MI MI - Valerie Bishop, 10, raped and murdered, Detroit, 2 Feb 1977

[Alphafuzz]

I know that Detroit pulled her file, but I don't know (between Covid slowdowns and a regular caseload) how much work was done.

As so much more time passes by I just keep thinking of that poor mother saying she would probably die before she ever knew who did this and the frustrated niece crying out for justice. If it's funding or backlogged cases holding it up they could just start by contacting CeCe Moore perhaps Parabon Labs would run the DNA and enable the case to be put into the genetic genealogy work queue. Monies can be raised. I'm sure WXYZ and others would help. Nearly 44 years later I'm still extremely hopeful this can and will be solved. It is mind boggling that I was 15 years old when this happened and my then new best friend had just moved away from those projects to my suburban neighborhood. That could easily have been her.

 

[Betty P]

As so much more time passes by I just keep thinking of that poor mother saying she would probably die before she ever knew who did this and the frustrated niece crying out for justice. If it's funding or backlogged cases holding it up they could just start by contacting CeCe Moore perhaps Parabon Labs would run the DNA and enable the case to be put into the genetic genealogy work queue. Monies can be raised. I'm sure WXYZ and others would help. Nearly 44 years later I'm still extremely hopeful this can and will be solved. It is mind boggling that I was 15 years old when this happened and my then new best friend had just moved away from those projects to my suburban neighborhood. That could easily have been her.

It's a shame. There are so many other cases like this, ones that might be solved with DNA and genetic genealogy. It's a frustrating waiting game for families.

The large county/metro area where I live only recently the prosecutor began tentative efforts to start using genetic genealogy on one of the huge list of cold cases in their files. They're moving at a snail's pace. I'm not sure why, nor am I sure why some cases are chosen and others neglected.

No doubt, there will be the occasional case where LE may not come out looking good when a cold case is resolved, but those will probably be pretty rare. My sixth sense tells me it sometimes involves old politics between prosecutors and LE. IDK

 

[Nina Michigan]

if only Detroit PD had adequate funding and staffing for regular stuff, then they could focus more on cold cases or, better yet, fewer cases would be cold.

 

[Nina Michigan]

I tweeted AG Nessel about Valerie's case (don't get political with me, I will block you) because she's shown a willingness to take on other cases. If you're on twitter and want to boost the signal, my handle is @AlreadyGonePod

 

[Nina Michigan]

this is a partial article from UPI

 

[Betty P]

View attachment 309902
this is a partial article from UPI

They really need to test that evidence to establish clearly whether it was Potter.

 

[CharadeYouAre]

They really need to test that evidence to establish clearly whether it was Potter.

The fact that they haven't or won't seems borderline criminally negligent...

 

[Kell1]

In high crime areas, police can be pushed way past their manpower capabilities, because theres so many incoming new cases, sometimes, they have to pull staff from cold cases, and deal with what it going on now.

Cases can sit for decades

Usually they will assign a detective to handle cold cases, but that's not their sole responsibility, its usually a homicide detective, who's still in the rotation , and handling cold cases is on top of all the other cases, they have going on, so in between numerous murders, rapes, whatever, they may get a few minutes a day to look over cold case files, usually when they finally get 10 minutes to eat something, at their desk, or during their "free" time when they are not on the job.

So before anyone condemns the police for not testing the evidence, remember where we are talking about here, one of if not the highest crime areas in the country for the past 40 years, in a city government that is historically anti police , with a population that is majoritarily anti LE, as bad as that sounds, the flow sometimes, takes police away from older cases.

Also with all the new advances, in DNA testing departments from all over the US , and other countries, are submitting samples, for analysis , so theres a backlog of samples that have been submitted for testing, from all over the globe, it just takes time .

Trust me theres nothing more LE loves, than to knock off an old case from the books, and if they can , they will

 

[Betty P]

In high crime areas, police can be pushed way past their manpower capabilities, because theres so many incoming new cases, sometimes, they have to pull staff from cold cases, and deal with what it going on now.

Cases can sit for decades

Usually they will assign a detective to handle cold cases, but that's not their sole responsibility, its usually a homicide detective, who's still in the rotation , and handling cold cases is on top of all the other cases, they have going on, so in between numerous murders, rapes, whatever, they may get a few minutes a day to look over cold case files, usually when they finally get 10 minutes to eat something, at their desk, or during their "free" time when they are not on the job.

So before anyone condemns the police for not testing the evidence, remember where we are talking about here, one of if not the highest crime areas in the country for the past 40 years, in a city government that is historically anti police , with a population that is majoritarily anti LE, as bad as that sounds, the flow sometimes, takes police away from older cases.

Also with all the new advances, in DNA testing departments from all over the US , and other countries, are submitting samples, for analysis , so theres a backlog of samples that have been submitted for testing, from all over the globe, it just takes time .

Trust me theres nothing more LE loves, than to knock off an old case from the books, and if they can , they will

Thanks for that. I'm sure that's the case, especially here. It's Detroit, they're very busy and budgets are tight. I wish there was more funding available for them to have the staff to research cold cases.

 

[Nina Michigan]

I did a thing. We'll see if it goes anywhere

Dear Michigan Attorney General Nessel, Please Open Valerie Bishop's Case

 

[Brotherfudz]

So awesome! Seems like an easy decision to do it, is the suspect still alive?

 

[Betty P]

I did a thing. We'll see if it goes anywhere

Dear Michigan Attorney General Nessel, Please Open Valerie Bishop's Case

This is great! I hope they follow through and reopen her case.

 

[Nina Michigan]

So awesome! Seems like an easy decision to do it, is the suspect still alive?

he was the last time I checked, still living in Detroit

 

[Richard]

45 Years ago...


Valerie Bishop, age 10
Murdered 2 February 1977

 

[Betty P]

I did a thing. We'll see if it goes anywhere

Dear Michigan Attorney General Nessel, Please Open Valerie Bishop's Case

As this article notes, Nina is willing to pay for testing the evidence. Let's hope AG Nessel takes advantage of this generous opportunity to close a case and put a child killer in jail.

It's very kind of Nina to do this.

 

[Nina Michigan]

We will not forget her.

 

[Nina Michigan]

Infuriating that the evidence just sits. (IMO/JMO)

 

[Betty P]

Infuriating that the evidence just sits. (IMO/JMO)

One by one, these cold cases are finally being DNA tested (if DNA is available). Maybe its budgetary, IDK. In so many cases, once they get the DNA profile, they have to spend months developing the identity through genetic genealogy. It's surprising how few criminals' DNA is in CODIS and other systems.

 

[Nina Michigan]

One by one, these cold cases are finally being DNA tested (if DNA is available). Maybe its budgetary, IDK. In so many cases, once they get the DNA profile, they have to spend months developing the identity through genetic genealogy. It's surprising how few criminals' DNA is in CODIS and other systems.

I offered DPD the $ needed to test the blood evidence in this case. They declined.

 

[Betty P]

I offered DPD the $ needed to test the blood evidence in this case. They declined.

Did they say why?