Investigation of the Boat House

Expert Witnesses: Addie Forgrave, Tommy McVay, Mackenzie Michals, and John Phillips

Background Information

Beth O’Donnell Barney O’Donnell

?

Background Information

Helen Redding

Scene of Investigation

• Beaver Island Boat House

• Ground Level

• Various samples of blood, flesh, hair, and other materials were collected.

Scaff

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Pile of Stuff (in a small boat)

Large Boat on Hoist

Garage Door Garage Door

Raised Platform (not included in the crime scene)

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Photo Evidence

Photo Evidence Image 1

Photo Evidence

Photo Evidence Image 13

Photo Evidence

Photo Evidence Image 5

Photo Evidence

Photo Evidence Image 15

Photo Evidence

Photo Evidence Image 22

Who was at the scene?

Helen Redding

Barney O’Donnell

Beth O’Donnell

Comparison of Known Hair

to Hair found at the

Scene of Investigation

Hair Microscopy

Scales

Coronal Scales Spinous Scales

Imbricate Scales

Pigment Examples

Brown or Blonde Hair Red Hair

Medulla Types

UniserialLadder

Multiserial Ladder

Lattice Amorphous (Fragmented)

Roots

Known Hair of Helen Redding

• Hair Color: Reddish Brown• Length: 18.4 cm average• Scale Pattern: Imbricate • Medulla Area: Absent Medulla

Known Hair of Helen Redding

Image 7H (40X Magnification)

Imbricate scale pattern consistent with the pattern expected for human hair

Helen Redding

Helen’s hair consistently showed an absent medulla. The pigments in her hair also were mostly in the

center away from the cuticle.

Image 8H (At 10X Magnification)

MM9 vs Known Redding

MM9 Known Redding

Scale Pattern

1H (at 40x Magnification)

MM9 vs Known Redding

Medulla

MM9 Known Redding

2H (at 10x Magnification) Image 8H (At 10X Magnification)

MM9 vs Known Redding

MM9• Color: Reddish Brown• Length: 20.3 cm

Known Redding• Color: Reddish Brown• Length: 18.4 cm

4H (at 10x Magnification)

MM13 vs Known ReddingScale Pattern

MM13 Known Redding23H (at 40x Magnification)

MM13 vs Known Redding

Medulla

MM13 Known Redding27H (at 40x Magnification) Image 8H (At 10X Magnification)

MM13 vs Known Redding

MM13• Color: Light Brownish

Red• Length: 17.2 cm• No roots indicated

Known Redding• Color: Reddish Brown

• Length: 18.4 cm average

MM13

MM9

Hairs consistent with the known hair of Helen Redding

Known Hair of Beth O’Donnell

• Color: Light and Dark Brown • Length: 28 cm average• Scale Pattern: Imbricate• Medulla Area: Vary Sparse Amorphous

Fragmented Medulla

Known Hair of Beth O’Donnell

Beth’s hair has an imbricate scale pattern.

Image 10H (At 40X Magnification)

Known Hair of Beth O’Donnell

Image 12H (At 10X Magnification) Image 34H (At 10X Magnification)

MM10 vs Known Beth O’Donnell

Scale Pattern

MM10 Known O’Donnell

22H (at 40x Magnification) Image 10H (At 40X Magnification)

MM10 vs Known Beth O’Donnell

Medulla

MM10 Known Mrs. O’Donnell24H (at 10x Magnification) Image 34H (At 10X Magnification)

MM10 vs Known Beth O’Donnell

MM10 Known O’Donnell

Medulla

25H (at 10x Magnification)

Image 12H (At 10X Magnification)

MM10 vs Known Beth O’Donnell

MM10

• Color: Blonde – Brown

• Length: 4.5 cm – 14.5 cm

• No roots indicated

Known Mrs. O’Donnell

• Color: Light Brown – Brown

• Length: 28 cm average

MM12 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

Scale Pattern

MM12 Known Mrs. O’Donnell

20H (at 40x Magnification) Image 10H (At 40X Magnification)

MM12 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

MM12 Known Mrs. O’Donnell

Medulla

30H (at 10x Magnification) Image 12H (At 10X Magnification)

MM12 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

MM12• Color: Blonde – Brown

• Length: 14 cm• No roots indicated

Known Mrs. O’Donnell• Color: Light Brown –

Dark Brown• Length: 28 cm average

JP9 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

Scale Pattern

JP9 Known Mrs. O’Donnell

5H (at 10x Magnification)Image 10H (At 40X Magnification)

JP9 vs Known Mrs. O’DonnellMedulla

JP9 Known Mrs. O’Donnell

40H (at 40x Magnification)

39H (at 40x Magnification)Image 12H (At 10X Magnification)

Image 34H (At 10X Magnification)

JP9 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

JP9• Color: Brown

• Length: 34.5 cm

Known Mrs. O’Donnell• Color: Light Brown – Dark

Brown• Length: 28 cm average

9H (at 10x Magnification)

AF4 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

Scale Pattern

AF4 Known Mrs. O’Donnell14H (at 40x Magnification) Image 10H (At 40X Magnification)

AF4 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

Medulla

AF4 Known Mrs. O’Donnell

17H (at 10x Magnification) Image 12H (At 10X Magnification)

AF4 vs Known Mrs. O’Donnell

AF4• Color: Brown

• Length: 32.4 cm• Club root indicated

Known Mrs. O’Donnell• Color: Light Brown –

Dark Brown• Length: 28 cm average

JP9

AF11

MM10AF4

Hairs consistent with the known hair of Beth O’Donnell

Other Hairs on the SceneJP13

Spayed Root

• Continuous Amorphous Medulla

Dog HairSpayed Root

Continuous Amorphous Medulla21H (at 10x Magnification)

38H (at 10x Magnification)Both Images:http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july2004/research/2004_03_research02.htm

JP9

AF11

MM10AF4

All of the hairs found that are consistent with the known hair of Helen, Barney, and Beth

MM9

MM13

Consistent with Helen’s Hair

Consistent with Beth’s Hair

JP13

DNA Evidence Found at the

Scene of Investigation

DNA Testing

What is DNA• Deoxyribonucleic Acid• Structural Units called

nucleotides• 1 billion nucleotides in the

DNA of any given human• Mutation rate of 5 x 10-3

• Roughly 200,000 mutations per individual

• Therefore different individuals have a very low probability of similarity in their DNA

Alleles• Alleles code for traits, for each

trait there are two alleles at a locus

• One allele comes from an individuals mother, one from the father

• 5 loci are selected for DNA testing in this case

• The probability of two separate individuals being identical at all 5 loci is greater than 1.0 x 1030 for all three individuals

PCR

• DNA is able to be identified through Polymerase Chain Reaction

• The body naturally synthesizes DNA using a number of enzymes

• Mimicked by using heat and adding chemicals to replace enzymes

• DNA is broken apart, fragments called DNA primers attach to the DNA and copy the template to create new DNA

• This process fluctuates with controlled temperature and is repeated about 30 times.

AF10 (on wall)

AF8

JP11(under boat)

AF1

TM1

TM5

AF7 (on boat)

AF5 (newspaperunder boat)

AF12

AF3 JP8 (on anchor)

Blood Found

Flesh Found

MM2

TM4

MM3

MM4

JP1

TM3

JP10

MM7

MM8MM6

AF6 (newspaper under boat)

JP5

(on propeller)

JP4

AF9JP3

JP6

JP7

TM6

TW1: Blood Spatter near the entrance of the boathouse

TM5: A scaffold jack covered in blood surrounded by tissue in front of the boat

AF 1: Tissue on the floor in front of the boat

JP11: Bloody rope underneath the boat

AF8: Tissue near the dinghy in the back of the boathouse

AF10: Bloody handprint on the wall near back corner of boathouse. Flashlight for scale

AF3: Blood and tissue on the boat’s propeller

AF5: Bloody newspaper under rear of the boat: Traverse City Record Eagle

AF7: Blood on trim on stern of boat

JP8: Blood on anchor in back corner of the boathouse

AF12: Blood and tissue on ground behind boat

Blood consistent with Helen’s DNA

Blood consistent with Barney’s DNA

Blood consistent with Beth’s DNAFlesh consistent with Beth’s DNA

Flesh consistent with Helen’s DNA

Flesh consistent with Barney’s DNA

AF10 (on wall)

AF8

JP11(under boat)

AF1

TM1

TM5

AF7 (on boat)

AF5 (newspaper)

AF12(on propeller) AF3

JP8 (on anchor)

Coroners Report

• 2 Bodies Found: Helen and Beth

Helen Beth

Rope Burns on neck and wrist Bruising around neck

*Large puncture wound below the sternum

*Large puncture wound through the base of head and neck

Bruised Knuckles and broken nose Broken nose and bruised knuckles

Body found in lake Michigan tied to concrete block

Found tied to concrete blocks in lake Michigan

Photo Evidence Image 22 Photo Evidence Image 10

Conclusions

• Front of Boat:– DNA consistent with known samples of Mrs.

Redding.• Side of Boat– DNA consistent with known samples of Mrs.

Redding.• Boat Propeller/Back of Boat– DNA consistent with known samples of Mr.

O’Donnell.

Conclusions• Consistent with Mrs. Redding’s DNA samples.

Photo Evidence #19

Photo Evidence #10

Conclusions• Pile of jacks found to the left of the boat.

• Photo Evidence #4

Conclusions• Consistent with known samples of Mrs.

O’Donnell

Photo Evidence #20 Photo Evidence #22