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
oldi
ng
Pile of Stuff (in a small boat)
Large Boat on Hoist
Garage Door Garage Door
Raised Platform (not included in the crime scene)
Rais
ed P
latfo
rm (n
ot in
clud
ed in
crim
e sc
ene)
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
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