Transcript State of Texas v. Anthony Hatter Jury Selection

CAPITAL MURDER
CASE STUDY
Case 1
• In May of 1997, a young woman was found
murdered in her apartment on the northeast side of
Fort Worth. She had been struck in the head with
an iron and her hands bound with the electrical
cord from the iron. She had been strangled with a
ligature. No usable latent prints were found. A
rape exam was performed. The victim’s car was
found abandoned on I-35W. A latent print was
found on the outside of the driver side door.
Although an AFIS request was made, no match
was found.
Case 1
• A latent print exam was requested
– Requests/reports
• Suspect – habitual criminal
• The rape exam had not been processed
– Unknown suspect
– CODIS
– Police resources
– Bound – knots
• Ligature strangulation
Case 2
• In August of 1997, a sixteen year old girl was
found murdered in her home on the north side of
Fort Worth. She died of ligature strangulation.
Her assailant had used shoe laces. There were
scratch marks on her neck. No usable prints were
found. A rape exam was performed. A family
member had seen a suspect sitting on the porch
with her approximately one hour before. A search
warrant was obtained for suspect’s blood. No
DNA match was made because fingernail
clippings were not tested although originally
requested by the Detective.
Case 2
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No suspect DNA profile obtained
Fingernail clippings
No usable prints
Ligature strangulation
Written statement
Case 3
• In July of 2000, a thirteen year old girl
disappeared from her home in Crowley,
Texas. Her body was found in Marine
Creek Park. It had been in the water for
some time. No usable DNA exam was
possible. The Detective assigned to the
case noted similarities between the knots in
Case #1 and the Case #3.
Case 3 continued
• Through witness interview and Grand Jury
subpoenas, the Detective developed a
suspect. He found that the suspect had used
an alias and lured the thirteen year old out
of her home to visit him. He recalled that
the suspect had been a suspect in Case #1.
He consulted with the Detective from Case
#1. Later, he consulted with the Tarrant
County District Attorney’s Office.
Case 3
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Ligature strangulation
Bound – knots
No useful bodily fluids found
Witness statements
Other Forensic Tools
• Letters/writings
– Fingerprints
– DNA
• Tool marks - tab
• Evidence handling
– Firearms
– swearing matches