Forensics Case Study: The Atlanta Child Murders
The Atlanta Murders happened at Atlanta in Georgia between 1979 and 1981. During the two year period, about 28 people were killed: adults, adolescents, and children. However, a majority of those murdered by the serial killer were children. In an attempt to uncover the person behind the murders, the police officers stalked a local river where other bodies had been discovered and arrested a man by the name Wayne Williams. The suspect was driving away after hearing a splash sound from a scene where a body was found about two days later. But because the police officers had not witnessed Williams dropping the body, the case largely depended on forensic evidence that was collected from fibers on the bodies of the victims. In total, there were about 30 fiber types that were linked to the suspect’s dog, his car, and items from his house. Even though the police later announced that the accused was responsible for the death of at least 22 children, he was only convicted of the murder of two adult victims in 1982 and sentenced to life imprisonment (Whyte, 2014).
References
Whyte, M. (2014). 10 Famous Cases Cracked by Forensics. In the Loop. Retrieved from https://www.in-the-loop.net.au/10-famous-cases-cracked-forensics/