistakes such as tunnel vision, framing, cognitive bias, groupthink and paying heed to rumours. References Rossmo, D. Kim. (2009). Criminal Investigative Failures. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, March 3). Brent England found not guilty Deputy prosecutor says lack of a body hurt chances. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, March 3). England explains blood in his car. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, March 1). England’s defense challenges blood evidence DNA expert will take stand today in murder trial. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, February 26). Prosecutor reviews steps of investigators at England trial. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, February 25). Jury hears from lead investigator, watches questioning in England murder trial: Trial expected to continue into next week. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, February 24). Convicted felon testifies he had ‘a falling out’ with man who disappeared England trial expected to continue into next week. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2010, February 23). Family, friends of ‘JB’ Berry testify in Brent England trial Defense lawyer says there’s no evidence defendant killed man. The Tribune-Star. Trigg, Lisa. (2009, September 10). Trial date set for man accused of killing best friend. The Tribune-Star. Wright, John D. (2009, March 9). Murder suspect says he let Jack Berry Jr. into his home England appears in court saw Berry before he disappeared. The Tribune-Star. Read More