Investigative Quarterly - December 2021 - IHIA

INVESTIGATIVE QUARTERLY

A Publication by the International Homicide Investigators Association (IHIA)

EDITION: DECEMBER 2021

www.IHIA.org SEASON’S GREETINGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. As we near the end of 2021, there’s much to reflect upon and be thankful for. With many states lifting restrictions associated with the pandemic, many of us have used these opportunities to travel to visit friends and loved ones, exchanging gifts as well as simply catching up with one another.

Part of the evolution of the IHIA includes our quarterly newsletter “IQ” with its focus on providing our members with useful resources, current homicide investigative information, and interesting case studies.

WHAT’S INSIDE THE IQ: • • • •

2022 IHIA Symposium-New Orleans President’ Message from Paul Belli Investigating Homicides in Australia Meet the IHIA Eastern Regional Director • IHIA Training Courses 2022 • Pictorial Review: 2021 Symposium • Overcoming Investigative Assumptions

The IHIA remains committed to providing our members in law enforcement and prosecuting agencies with unsurpassed homicide investigation training as we move forward into 2022 and the future.

2022 IHIA SYMPOSIUM The 2022 IHIA Symposium is set for August 7th through 12th, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Marriott Warehouse District will serve as the host hotel and training venue.

PROSPECTUS COMING SOON

Online registration is now open and current members are encouraged to take advantage of the “Early Bird” rate.

Conference room rates are $136 per night plus applicable taxes.

For more information, please visit us at IHIA.ORG.

The IHIA is the world’s largest and fastest growing organization of homicide and death investigation professionals. The non-profit organization represents the largest network of homicide professionals and practitioners ever assembled. The IHIA has representatives in every U.S. state and nations on six continents.

For membership information, visit: www.ihia.org/Membership

DECEMBER 2021/ page 1

President’s Message A MESSAGE FROM Lieutenant Paul Belli (Retired) Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Dear Colleagues, Members and Sponsors, It is hard to believe that it has been over 3 months since we were all together at the yearly symposium in Washington DC. The networking, training, socializing, mentoring, and sharing of ideas at the symposium made me realize how much I missed that opportunity in 2020. As we moved through the week it was never more apparent to me how dedicated the Membership and Board are to training and their communities.

This past and present year continues to provide you all with immeasurable challenges in your service. You have the admiration of the association board, our corporate sponsors, your communities, and your families. Thank you for all that you do.

The association has been busy working with our federal partners in developing training to assist you in the pursuit of justice. This started with an update to the Basic Homicide Investigations course, development of the Advanced Homicide/ Violent Crime Investigation’s course, Cold Case and No Body Homicide Prosecution course, and our newest Mass Casualty Incidents course. Our goal is to provide the highest quality instruction at the absolute lowest cost. If your agency and region have a training need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Regional Director, so they can assist you. You can find course information at www.ihia.org.

2022 IHIA TRAINING COURSE CALENDAR February 7-11: Northern Regional Basic Homicide Investigation Course-Hosted by Michigan State Police at the Michigan State Police Headquarters, Dimondale, Michigan February 14-17: Cold Case/No-Body Homicide Investigation & Prosecution Course-Hosted by MAGLOCLEN at 140 Terry Drive, Newtown, Pennsylvania March 28-April1: Mass Casualty Investigations Virginia State Police Academy 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA April 25-29: Advanced Homicide/Violent Crime Course hosted by Columbus Police at the Columbus Police Academy in Columbus, Ohio.

May 16-May 20: Eastern Region Basic Homicide Investigation Course – Sheraton Nashau Hotel – 11 Tara Blvd., Nashau, New Hampshire June 6-10, 2022: Advanced Homicide/Violent Crime Course hosted by the IHIA & FBI at Westchester Community College in Westchester, New York.

FOR COMPLETE LISTING OF IHIA TRAINING, VISIT US ONLINE www.ihia.org/IHIA-Training

The Association Board has been diligently developing next year’s symposium in New Orleans, August 7-12, 2022. The agenda is currently under development but will contain a mix of case presentations, technology updates, forensic processing updates, cold case investigations, and crime analysis. In addition continued next page

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President’s Message continued to the main session, we will continue to offer a full day breakout session dedicated to leadership development. We gather many of our case presentations and topics from the membership, so please reach out if you have suggestions. We are also seeking nominations for the IHIA Investigative Excellence awards. It is a highlight of the week to be able to honor your hard work and dedication.

I look forward to continuing to serve you as the Association President. I attended my first symposium in 2009 and was struck by the case presentations and lessons learned. I am humbled and excited to be asked back as the president for another term. On behalf of the Association Board, I want to thank you for your membership and we will continue to strive to provide resources, guidance, and support to each of you and our profession.

President Paul Belli International Homicide Investigators Association

HOW TO REACH US IHIA Line: (540) 898-7898

Paul Belli

IHIA President

pbelli@ihia.org

Steve Lewis

Association Manager

slewis@ihia.org

Mike Corrado

Training Coordinator

Dick Perreault

East Regional Director

mcorrado@ihia. org rperreault@ihia. org

Dave Eddy

North Regional Director deddy@ihia.org

Rio Amon

West Regional Director

Frank Losat

South Regional Director flosat@ihia.org

Fiona Henderson

Advertising

rio.amonwilkins@ihia.org

fiona@cypressplanninggroup.com

MEET YOUR IHIA EASTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR RICHARD “DICK” PERREAULT Each quarter, we’ll feature a member of the IHIA Board of Directors and give you some insight on their professional and private background as well as their hobbies. For this quarter, we’re featuring our IHIA Eastern Regional Director Richard “Dick” Perreault. Here’s his story…

Like most boys growing up, I wanted to be a police officer from a young age. Growing up in Dover NH, I recall the police always looking sharp, driving nice cars and being great with the kids in the community.

My father owned a business in Dover and I remember as a young kid, the police would come in and chat with my father every day. In fact, they spent so much time there it felt like they worked there. Needless to say, this made an impression in me.

While in High School, I worked at a small magic shop

in Downtown Dover and this is where my love of magic began.

I recall one afternoon there was a uniformed officer on a detail directing traffic in front of the store.

On breaks, he would come inside to get out of the hot sun and grab a drink of water chatting with me about his job. This day for me was the defining moment when I decided to pursue a career as a police officer.

I started my career with the Rollinsford NH Police Department in 1990, attended the academy and I was off and running. After being there three years, primarily on the midnight shift I decided to take a short break from police work however, it was always close to my heart.

In 2005, I decided that I needed to return to the profession that I had always loved. I applied and was hired by the State of New Hampshire in 2006. Being that my continued next page

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Dick Perreault continued break in service was nearly fourteen years, I had to attend the academy once more, however those skills once taught to me by my Field Training Officer in 1990 never left my side.

Since becoming a New Hampshire State Trooper, I have been assigned many tasks within the Division.

My first assignment was as a driver-licensing officer, I then moved into field enforcement where I was tasked with automobile dealership and state inspection station compliance and investigations.

I have spent years in patrol often covering Hampton Beach during the summer months handling every type of call for service and investigation there is.

Since 2006, I have also been assigned to dignitaries who often travel to New Hampshire on the campaign trail. These include Presidents Trump and Biden along with many First Ladies.

In 2008, I attended DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer training and taught DARE all over the State of New Hampshire. In 2013, I attended DARE Mentor training and became part of the Northern New England DARE Training Team. In this capacity, I was tasked with training uniformed officers how to become DARE officers. In 2018, I became the Facilitator of the DARE training team. I work closely with DARE America and now facilitate all trainings in Northern New England.

In 2015, I began my first year as a detective with the Major Crime Unit within State Police. This assignment proved to be the most rewarding as I was assigned to the homicide unit. After a short time in Major Crime, I went into the NH Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit. I spent almost three years in this unit traveling extensively working my best to resolve some of the many NH cold case homicides.

Throughout my career, I have attended countless death investigations trainings along with countless other law enforcement related trainings.

It was in 2016, that I attended my first IHIA Symposium in Orlando. I was a lead investigator within the Cold Case Unit and this training offered a great deal of

training in that area.

I was impressed with the caliber of the speakers, and even more taken back with the board and how much they cared and put into this training as it seemed to flow seamlessly.

One of the board members, I was actually familiar with board member Mike Blair from Hillsborough County Florida as I had traveled to Florida previously on a cold case and worked with him on the investigation. During my time working the case, he was a wealth of knowledge and helped me tremendously with moving the case forward.

In 2019, I decided to throw my name in the hat and run for Eastern Regional Director and in May was appointed to fill the position into the organization almost as if I had known these people my whole life.

In May 2021, I was elected to my second term and have attended two other symposiums as well as mid-year meetings and conference calls. Not only does the IHIA have board members with tremendous knowledge of death investigations they have the connections worldwide to be able to host trainings and bring investigators in from around the world to speak. The people on the board are among the finest detectives and people that I have ever worked with.

I currently work as a Troop Detective within Troop G. My primary work now is identity theft, auto theft and fraud. On occasion this works bleeds into the death investigation work that I came to love. With my schedule that is less demanding, I am now able to spend more quality time with my wife and daughter enjoying the four seasons in New England.

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2021 IHIA Awards of Excellence The International Homicide Investigators Association presented Awards for Investigative Excellence during the 2021 Symposium in Washington, D.C.

Newport Beach Police Department Cold Case Homicide Unit was recognized for the nearly 40 years of investigation dedicated to identifying a suspect in the murder of Judith Nesbitt utilizing new investigative techniques.

Idaho Falls Police was recognized for their unwavering commitment and dedication to finding the truth for the victim Angie Dodge, her family, and ultimately justice.

L-R: Debbie Boyd (Mother of homicide victim Christie Wilson) accepts award for (Ret.) Detective Don Murchison, Lieutenant Nuno Tavares, Special Agent Louey Williams, Detective Nicholas McGloughen, Lieutenant John Marley, Detective Sage Albright

Detective Nicholas McGloughen with the Goshen Police Department and the Elkhart County Homicide Unit was presented an award for his excellent investigation in the Winston Corbett case.

Special Agent Louey Williams & the team from the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation were recognized for the multi-state homicide investigations to bring Clark Baldwin to justice..

Lieutenant Nuno Tavares Placer County District Attorney Investigations Division & Detective (Ret) Don Murchison Placer County Sheriff’s Department & Placer County District Attorneys Investigations were recognized for their 15-year commitment in finding the complete truth and bringing Christie Wilson home to her family.

More awards next page

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GOLDEN STATE KILLER PROSECUTION TEAM Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office Orange County District Attorney’s Office Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Tulare County District Attorney’s Office In recognition of the largest prosecution team in California history with prosecutors from all over CA. This highly complex case was successfully prosecuted through extraordinary work and brought one of California’s worst serial killers to justice.

PLOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT Detectives Michael Tracy and Detective Sgt. Brian Noel Portage County District Attorney Louis Molepske Wisconsin Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Annie Jay Through the incredible diligence of the investigators and the outstanding and courageous prosecution by AAG Jay and D/A Molepske, the truth about what happened to Krista Sypher was determined. It is these facts that elevate AAG Jay, D/A Molepske, Detective Michael Tracy and Detective Sgt. Brian Noel to be held in the highest regard by the International Homicide Investigators Association for their contributions and dedication to find the truth and to emulate what it truly means to protect and serve.

Overcoming Investigative Assumptions (Part 1)

By Sean Gleason; Sajid Haidari; Charlie Robinson, M.A., M.S.; and Thomas J. Dover, Ph.D. During an investigation, detectives often develop an informal template that helps orient them to the case as quickly as possible.

For instance, a detective may intuitively classify an emerging case as a “sexual murder” because the victim is found naked and bound or a “domestic murder” due to a history of domestic assaults at the location. However, this does not mean that detectives are locked into this initial impression. With new evidence and fresh observation, the course of an investigation can and will change. Focusing too early on a specific investigative template can create problems down the road. This holds especially true because an initial template frames expectations and creates the foundation for further investigative inquiry, evidence collection, assessments of risk and who is pursued as a suspect.

A case study follows that focuses on a recent death investigation. It provides an example of how assumptions can influence an initial informal investigative template. The authors will briefly discuss initial circumstances, the scene and victimology.

Next, assumptions that drove the initial investigative template will be assessed, followed by a general discussion of overcoming investigative assumptions and how these principles were applied to the current case.

Case Review: Initial Investigation: One Sunday night in late 2018, a local jurisdiction received a 911 call from a male subject, “Patrick,” requesting that an ambulance respond to his continued next page

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apartment. He stated that his girlfriend, “Gina,” had shot herself.2 He also said she had a knife in her throat.

When fire and police personnel arrived, they found Gina deceased and supine on the living room floor.

Contrary to Patrick’s assertion in the 911 call, no sign of a gunshot wound existed, and officers did not find a gun. Gina, covered in blood, had an 8-inch serrated butcher knife protruding from the left side of her neck. Additionally, her right hand had been amputated and was found on the floor next to her.

The medical examiner later would indicate that 1) the knife had transected Gina’s neck left to right at a downward angle, penetrating the top lobe of her right lung, and 2) her hand had been sawed off at the wrist from the posterior side.

After determining that there were no other occupants in the apartment, responding officers secured the scene. Within an hour, detectives arrived. They observed Gina’s condition and found numerous bloodstains and pools of blood throughout the living room and kitchen. As a result, the detectives secured a search warrant for the apartment pursuant to a murder investigation. A door-to-door canvass of residents in the building revealed that 1) there had been an incident in the stairway of the apartment building 2 months prior in which Patrick had accused Gina of cheating, and 2) a resident heard an argument in the apartment earlier in the day.

In his initial statement to police and in subsequent interviews, Patrick said he left the apartment in the early afternoon and met up with friends. He admitted that he and Gina had a verbal argument because she wanted to go with him. However, Patrick did not want her to because he wanted to have time for himself.

When he returned in the evening, Patrick found Gina on the floor, covered in blood with the knife in her neck. Patrick said he thought Gina had shot herself because there was a lot of blood in the apartment.

He also stated his belief that Gina stabbed herself in the neck to make it look like he killed her. Patrick insisted that he did not kill Gina.

Further, Patrick said that he had been dating Gina for less than a year. He recalled two domestic incidents with her within the prior month, one of which resulted in his arrest. However, Gina later dropped the charge. According to Patrick, Gina usually did not leave the apartment and never had friends over. He indicated that she was raised by her mother and her

mother’s boyfriend and had spent a lot of time on the streets. Patrick also indicated that several months prior to her death, Gina had gone to Florida to meet with several former associates. Although he said she had been acting “weird” lately, Patrick said Gina did not speak about harming herself.

“... focusing too early on a specific investigative template can create problems down the road.”

Patrick described Gina as an alcoholic. He said that she had recently fallen at various locations throughout the apartment following a long night of drinking at a local bar. Additionally, he said that in a separate incident, Gina fell and hit the kitchen counter when she had a seizure after taking homeopathic herb kratom. Patrick used both incidents to explain bruises found on Gina’s body.

Further, Patrick said that Gina was a former heroin user and recently had been using prescription drugs, including some that she was stealing from him. On the day before her death, Gina ran out of gas several miles from their apartment and called Patrick for help. When he arrived to assist her, she appeared to him to be paranoid about returning to and entering the apartment.

Detectives also interviewed two of Patrick’s male friends. They confirmed he had been with them on the day of Gina’s death. During the interviews, one of the friends disclosed that he had a homosexual relationship with Patrick about 2 years prior. Both friends confirmed that Patrick and Gina had a volatile relationship. Patrick had revealed to them that Gina did not approve of his friendships and frequently teased him about his previous homosexual activities.

They also indicated that Patrick thought Gina was trying to set him up for “something bad” and that he was trying to get her to move out, but she would not.

A history of domestic issues and the level of violence at the scene seemed to point to “domestic murder.” The alibi offered by Patrick’s friends was not particularly compelling. Given that they viewed Patrick as a victim of Gina’s erratic behavior, one or both friends could be an accomplice. Patrick’s insistence that she committed suicide made no sense. Detectives felt it was only a matter of time before Patrick would confess to killing Gina. continued next page

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Investigative Assumptions The ability to make quick decisions during a fluid and emerging situation is important. However, it is also important to realize that early decisions are based on early assumptions made in the absence of complete information. Often, information in an investigation either changes or, when combined with new information, justifies a shift in investigative action. For this reason, while a quick decision based on initial assumptions may be necessary, the ability to revise such decisions in view of new information is essential.

Several factors, including, but not limited to, descriptions of the incident by dispatch and the responding officers, prior incidents at the same location and previous law enforcement contacts with those involved, can prime assumptions. Additionally, a detective’s professional, personal, social and cultural experiences create a lens through which initial observations are focused into assumptions.

These factors can create an “anchoring bias,” resulting in a powerful predisposition toward an initial assumption or investigative template.3 In the case study, the initial investigative template employed by detectives framed the circumstances as a “domestic murder.” Generally, a “domestic murder” implies several expectations and predispositions. It is expected that there will be a history of domestic violence between the offender and victim. In addition, an examination of the domestic relationship will reveal significant flash points, or topics that tend to heighten emotional content of arguments. Due to this emotional content, there may be significant violence or evidence of irrational behavior. Further, because of culpability, the domestic partner may be evasive and attempt to provide weak exculpatory information or excuses.

Anchoring becomes a significant problem when there is dogmatic adherence to supporting these initial assumptions. When this happens, a detective can become focused on explaining successive observations solely within the context of that anchoring bias. This creates “confirmation bias,” or the tendency to pursue information that only supports the initial theory to the exclusion or dismissal of contraindicators.4 The danger of confirmation bias is that it creates a chain of reasoning not sufficiently tested or challenged; this can have deleterious effects on the integrity of a case.5

Initial assumptions frame initial expectations.

These expectations are overlaid onto the emerging investigation to determine whether new information should be accepted, rejected or reinterpreted.

For instance, detectives have experience-based expectations of what a murder “looks like” just as they have expectations of what a suicide “looks like.” In the case study, Patrick claimed that Gina committed suicide; however, this seems unlikely. It does not resemble any suicide that detectives have seen before. Additionally, in a “domestic murder,” the domestic partner is expected to lie and deflect. So, it is no surprise that when Patrick says he thinks Gina killed herself, it is seen as a weak attempt to mislead detectives.

One of the best ways to overcome confirmation bias stemming from initial assumptions is to challenge whatever initial template may be in use. Asking the question “What would change the nature of this case?” is the first step toward breaking down those assumptions. For instance, there are two main assumptions inherent to the initial “domestic murder” template. The first is that it is a murder, and the second is that the circumstances stemmed from a domestic relationship. To overcome the potential for confirmation bias in the case example, detectives focused on challenging both assumptions.

Overcoming Initial Investigative Assumptions Initially, this case was framed as a murder. However, to overcome potential confirmation bias, detectives challenged this assumption and asked, “Could Gina have amputated her own hand and stabbed herself in the neck?”

To amputate her own hand and stab herself in the neck, Gina would need to cut through multiple layers of tissue, bone and large nerves, resulting in

“Often, information in an investigation either changes or, when combined with new information, justifies a shift in investigative action.” continued next page

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excruciating pain. Objectively, nothing precluded Gina from physically inflicting these wounds on herself. She had full use of her left hand, and the angle of transection in her neck could be consistent with stabbing herself. However, from a psychological, emotional and pain-management perspective, it would have been unlikely for Gina to inflict these wounds on herself unless other factors affected her state of mind.

covered all paths approaching and moving away from the body. Detectives also noted numerous trails of 90-degree blood drops next to the foot impressions left by Gina. All blood at the scene was tested and matched her. These observations were consistent with the idea that although she was bleeding profusely from her wounds (most likely the amputation), Gina was mobile and wandering around the apartment.

Yet, if it is possible that the injuries were selfinflicted, then this broadens the scope of the case to that of an equivocal death. Under these circumstances, it would be appropriate to create parallel investigative tracks, one that frames circumstances as a murder and one as a suicide.

In a murder investigative track, there ought to be evidence that someone else had the opportunity, ability and motive to inflict the wounds on Gina. In a suicide track, evidence should exist that Gina had the opportunity, ability and motivation to inflict the wounds on herself.

There were no signs of forced entry. This would seem to indicate that if someone was present, it was an individual who either had access to the apartment (like Patrick) or someone who Gina let in.

However, detectives verified via video evidence that Patrick was with his two friends at the time of Gina’s death. Additionally, while initial information from the canvass indicated an argument occurred in the apartment earlier in the day, further details indicated that only Gina’s voice was heard, and she seemed to be yelling. Ultimately, given the blood and footprint evidence, it does not appear that anyone interacted with Gina as she bled, which points to the probability that she was alone.

Opportunity During the execution of the search warrant, detectives observed bloody footprints throughout the apartment. All of them belonged to Gina, and her bloody socks remained on her feet. The footprints

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Courtesy of the Cook County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Police Department, Criminalistics Section.

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MAJOR CRIME INVESTIGATION SECTION (Part 1)

By Brett Williams The Major Crime Investigation Section was never more serious about bringing long-evasive murderers to justice. But who are the cops who are behind the investigations, and do they pay the price for their dedication to solving homicides?

Update from Police Detective Superintendent Des “Doc” Bray, South Australia Police Unsolved murders were among many challenges in his thinking when he accepted the job of Major Crime boss in 2013. That was because Detective Supt Des “Doc” Bray bristled at the thought of smug murderers getting away with their crimes. He knew that kept justice out of reach for homicide victims’ families and exacerbated their suffering. And, back then, he was still to discover that 114 of South Australia’s murders of the last 60-odd years remained unsolved.

“For me,” Bray says, “the frustration is that you can’t deliver the same outcome for everybody, and that we have any unsolved murders at all. And you can never take away the pain that families have. “To not be able to (solve murders) is just terrible. The community has given us responsibility to do it; government expects us to do it; we want to do it; your wife and kids want you to solve it. Everybody wants us to solve it. “It’s understandable why some murders aren’t solved.

But it’s completely unacceptable that people could commit murder, the most serious crime, and not be held to account.”

Bray, now 58, went to Major Crime as the former head of the Crime Gangs Task Force. He had not only set up Gangs from scratch but also shaped it into a world-renowned operation. That capacity for innovation went with him to Major Crime where, soon after he arrived, he launched an internal review.

He knew the section already enjoyed “a wonderful reputation” around the nation but wanted to make it an even more dynamic outfit.

With his operations inspector, Greg Hutchins, Bray thought it best to look at the practices of modern homicide squads both nationally and internationally.

“We thought: ‘Let’s see if we can make our Major Crime the best in Australia,” he recalls. “It had already had enormous success over the years and had a good reputation with the public, the DPP and the courts.

“But, as part of our review, we talked to everybody

in the section to see how we could make it better.”

From the review came the Bray report which made a number of recommendations and ended up with senior police management. Its most significant, and perhaps ambitious, proposal was to increase the number of Major Crime staff. The report indicated that such an increase would bring greater scope for the section to clear up more of its unsolved murders.

Bray had looked at the staffing and operations of cold-case units around the world and recommended the establishment of a special operations team within Major Crime. He proposed that such a team’s detectives investigate, but not be restricted to, cold cases. Ultimately, Commissioner Gary Burns agreed to add substantially more staff to Major Crime. The section wound up with an extra six detectives, two detective sergeants and, for the first time, uniformed officers (six).

The full-time role of the two detective sergeants is to guide local CIB detectives in the investigation of tierone homicides. These are generally cases in which police have, or know the identity of, the offender and face few complications in the ensuing investigation.

Says Bray: “Those cases, even though they seem simple because the person’s been caught, can have a lot that goes into them. “So, when there’s a murder now, those detective sergeants go out to it, work with the LSA, help establish the case management and (deliver) quality assurance.”

Of the six new uniformed officers, two belong to each of the three main teams of Major Crime investigators.

“There’s a role for uniformed people in Major Crime,” Bray insists. “The people we thought ideal for it were those who’d done CIB courses, worked in Tac units and wanted a career in the CIB.” After the Special Operations Team became functional it took on a particularly high-profile job as its first.

It was the alleged conspiracy to murder two District continued next page

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Court judges and destroy the home of a police officer. Although not a cold case, the alleged crime was one of a range of others Bray established the SOT to investigate.

The Major Crime practice now is to review all cold cases which are more than 12 months old and have not unearthed any suspects. A panel consisting of Bray, Hutchins and five sergeants then decide on a course of action for each reviewed case. It might be that exhibits associated with a certain case failed to yield any clues years earlier but could do so now through state-of-the-art technology.

“We’ve sent exhibits to the Netherlands,” Bray says, “and we’re going to send some to New Zealand soon for some work that can’t be done in Australia. And where you couldn’t get fingerprints before, you can now for some things.

“These cold-case jobs will all get prioritized and we’ve committed, in this coming 12 months, to review the exhibits on every outstanding case. “We’ve got 114 going back to the late 1950s, and there’s already a number of cases where there’s biological material which might assist us. So there’s a glimmer of hope again for a number of people.”

investigations, undercover operations. You want older people who have been in the job for 40 years, young people who are across social media. “We have people who have come out of the suburbs and people who have worked in human sources, Crime Gangs, Organized Crime and at the ACC. That’s really good for our branch.”

But Bray appreciates the extent to which the demands of murder investigation can impact on the personal lives of the people he leads. There are the calls to return to duty in the middle of the night after the discovery of a murder. And, for a Major Crime detective, casting all thoughts of an investigation from his or her mind after hours is pretty much impossible.

Bray describes as “nonsense” the proposition that a detective could investigate the brutal murder of a grandmother and not give it a single thought out of hours. “It’s not the sort of thing you switch off just because you’ve gone home,” he says. “You need the maturity to get the work-life balance right. Home life is just so important but, when the job’s on, you have to be there.”

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

The Major Crime plan to review cold cases and examine old exhibits forms part of a new, holistic approach developed over the past 12 months.

Another part of it will involve new means of drawing information from the criminal underworld. Says Bray: “We are properly resourced; we have the right people; and we can take advantage of the advances in forensic science. And we’ve learned from experts around the world, so it’s a pretty exciting year ahead of us.”

Behind much of the Bray optimism about future success are his highly skilled investigators, who rank among the best in the nation. To his delight, each one belongs to Major Crime by choice and values the section’s reputation. Bray highlights the collective experience of, and range of strengths, his investigators bring to their intense workplace.

“It’s a place where you don’t want everybody of the same personality type,” he says. “You want your team to be a blend of people with a blend of skills – the analytical people, the people who are meticulous…

“You want people who have been exposed to financial

DECEMBER 2021/ page 11

27TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS ASSOCIATION (IHIA) SYMPOSIUM GALLERY

Log into your IHIA.org account for more photos from the symposium.

© Copyright 2021 by the International Homicide Investigators Assn Inc. (IHIA). This Newsletter is published quarterly by IHIA, a non-profit corporation. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction of this Newsletter, in whole or part, without the written permission from IHIA is strictly prohibited.

The opinions expressed in the IHIA Newsletter are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of IHIA.

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