1-10 the Woodchipper Murder Case; Summary
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Transcript of 1-10 the Woodchipper Murder Case; Summary
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1
The Woodchipper
Murder
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Richard Crafts Helle Crafts
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The Woodchipper Murder
Married
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3
The Woodchipper Murder
Married
Guns
Machinery
Travel
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1
3
Had trouble
with money
Hired P.I.
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Helle dropped off at home
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1986
Nov 19th
Nov 18th
Richard sent the children to his sisters house
Dec 1st
P.I. contacted
the police
Only Richard answers the phone
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5
Police investigation
Richard: wife disappeared Passed a lie detector test
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Carpet fragments
Strange purchases Chainsaw
Freezer
Woodchipper
No blood 2
3
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6
Christmas Day 1986
Crafts house searched
Bloodstains on mattress 1 Matched Helles blood type (O+)
Witness placed wood-chipper at Lake Zoar
Searched river bank 1 Human hair
Letters
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7
Search of the lake
Reservoir with a dam
Water level lowered
to facilitate search
Lake Zoar
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8
Search of the lake
Chainsaw 1
Human tissue
Human hair
Blue clothing fibres
Serial number restored Richard
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9
2660 strands of bleached hair
Search of the lake
2
69 slivers of human bone 3
5 droplets of human blood 4
2 teeth 5
Helles hair color
O+
One proved to be Helles
Chainsaw 1
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10
A portion of a human finger
Search of the lake
3 oz human tissue 7
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1 human fingernail 9
1 portion of human toe nail 10
A truncated piece of human skull 6
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11
January 1987
Richard Crafts arrested
Evidence of murder of Helle Crafts
Bail posted at $750 000
How did Richard Crafts kill his wife?
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12
Reconstruction of events
Helle beaten to death on early Nov 19th?
Police assumption
Body preserved in freezer
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2
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13
Richard Crafts murder plan
Sent children to sisters house in Westport
Made up a story about
electricity problems
Returned to Newtown to dispose of Helles body
Lake Zoar
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14
Used chainsaw to cut up Helles body 3
Ran Helles body parts through woodchipper 4
Helle beaten to death on early Nov 19th?
Police assumption
Body preserved in freezer
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2
Reconstruction of events
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Used a pig carcass
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Re-enactment
Put it through a woodchipper
Effect of woodchipper on a human body?
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16
Re-enactment
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17
Pig remains
Re-enactment
Consistent with
human remains found in lake
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rental
witness
body parts,
tooth
hair, tissue
(serial number restored)
rental
hair
tissue
fibres (rug)
Richard Crafts sentenced to 50 years in prison
Network of Evidence
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Types of forensic work
Comparison leading to Association
Locards Principle:
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Summary
Reconstruction & Re-enactment
Every contact leaves a trace
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1
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