Modern forensic science is a field that has only been around for around 140 years. It started as simply matching fingerprints to solve crimes and has evolved into an amazing field that is incredibly advanced. Where a case may have gone cold in the past due to a lack of evidence, new scientific advancements can, and have, given answers to people who have waited years for one. Answers can come from sources one may never have thought possible, like a strand of hair and/or something as little as a speck of dandruff.
Forensic Science And The Golden State Killer
“The Golden State Killer” was a horrid rapist, burglar, and murderer who unoquivocally destroyed and changed the lives of California residents in the 1970’s-1980s. This vile man didn’t immediantly start with rape and murder. He was initially linked to burglaries in which he would display perverted behaviors like going through women’s underwear drawers. Seemingly, this wasn’t enough for the mysterious thief as he attempted to kidnap a young girl only one year into his criminal career. Luckily, her dad intervened, but was sadly killed during the battle.
Over the next few years, the Golden State Killer began sexually assaulting and killing dozens of innocent people, typically a woman and her male partner if he was present. Due to a lack of scientific advancement, in addition to what seemed like a criminally knowledgeable individual, his case went cold for decades. Suddenly, after uploading the killer’s genetic information to a gene bank, ties to a man named Joseph DeAngelo were found.
The then 72-year-old was finally arrested for his crimes in April of 2018. A review of this atrocious man’s life led the public to learn that DeAngelo had been a member of California’s law enforcement, ironically, with a background in criminal justice. He was likely forced to leave the police after he attempted to rob items that appeared to be for his next victims: a hammer and dog repellent. Even though California’s terror had finally been caught, he could only be charged and convicted of 26 crimes due to the statute of limitations on many of them. Thankfully, there were enough to ensure that the beast never steps foot outside as a free man.
‘Jack The Ripper’ Is No Longer A Faceless Name
The notorious murderer known as ‘Jack the Ripper’ was a man who brutally killed five women in the 1800s. A few of the women may have been prostitutes who appeared to be the target of the attacker. However, what was the number one determining factor in deciding victims was simply their biological sex, as it turns out, the man who committed these murders was extremely sexist and misogynistic.
Within the last year, DNA left on the shawl of one of the Ripper’s victims has been linked to a barber named Aaron Kominski. Kominski lived in Whitechapel, where the crimes took place, and it was common knowledge that he hated women, specifically prostitutes. Due to these factors, it is theorized that they were the motive for his crimes. Thankfully, his reign of terror didn’t last very long, since he was committed to a psychiatric hospital soon after his last victim, where he died. Without recent advancements in forensic science, this case may have remained cold forever.
Concluding Thoughts
Forensic science has positively changed the lives of people affected by heinous crimes. It has been able to provide answers to those who awaited justice for themselves or their loved ones’ perpetrator. Even if the criminal has since passed away, it at least gives closure to those who continued to question and wonder about the who, what, when, where, and why’s of the crime. Without a doubt, advancements in forensic science continue to be important as everyone deserves to feel safe and have a quick closure if a serious crime occurs.
