At this training, the homicide investigation of Imette St. Guillen was used as an exemplar. The case details, evidence recovered and investigative practices used to solve this case were thoroughly discussed. I will review this case and discuss how forensic science was instrumental in assisting the criminal justice system in securing a verdict against Darryl Littlejohn.
Imette St. Guillen was a 24 year old graduate student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. On February 25, 2006, she was out drinking with her friend at a SOHO nightclub called The Pioneer. Imette St. Guillen refused to leave with her friend that evening and instead went to another nearby bar called The Falls. She was last seen alive, leaving The Falls bar at 4:00 am. The bar’s bouncer, Darryl Littlejohn was the last person seen talking with her. (Fahim, 2009) …show more content…
Guillen’s body was recovered 17 hours later, after an anonymous phone call alerted police to its location. Her body had been dumped along a heavily weeded area near the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. Imette St. Guillen’s body was recovered naked and wrapped in a comforter. Her hands and feet were tied, and a sock had been shoved down her throat. Her head had been completely wrapped with packaging tape and parts of her hair had been cut off. Signs the victim struggled were apparent as several of her nails were broken off and a snow brush was also recovered from the crime scene. (News, 2006)
The primary crime scene is invaluable source of information. Investigating detectives can gain a wealth of information from viewing the crime scene and from evidence left behind. For example, a walk-through of this crime scene informed detectives that the victim was killed elsewhere and that there would be at minimum of two additional crime scenes or possibly more. The place the murder was committed and the vehicle used to transport and dump the
Imette St. Guillen was a 24 year old graduate student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. On February 25, 2006, she was out drinking with her friend at a SOHO nightclub called The Pioneer. Imette St. Guillen refused to leave with her friend that evening and instead went to another nearby bar called The Falls. She was last seen alive, leaving The Falls bar at 4:00 am. The bar’s bouncer, Darryl Littlejohn was the last person seen talking with her. (Fahim, 2009) …show more content…
Guillen’s body was recovered 17 hours later, after an anonymous phone call alerted police to its location. Her body had been dumped along a heavily weeded area near the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. Imette St. Guillen’s body was recovered naked and wrapped in a comforter. Her hands and feet were tied, and a sock had been shoved down her throat. Her head had been completely wrapped with packaging tape and parts of her hair had been cut off. Signs the victim struggled were apparent as several of her nails were broken off and a snow brush was also recovered from the crime scene. (News, 2006)
The primary crime scene is invaluable source of information. Investigating detectives can gain a wealth of information from viewing the crime scene and from evidence left behind. For example, a walk-through of this crime scene informed detectives that the victim was killed elsewhere and that there would be at minimum of two additional crime scenes or possibly more. The place the murder was committed and the vehicle used to transport and dump the