Follow- up Investigations

Stage 4 – Follow-up Investigation

This stage of the investigation is where lines of enquiry generated from the previous stages of the investigation process are followed up.

These may be from witness statements, analysed forensic evidence from the crime scene, and a review of any CCTV footage (if applicable) or any documentation i.e. financial records of the victim or suspect/s (if identified).

It is as a result of this stage of the investigation that all the information gathered to date is viewed by the detectives which may enable a link or connection to  be made that could result in further lines of enquiry or the identification, arrest and placing of a charge against a suspect.

It is vital that this stage of the investigation is carried out correctly in order to obtain the evidence required to solve the case.  Errors or inaccurate documentation of evidence may result a suspect not being identified, in the acquittal of a suspect charged with the crime or the crime never being solved.

This may be one of the most important and significant stages of the investigation process.

In the case of Aileen Wuornos the follow up investigation would be based on the information and intelligence gathered from any witness or witnesses and the forensic evidence recovered from each of the scenes of the crimes.  It would be individual to each of the murders;

All of the victims would have been investigated to discover a time line prior to their murder and with regard to their private and business life in order to determine their character and any potential motive or pattern of behaviour that could lead the police to the culprit.  Individual leads would have also been pursued:-

Richard Mallory

Personal documentation discovered at the scene revealed the victim’s identity and enabled the police to search for any relatives or associates.  His financial records revealed that Mallory was on the verge of bankruptcy, police would have investigated whether the crime was related to his financial difficulties.  The documentation revealed that Mallory spent time in a mental institution on the charge of attempted rape.  When Mallory’s car was later discovered the driver’s car seat position was too far forward for it to have been for him.  The identification of the murder weapon along with any facts revealed in the pathologists’ findings.

David Spears

The truck that was identified as belonging to Spears was discovered first and the blond hair on the steering wheel will have been collected and analysed at the forensic laboratory, in order for a DNA profile to be created, the hair bulb will need to have been present. The torn condom packet and any other items found within the truck will also have been forensically examined in order to ascertain any latent fingerprints.  Similarly to Mallory the victims driver car seat was adjusted to enable an individual, of a smaller stature than Mr Spears, could sit comfortably.  This suggested to the police that an individual had occupied the car following the homicide.  The leads the police would have followed on the later discovery of Spears body included the identification of the weapon used to commit the homicide, any facts revealed by the pathologists findings and  the forensic analysis derived from the used condom, cans containing alcohol and packet of condoms in respect of DNA and fingerprint evidence.

Charles Carskaddon  

The identification of the weapon used to commit the homicide would have been a lead the police followed along with any facts revealed as a result of the autopsy , pathologists report, forensic analysis of the electric blanket used to conceal the victim’s body.  The identification of Carskaddon vehicle, that was discovered a day after the body, was done through presence of an identification number as the vehicles licence plates were missing.  The mother of Carskaddon provided the police with a list of personal items that had been present in her son’s vehicle which the police discovered were all missing.

Peter Siems  

The blood, cigarettes and cans containing alcohol found in Mr Siems vehicle that was crashed on the 4^th July 1990 will have been analysed by forensic scientists in order to identify the DNA profile along with any latent fingerprints present to the owner/s.  A receipt from an EMRO store located on SR44 (store number 8237) was also found which the police would have investigated as to whether staff remembered the purchase or to view any CCTV footage that may be available that may lead to a suspect.  Witness statements would have been taken and used to try and identify the two occupants of the vehicle that fled the scene.   This is similar to the case of Charles Humphrey were a receipt from the same store was located in his vehicle.

Eugene ‘Troy’ Burress  

Burress’s vehicle was discovered locked on the shoulder of SR19 with no keys visible by the police following a missing persons report by his wife.  The vehicle and surrounding scene would have been examined for any forensic evidence present which would then be followed up.  The leads the police would have followed upon the discovery of his body would be the identification of the murder weapon, any facts revealed by the pathologists report following the autospy and any latent fingerprint evidence on the company’s documentation.

Charles ‘Dick’ Humphreys

Police would have pursued the identification of the murder weapon, any facts revealed by the pathologists report following the autopsy.  The wallet, potentially containing credit cards, that was not present on the victim would have been investigated in case of use.  The appearance of the victim’s trouser pockets would have been noted.  His vehicle that was discovered on the 19^th September 1990 that contained his personal effects would have been forensically analysed in order to ascertain any latent fingerprints or biological evidence.  A receipt relating to an EMRO store (number 8237) located on the SR44 in respect of alcohol purchased was also found in the vehicle, the police would have used this time and date stamp receipt to make enquiries at the store and view any possible CCTV footage that may reveal the purchaser of the alcohol which may lead to a suspect.  This is similar to the case of Peter Siems were a receipt from the same store was located in his vehicle.

Walter GinoAntonio

The police would have pursued the identification of the murder weapon, any facts revealed by the pathologists report following the autopsy along with any evidence collected at the crime scene and analysed by the forensic scientists.  The discovery of his vehicle eight days later and its examination revealed only a number of cans that had contained alcohol which when forensically examined revealed they had been wiped clean of any fingerprint evidence.  The police were able to deduce that Antonio’s vehicle had been driven over 1000 miles due to his recording his mileage each time he purchased fuel on the receipt.