All articles tagged with #forensics
Rhode Island authorities arrested 61-year-old William Morton on Tuesday for the 1985 murder of 22-year-old Hillary Hellewell. Investigators identified Morton after collecting DNA from a water bottle he discarded at a rock concert in August. The case, which had been unsolved for 41 years, was reopened in 2023 using advanced forensic testing. Morton has been charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty.
FBI and Philadelphia police have launched an intensive, multi-day forensic search of a home in the Olney neighborhood, linked to the disappearances of seven women. Investigators are dismantling interior walls and removing items like glass vials and a vacuum cleaner to find evidence of 'wet cremation' or other crimes. The probe stems from the discovery of over one million digital files at the property, which was formerly owned by late pornographer Raymond Horsch. While five of the missing women are presumed dead, authorities are still determining which recovered footage depicts real crimes versus staged scenes.
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath defended the grand jury's no true bill in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, disputing new claims from his family's legal team. Attorney Ben Crump and forensic expert Andrew Garrett presented findings from Wells' phone and a state autopsy, alleging deleted data and a lack of water in Wells' lungs. McIlrath countered that the family withheld full evidence and that the activity described was from other users, not physical access to the device.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton confirmed that human remains discovered in Caldwell County in September 2026 belong to Jason Landry, a 21-year-old Texas State University student who vanished in December 2020. DNA testing by the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification verified the identity. While the discovery closes a six-year search, investigators report no evidence of foul play and the cause of death remains undetermined.
Creative Bloq reviews how to tell a viral AI-generated image isn’t real by pointing out clues such as misaligned text on a TV box, odd shadows under a hand, perspective errors on the flooring, and improbable scale for a 50-inch TV (144 cm noted as an incorrect measurement). The piece also notes missing logos and a misplaced FedEx “arrow” in the logo as telltale signs, citing AI verification expert Henk van Ess and his Image Whisperer tool to help differentiate AI art from authentic photos.
A former Colorado Bureau of Investigation forensic analyst, Yvonne “Missy” Woods, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to perjury, attempting to influence a public servant, forgery and cybercrime for manipulating DNA data. The misconduct prompted prosecutors to review hundreds of cases, vacating at least one murder conviction and raising questions about other homicide, sexual assault and robbery prosecutions. Woods admitted altering data to conceal tampering and deleting information showing testing issues, and she resigned in 2023. The incident has spurred lab reforms costing more than $11 million as authorities work to restore public trust; some cases may be retried, including a vacated murder conviction and related prosecutions.
A former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA analyst, Yvonne Woods, was sentenced to 10 years after pleading guilty to perjury, attempting to influence a public servant, forgery and cybercrime for manipulating DNA data; her misconduct prompted reviews of hundreds of cases, led to at least one overturned murder conviction, and cost state officials more than $11 million.
Apple says initial forensic analysis of ex‑Apple engineer Chang Liu’s MacBook uncovered that he downloaded a confidential Apple circuit schematic and used it in his OpenAI work, that he and others at OpenAI were aware of unauthorized cloud storage access, that he attempted to destroy evidence, and that he used a tool with the same name as an internal Apple development app. Apple argues these findings support expedited discovery in its suit against OpenAI, while OpenAI has asked for dismissal; Apple also seeks access to related devices (including a Mac mini) and broader document production.
The Wells family and their attorney Ben Crump say they have cooperated with the DA’s probe into 18-year-old Nolan Wells’s death, noting a July 15 plan to jointly examine Wells’s phone with the Digital Forensics Lab and possibly the FBI has stalled due to an unresolved forensic protocol and a rushed deadline issued while the family was out of state; they request a mutually agreed process to preserve evidence and ensure a fair investigation.
Prosecutors at Lindsay Clancy's murder trial showed that her phone searched 'Can you treat a sociopath?' on Jan. 20, 2023, four days before she killed her three children, as investigators testified about forensic data from her phone and her ex-husband's tablet; the defense argues she was suffering postpartum psychosis, with notes revealing mental health concerns, sleep deprivation and parenting stress, while jurors heard emotional testimony about the children's autopsies.
Day 13 of the Lindsay Clancy murder trial focuses on digital-forensics from the family laptop and Clancy's cellphone, with prosecutors detailing searches related to suicide, psychosis, medications, and mental health as state police testify; defense argues bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis; prosecutors near resting their case as the court schedule notes no session Friday and a return Monday.
A 14-year-old student opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School near Bangkok, killing seven people before taking his own life; his two grandparents were killed earlier at the family home. Eight bodies (five staff, the shooter, and the grandparents) were recovered, and 16 people were hospitalized, many in critical condition. The small, legally registered gun belonged to the grandfather. The school will suspend classes August 10–14 as investigators pursue further forensic results, including toxicology.
A forensic psychologist argues that Nancy Guthrie’s two ransom notes were written by two different people with contrasting motives—the first demanding $4 million in bitcoin, the second saying Guthrie had died and was buried in nature—suggesting a rupture in the perpetrators’ dynamics and possibly involvement by multiple people beyond the porch sighting, as the FBI continues the investigation into her February 1 disappearance.
A DNA expert testified that blood stains found in the garage of D4vd (David Burke) match Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s blood, linking the slain 14-year-old to the singer’s property as his Los Angeles trial continues; Celeste’s body was found in a vehicle owned by D4vd.
Forensic analysts in Nevada are examining a disputed 2015 will in Tony Hsieh’s estate after his death in a Connecticut fire, testing ink and signatures to determine authenticity amid family and executor disputes; a Las Vegas judge has appointed a special master to oversee the process as the origin of the document remains murky.