HCPD contacts Florida LE about skeletal remains that were found

[bestill]

If they know it's her do they have to release it? Thinking of the Gag Order in place.

 

[nosysw]

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

 

[New2MB]

As gruesome as this question is, are there methods that would have destroyed the DNA? Ever since I saw some focus on the backyard fire pit, I've been worried it was somehow used.

 

[OkieGranny]

In the Alexandria Chery case a few weeks ago, the ME had already identified her by dental records but:

http://www.wfla.com/story/26215092/medical-examiner-body-recovered-in-osceola-is-alexandria-chery-16

"The DNA testing has been expedited by [the] Florida Department of Law Enforcement and is expected to be completed next week."

I wish they'd do the same with this one.

 

[carbuff]

This is interesting, they are not ruling out that it could be her, right? I'm more inclined to think it's her, otherwise they would have ruled Heather out and the remains are still unidentified. Am I wrong in thinking this?

Lots of interesting stuff in that article. Not only didn't they fail to rule her out, they all but said they have reason to think it's her.

Horry County police have said they can't explain why, citing a Circuit Court judge's gag order, though Volusia County authorities confirmed Horry County police did contact them about the Elvis case after the remains were found. ... In Florida, autopsy results are considered public information, but Davidson cited an exemption in that state's law that he said allows law enforcement agencies to not release autopsy findings during active criminal investigations.

http://m.myhorrynews.com/news/crime/article_5dfdaea6-2a12-11e4-93d5-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm

 

[carbuff]

As gruesome as this question is, are there methods that would have destroyed the DNA? Ever since I saw some focus on the backyard fire pit, I've been worried it was somehow used.

It sounds like that must be the case. They're talking about being unable to get a clear ID, not about withholding it or anything.

 

[zelmajane]

In the Alexandria Chery case a few weeks ago, the ME had already identified her by dental records but:

http://www.wfla.com/story/26215092/medical-examiner-body-recovered-in-osceola-is-alexandria-chery-16



I wish they'd do the same with this one.

This is a terrible thought, but... As much as I feel TM knew about crime, I think they would have removed her teeth.

 

[bestill]

Just thought about the tattoo's she had, they would identify her. She had to be altered in some way to prevent identifying her.

 

[New2MB]

Just thought about the tattoo's she had, they would identify her. She had to be altered in some way to prevent identifying her.

Oh, yeah, that's horrifying.

 

[panacea]

Just saw a report where the labs came back as inconclusive. http://m.myhorrynews.com/news/crime/article_5dfdaea6-2a12-11e4-93d5-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm


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It really sounds as though it could be her.

 

[OkieGranny]

This is a terrible thought, but... As much as I feel TM knew about crime, I think they would have removed her teeth.

I meant the DNA testing. If FDLE has the ability to expedite testing and have results in a week instead of months, why not do it?

 

[carbuff]

I meant the DNA testing. If they have the ability to expedite testing and have results in a week instead of months, why not do it?

Because the tests themselves are inconclusive. There's nothing you can do to speed up an inconclusive result.

 

[Madeleine74]

DNA can be extracted from bones. There were skeletonized remains in that bag, which means bones. I don't understand why a DNA profile cannot be created from the remains. Maybe one was created and there are common markers between the bones and HE's DNA but not enough to say anything one way or another. I forget the number of DNA alleles needed to make a positive match but somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 to 15 is what I'm thinking. If they were able to match, say, 5 alleles to Heather's DNA that's not enough to make a positive ID and would be inconclusive. Purgatory.

 

[Madeleine74]

It's like fingerprint identification in a way. There needs to be a certain number of points that match in order to say a certain fingerprint matches a known contributor. If only a few points match but the number isn't high enough then the result is inconclusive. It can be because the sample they are testing just wasn't very good. But in DNA and DNA from bones, I would think they'd have more to work with.

 

[Dr. Know?]

I remember the FBI farm. Hogs have the same markers as humans to an extent. I'll be darn to quote them, but it was like 13 markers that were the same. The testing of the remains haven't gotten as far as I thought they would by now. gar gah sob etc...

 

[carbuff]

DNA can be extracted from bones. There were skeletonized remains in that bag, which means bones. I don't understand why a DNA profile cannot be created from the remains. Maybe one was created and there are common markers between the bones and HE's DNA but not enough to say anything one way or another. I forget the number of DNA alleles needed to make a positive match but somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 to 15 is what I'm thinking. If they were able to match, say, 5 alleles to Heather's DNA that's not enough to make a positive ID and would be inconclusive. Purgatory.

Yes, that's a good definition of inconclusive results. Another form of inconclusive results would be if all they could get was mtDNA (mitochondrial or "maternal" DNA); in that case, all a match would tell them is that the two samples are related on the female side.

DNA can be extracted from even very dry bones, but depending on the condition of the bones, they can't always get a good sample. DNA is biological and it decays the same as anything else. Heat, moisture, and chemicals can hasten the degradation, so even just being out in the weather for months would cause the available DNA to deteriorate.

Here's a National Instutite of Justice article that goes over the basics. http://nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/dna/basics/Pages/analyzing.aspx

I thought this was especially interesting:

When a sufficient number of tests have been performed in which an individual cannot be excluded as the source of the DNA by any of the tests, a point is reached at which the tests have excluded virtually the world's population and the unique identification of that individual as the source of the DNA has been achieved.

 

[Motherof5]

It really sounds as though it could be her.

The fact that TM's lawyer filed a motion for discovery June 10th and we're almost into September and SM's lawyer is silent...that is telling to me. I think SM turned. JMO


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[EmmaRose]

The fact that TM's lawyer filed a motion for discovery June 10th and we're almost into September and SM's lawyer is silent...that is telling to me. I think SM turned. JMO


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I'm beginning to accept this as a good possibility. I had a hard time imagining he wanted to kill Heather. Whatever part he played was scripted by TM, IMO. That does not excuse him, but it seems to me that TM was the one who had it out for Heather in a really bad way. MOO

 

[Motherof5]

I'm beginning to accept this as a good possibility. I had a hard time imagining he wanted to kill Heather. Whatever part he played was scripted by TM, IMO. That does not excuse him, but it seems to me that TM was the one who had it out for Heather in a really bad way. MOO

I think that killing Heather was TM's idea but I also think that SM was in it up to his eye balls.


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[spiritseeker31]

The fact that TM's lawyer filed a motion for discovery June 10th and we're almost into September and SM's lawyer is silent...that is telling to me. I think SM turned. JMO


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I think I agree... It really says something when someone is silent. But then again she's had a big mouth since the beginning. If he turned won't there be separate trials for each or was that already established?