Press reports indicate that police have reopened the long-unsolved “Tylenol killings” investigation because of new leads and “advances in forensic technology.”
This is pure speculation on my part, but I’ll venture a guess as to the nature of those advances: DNA fingerprinting.
The murders happened in 1982.
DNA fingerprinting was invented in 1984, a fact I know only because it’s included in this list I put together recently: “2009’s 25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries.”
I have no idea how long it was after 1984 until DNA fingerprinting became a commonly used law enforcement tool, but let’s for the sake of discussion say it was some number of years. According to Wikipedia, it was the late 1980s before the first convictions using the tool were reported. We’ll further assume that DNA fingerprinting was not as sophisticated at that time as it is today.
Police also say that it was 2007 press reports about the 25th anniversary of the actual killings that shook loose new leads.
Now yesterday they’re removing items from the Massachusetts home of James Lewis, who was convicted of extortion in the case and has long been suspected of having committed the murders.
Do the police have DNA from the 1982 investigation that they now hope to match to something gathered in yesterday’s raid?
Welcome regulars and passersby. Here are a few more recent Buzzblog items. And, if you’d like to receive Buzzblog via e-mail newsletter, here’s where to sign up.2009’s 25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries.
Court rules Kentucky does not own the Internet.
Heartland data breach “larger than TJX?”
Twitter limits searches on its site … What’s up with that?
I need a “wallet phone” why?
YouTube takes a page from xkcd.
Airport “X-ray art” isn’t likely to amuse TSA screeners.
Bank of America to support Firefox, finally.
