Criminal Case with Forensics
Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy was a serial killer, who had committed around 30 murders kidnapping and assault of young women and girls that are known during 1974 to 1978 in Washington, Utah, Florida, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho,California. He had gone to jail and escaped twice out of prison and killed 3 more victims before getting captures and sentenced. He was a very intelligent and charismatic man who used these traits of his to become one of the top serial killers.
Mode of operation
Ted Bundy was known as a handsome and charismatic person, he would lure his victims by putting casts on his leg/ sling in his arm to pretend to be injured. Then he would ask victims for help in carrying things to his car were he would hit the victim with a blunt weapon. He knew that firearms would make a lot of noise and could leave evidence. He would handcuff the victim and assault/murder them at the location or in another location that he has planned. He is known for targeting 15-25 year old girls(colleague years) and long hair. The investigators believe that he was murdering girls that resemble his ex-girlfriend who had rejected him.
Apprehension
He was first caught in a routine traffic stop in Salt Lake City in 1974, the police found items such as handcuffs, an ice pick, crowbar and other items and arrested him for suspicion of burglary. But was later released for there was no evidence. Then in 1975 he was charged for the kidnapping of one of his escaped victims, a woman named Carol DaRonch, who identified him and the items in his car. But was bailed by his parents, though he had to stay on trial. He was found guilty and sent to 1-15 years in Utah state Prison. He was charged of the murder of a Colorado woman and made himself his own lawyer. While walking to a to the courthouse library, he escaped through a window but was captured 8 days later.
In December 30, 1977, Ted Bundy escaped again through a small hole in the ceiling, he lost weight of about 30 pounds/13.6kg just to escape from prison. Nobody knew he was missing until about 15 hrs since his escape. He went and stayed in Tallahassee, Florida.
He committed 3 more murders in Florida by attacking 4 female students in a sorority house of Florida State University and killed 2 of them. On 9th February he kidnapped and murdered a 12 year old girl named Kimberly Leach. During this month he was arrested when his car was stopped by the police.
He was later charged of the murder of 2 of the girls murdered in the sorority house the evidence of this case was from a bite mark Ted made on the bottom of Lisa Levy, who was one of the murdered girls. He was charged 2 death sentences. A year later he was given another sentence for the murder of Kimberly Leach. Evidence used to charge him is that one of the witness saw Ted take Kimberly to his van. Clothing fibre found in his van matched to what he was wearing when he was arrest.
Evidence:
-Bite mark : (form the bottom of on of his victims)
-Hair and fibre: (Clothing fibre in his van that he used to kidnap Kimberly Leach and on his clothing during arrest)
Forensic Dentistry
Forensics Dentistry or also called forensic odontology is the study and examining of the teeth for teeth related evidences. Investigators would look for dental records, using radiographs, ante-mortem (prior to death) and post-mortem photographs and DNA. The teeth is a durable evidence and can be used as evidence even when the would had died for a long time. To find out who the victim is/ who the criminal might be if he made bite marks on the victim.
-Identification of found human remains
-Identification in mass fatalities
-Assessment of bite mark injuries
-Assessment of cases of abuse (child, spousal, elder)
-Civil cases involving malpractice
-Age estimation
Bite marks
Bite marks are left by, the criminal, for attacking the victim or from the victim, defending against the criminal. Usually bite marks could be found in child abuse cases and sexual homicide cases.
If a victim is found with a bite mark, the dentist would have to record a written analysis that describes the mark, the dentist would then take close shots of the bite and perform saliva swabs on the bite to get saliva for DNA testing. The dentist would have to make a impression of the bite by using some kind of impression material to replicate the mark.
The limitation of bite marks is that after some time, the skin shape would change and it must be recorded immediately after it was made. The bite marks must have 4-5 teeth on the mark to clearly analyse the mark.
It is still a practiced method today.
Video about odontology
Conclusion
He was later charged of the murder of 2 of the girls murdered in the sorority house the evidence of this case was from a bite mark Ted made on the bottom of Lisa Levy, who was one of the murdered girls. He was charged 2 death sentences. A year later he was given another sentence for the murder of Kimberly Leach. Evidence used to charge him is that one of the witness saw Ted take Kimberly to his van. Clothing fibre found in his van matched to what he was wearing when he was arrested.
He had been charged with 3 death sentences by the electric chair for the murder of the 2 girls and Kimberly Leach and other murders. He was executed on the 24th of January, 1989. Before his execution he had confessed to other murders he had done.