Forensic Files - Season 7, Episode 26 - Palm Print Conviction - Full Episode

Summary

In Anchorage, Alaska, a woman named Martha Hansen was brutally murdered. Despite her body being unrecognizable, police used innovative forensic techniques, including superglue fuming to retrieve a palm print, and discovered distinctive bleached hairs at the crime scene. Surveillance footage and DNA evidence led them to Evans Lee Curtis, who was connected to the victim and ultimately confessed to the crime, resulting in a 99-year prison sentence.

Takeaways

• 🍻 A woman, drunk and defenseless, left a bar in Anchorage, Alaska, and was later found dead under suspicious circumstances.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The crime scene yielded an unusual clue: a latent palm print that could be visualized using superglue fuming technique.
• 📅 The incident occurred on August 8, 1996, in downtown Anchorage, where the victim was found near a wooded area, indicating a brutal struggle.
• 🚫 The victim was so badly beaten that visual identification was impossible, and there were no immediate witnesses or missing persons reports matching her description.
• 🔍 Captain Bill Gifford's decision to use a special technique for lifting fingerprints from human skin proved crucial.
• 🧪 The superglue fuming process, adapted from a gluing factory in Japan, required specific conditions such as no emergency personnel handling the body and the right temperature and humidity.
• 🖐️ A partial palm print from the killer's left hand was found on the victim's left thigh, providing a significant lead for the investigation.
• 🔎 In addition to the palm print, 35 head hairs not belonging to the victim were discovered, suggesting the assailant's physical struggle with the victim.
• 👥 The victim was identified as Martha Hansen, a 48-year-old mother of six, and a regular at a local bar who was denied service due to her intoxication.
• 👤 The suspect, Evans Lee Curtis, was identified through a combination of surveillance footage, distinctive hair evidence, and a palm print match.
• 💢 The conviction was secured with DNA evidence from the suspect's pants and boots, along with the superglue-fumed palm print, leading to a 99-year prison sentence.

Q & A

What was the unusual clue left at the crime scene?

The unusual clue was a partial palm print that could be visualized with a simple tube of glue using a special technique called superglue fuming.

What was the condition of the victim's body when it was found?

The victim's body was severely beaten, her clothing was strewn over a 30-foot area indicating a struggle, and she was so badly beaten that visual identification was impossible.

Why was it difficult to identify the victim initially?

The victim did not match any missing persons reports, there were no witnesses, and she had a high blood/alcohol level, complicating the identification process.

What was Captain Bill Gifford's unusual decision regarding the victim's body?

Captain Bill Gifford decided to attempt to get latent prints off the body using a special technique of superglue fuming, which was typically used on nonporous surfaces.

What were the conditions required for superglue fuming to be effective on the victim's body?

The conditions required included no emergency personnel handling the body, the victim not being dead for a long period to avoid decay, no precipitation, and the right temperature to prevent melting or disintegration of the prints.

How did the police obtain the palm print evidence?

They built a tent around the body, increased humidity with heated water, and used a heat gun to blow a large amount of superglue into the air-tight container around the body, which then attached to the oils left by the killer's hand.

What additional evidence was found at the crime scene?

Police found 35 head hairs that did not belong to the victim, which were presumably the assailant's, and bloody boot impressions on the victim's torso.

How did the police identify the victim?

The victim was identified as Martha Hansen, a 48-year-old divorced mother of six, after a background check and through a video surveillance image from a bar.

What was distinctive about the hair evidence found at the crime scene?

The hair evidence was distinctive because it was long (between 18 and 20 inches), highly unusual, belonged to Mongoloid races, and had an uneven orange tint due to incomplete bleaching.

How did the police link Evans Lee Curtis to the murder?

Evans Lee Curtis was linked to the murder through a surveillance image showing him with the victim, his distinctive long hair matching the hair found at the scene, and his palm print matching the one on the victim's thigh.

What was the outcome of the case against Evans Lee Curtis?

Evans Lee Curtis was sentenced to 99 years in prison after pleading guilty, faced with overwhelming forensic evidence including the palm print, DNA matches, and bloody boot impressions.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Crime Scene Investigation

The script opens with a narration describing a murder that occurred in Anchorage, Alaska, where a woman left a bar drunk and ended up dead. The killer left a unique clue that could be visualized with glue. The body was found near a wooded area in an office building, showing signs of a severe beating. The victim was unrecognizable, and there were no witnesses or missing persons reports that matched her description. Captain Bill Gifford decided to use a special technique to find latent fingerprints on the victim's skin using superglue fuming, which was a method usually applied to nonporous surfaces. The technique required specific conditions such as no emergency personnel handling the body, no decay, no precipitation, and appropriate temperature. Gifford's team set up a tent around the body, increased humidity, and used a large amount of superglue to capture the prints.

05:01

🔎 Unraveling the Clues

The investigation led to the discovery of a palm print on the victim's thigh, which was identified as the killer's left hand. This was a significant milestone, as it was the second confirmed latent print off human skin. Additionally, 35 head hairs not belonging to the victim were found, suggesting the assailant's hair got entangled during the struggle. The victim was identified as Martha Hansen, a 48-year-old mother of six, who had been missing for two days. The medical examiner found signs of sexual assault and a high blood alcohol level. The police focused on Mongoloid hair types, which include Native Americans and Asians, and looked for a Native Alaska male with long black hair down to his waist and an uneven orange tint.

10:01

🌆 Surveillance and Identification

Police canvassed bars in downtown Anchorage, reviewing surveillance footage from establishments with video systems. They found a tape with a clear image of a woman in a checked jacket, similar to the one found at the crime scene, walking arm in arm with a man who had long black hair. The video was taken outside a bar called 'The Avenue,' and the bar owner, John Pattee, identified the woman as Martha Hansen, a regular customer. The man was not identified, but the video provided a lead. Martha was denied service at the bar due to her level of intoxication and was asked to leave. The police sought to identify the man in the video, who was a potential suspect.

15:07

🔏 Gathering Evidence

The police obtained a surveillance image of the suspect, Evans Lee Curtis, who had distinctive long hair with an unusual orange tint, matching the hairs found at the crime scene. Curtis was known to Martha Hansen's daughter and had been to their home. Police analyzed his pants, which were spattered with blood, and took hand impressions to compare with the partial palm print found on the victim. The palm print matched, providing strong evidence against Curtis. DNA testing of the blood on his pants also matched the victim's DNA. The most damning clue was a small pocket of blood found on the sole of his boot, which matched Martha Hansen's DNA as well.

20:09

🏢 Conviction and Reflection

Evans Lee Curtis was confronted with the overwhelming forensic evidence, including the palm print, hairs, and DNA matches, leading him to plead guilty. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison. The conviction was a result of a combination of traditional police work, high-tech forensic science, and luck. The script concludes with a reflection on the importance of forensic technology in solving cases, especially when there are no confessions or eyewitnesses. The technology allows investigators to piece together evidence that might have been impossible to connect otherwise.

Keywords

💡Superglue fuming

Superglue fuming is a forensic technique used to visualize latent fingerprints on non-porous surfaces. In the video, Captain Bill Gifford experiments with adapting this method to human skin, which is porous. The process involves heating a large amount of superglue in a controlled environment to release vapors that react with the oils on a person's fingers, creating a white residue that outlines the prints. This technique is crucial to the investigation as it leads to the discovery of a palm print left by the killer on the victim's thigh.

💡Latent prints

Latent prints refer to invisible fingerprints left by the natural oils of the skin. They only become visible through special techniques such as superglue fuming or other chemical processes. In the video, the use of superglue fuming on the victim's body reveals a partial palm print, which becomes a critical piece of evidence in identifying the killer.

💡Mongoloid hair

Mongoloid hair is a term used to describe hair characteristics typically found in individuals of Asian or Native American descent. The video mentions that the hair found at the crime scene is 'Mongoloid,' characterized by its dark pigmentation and straight texture. This detail helps narrow down the suspect pool by suggesting the assailant is likely of Asian or Native American heritage.

💡Biological evidence

Biological evidence consists of any material derived from a living organism, such as hair, blood, or bodily fluids. In the video, biological evidence includes the long bleached hair found at the scene, which matches the description of the suspect's hair, and blood spatter on the suspect's pants, which matches the victim's DNA. This evidence is vital in linking the suspect to the crime.

💡DNA testing

DNA testing is a forensic method used to identify individuals by analyzing their unique genetic material. In the video, DNA testing is conducted on blood found on the suspect's pants and on a swab taken from the suspect's boot. The DNA matches that of the victim, providing strong evidence that the suspect was involved in the crime.

💡Morgue

A morgue is a place where bodies of the deceased are stored, typically before autopsy or funeral services. In the video, the victim's body is taken to the morgue in Anchorage, Alaska, where the medical examiner conducts an autopsy, revealing important details such as the victim's identity, the presence of a bite mark, and signs of sexual assault.

💡Toxicology report

A toxicology report is a document that details the presence or absence of drugs or toxins in a person's body. In the video, the toxicology report on the victim reveals a high blood alcohol level, indicating that she was heavily intoxicated at the time of her death, which may have contributed to her vulnerability.

💡Missing persons report

A missing persons report is a record filed by family members or others when a person cannot be located. In the video, the police check missing persons reports to try to identify the victim, but her family did not report her missing until two days after her disappearance, which delayed the identification process.

💡Video surveillance

Video surveillance involves the monitoring of an area using closed-circuit cameras. In the video, surveillance footage from a bar's camera system provides a crucial lead by capturing images of the victim and a man with long black hair walking together, which helps investigators identify the suspect.

💡Forensics

Forensics is the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of criminal activities. In the video, forensic science plays a significant role in solving the crime by analyzing physical evidence such as fingerprints, hair samples, and DNA, which are all used to implicate the suspect.

💡Plea bargain

A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case where the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for some advantage, such as a lighter sentence. In the video, faced with overwhelming forensic evidence, Evans Lee Curtis decides to plead guilty, avoiding a trial and acknowledging his guilt in the brutal murder.

Highlights

A woman was found murdered in Anchorage, Alaska, with an unusual clue left at the crime scene involving superglue.

Captain Bill Gifford had been experimenting with a special technique to find hidden fingerprints on human skin using superglue fuming.

The technique was originally discovered in Japan, where glue vapors were found to turn fingerprints white on nonporous surfaces.

For superglue fuming to work on skin, specific conditions must be met, including no handling by emergency personnel, correct temperature and humidity, and no decay or precipitation.

Gifford ordered the construction of an airtight tent around the body to increase humidity and used a heat gun to blow superglue into the tent.

The process was successful, revealing a fragment of a palm print from the killer's left hand on the victim's left thigh.

Police discovered 35 head hairs on low-hanging branches above the body, which did not belong to the victim.

The hairs were identified as Mongoloid, suggesting the assailant was of Asian or Native American descent.

The victim had a high alcohol content at the time of her death, leading police to canvass bars in downtown Anchorage.

A surveillance image from a bar's camera showed the victim walking arm in arm with a man who had long black hair.

The victim, Martha Hansen, was identified as a regular customer at the bar and was seen leaving after being denied service due to intoxication.

Evans Lee Curtis was identified as a suspect, matching the description and having distinctive long hair with an unusual orange tint.

Curtis' pants left behind had blood spatters on them, matching the victim's blood type.

A partial palm print on the victim's thigh matched the crease pattern of Curtis' palm.

DNA testing of blood on Curtis' pants and a small pocket of blood found in his boot's sole matched the victim's DNA.

Curtis was known to the victim's family and had been to their home prior to the murder.

Prosecutors believe Curtis made a sexual advance on the victim, which led to a violent attack after she rejected him.

The conviction was a combination of traditional police work, high-tech forensic science, and luck.

The case highlights the importance of forensic technology in solving crimes where confessions or eyewitnesses are not available.

Transcripts

Narrator: ONE SUMMER'S EVENING,

A WOMAN LEFT A BAR IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA,

AND STAGGERED INTO THE STREET.

SHE WAS DRUNK, SHE WAS DEFENSELESS, AND SOON...

SHE WAS DEAD.

THE KILLER LEFT THIS UNUSUAL CLUE AT THE CRIME SCENE.

IT WAS EVIDENCE THAT COULD BE VISUALIZED

WITH A SIMPLE TUBE OF GLUE.

AUGUST 8, 1996, WAS A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER MORNING

IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.

BUT ON THIS DAY,

WORKERS ENTERING A DOWNTOWN OFFICE BUILDING

SAW SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

I NEVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE IT AGAIN.

THIS IS HORRIBLE.

Narrator: IT WAS A BODY LAYING NEAR A WOODED AREA.

SHE HAD BEEN BEATEN IN THE FACE PRETTY SEVERELY,

AND SHE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE BREATHING.

Narrator: THE WOMAN'S CHECKED JACKET AND CLOTHING

WERE STREWN OVER A 30-FOOT AREA --

A CLEAR INDICATION OF A LIFE-AND-DEATH STRUGGLE.

IT WAS AN EXTENDED ASSAULT.

IT WASN'T HE JUST HIT HER IN THE FACE ONCE.

THERE WERE MULTIPLE BLOWS TO HER HEAD AND HER UPPER-CHEST AREA.

Narrator: SHE HAD BEEN SO BADLY BEATEN,

A VISUAL IDENTIFICATION WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.

SHE DIDN'T MATCH MISSING PERSONS REPORTS,

AND APPARENTLY THERE HAD BEEN NO WITNESSES.

ANYTIME YOU HAVE A WITNESS-LESS CRIME, YOU HAVE DIFFICULTIES.

YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TELLING YOU WHERE TO GO, WHERE TO LOOK,

WHO TO ASK, AND WHAT TO DO.

Narrator: THE VICTIM HADN'T BEEN MOVED OR TOUCHED

SINCE SHE WAS DISCOVERED,

AND THE BODY HAD BEEN PROTECTED FROM THE SUNLIGHT.

BECAUSE OF WHERE THE VICTIM WAS FOUND

AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HER DEATH,

CAPTAIN BILL GIFFORD MADE AN UNUSUAL DECISION.

I MADE THE DECISION THAT WE WOULD GO AHEAD

AND TRY TO GET LATENT PRINTS OFF THE BODY.

Narrator: FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS,

GIFFORD HAD BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE

TO FIND HIDDEN FINGERPRINTS ON HUMAN SKIN.

SUPERGLUE FUMING IS USUALLY DONE

WITH NONPOROUS SURFACES LIKE GLASS OR METAL.

IN THE EARLY '80s, A GLUING FACTORY IN JAPAN --

THE EMPLOYEES HAD NOTICED

THAT AS THEY WERE GLUING VARIOUS ITEMS TOGETHER,

THAT THE VAPORS WHICH WERE MATERIALIZING FROM THE GLUE

WERE TURNING THE FINGERPRINTS --

THEIR ACTUAL PRINTS ON AN ITEM --

A WHITISH COLOR.

SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY BROUGHT THE INFORMATION

TO THE ATTENTION OF THE JAPANESE CRIME LAB,

AND FROM THAT, WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS,

THEY PASSED THE INFORMATION ON.

Narrator: TO DO IT WITH SKIN,

THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE IN PLACE.

NO EMERGENCY PERSONNEL CAN HAVE HANDLED THE BODY.

THEY WOULD WIPE PRINTS OFF AND ALSO LEAVE THEIR OWN.

IF THE VICTIM IS DEAD FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,

DECAY WILL DESTROY ANY PRINTS.

ANY PRECIPITATION, EVEN DEW, CAN WASH AWAY PRINTS.

AND THE TEMPERATURE MUST BE RIGHT.

IF IT'S TOO HOT, THE PRINTS WILL MELT.

IF IT'S TOO COLD, THEY'LL DISINTEGRATE.

GIFFORD ORDERED TECHNICIANS TO BUILD A TENT AROUND THE BODY,

USING PLASTIC TARP AND PVC PIPE.

INSIDE, GIFFORD HEATED A PAN OF WATER

TO INCREASE THE HUMIDITY IN THE TENT.

USING A HEAT GUN, A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SUPERGLUE

WAS BLOWN INTO THE AIRTIGHT CONTAINER AROUND THE BODY.

GIFFORD'S SECRET TECHNIQUE WAS TO USE MORE SUPERGLUE

THAN FORENSIC SCIENTISTS USUALLY RECOMMEND.

Gifford: IN THIS CASE,

PROBABLY 300 OR 400 TIMES THE AMOUNT

OF WHAT WE'D NORMALLY USE ON SKIN,

AND THIS TIME WE GOT THE RIGHT AMOUNT.

Narrator: THE HEATED GLUE ATTACHES ITSELF

TO THE BIOLOGICAL OILS LEFT BY SOMEONE'S FINGERS OR HANDS.

THE GLUE THEN HARDENS ON THE PRINT AND CAN BE PHOTOGRAPHED.

THIS ISN'T A TECHNIQUE THAT CAN BE REDONE.

FORTUNATELY, IN THIS CASE, IT WORKED.

ON THE VICTIM'S LEFT THIGH WAS A FRAGMENT OF A PALM PRINT

FROM THE KILLER'S LEFT HAND.

Gifford: WE WERE ECSTATIC.

THIS WAS THE SECOND LATENT PRINT OFF OF HUMAN SKIN

THAT HAD BEEN CONFIRMED.

SO TO FINALLY GET ONE -- QUITE A MILESTONE.

THE PALM PRINT ITSELF WAS OF EXCELLENT CONDITION.

I COULD TELL BASED ON THE SLOPE OF THE TERRAIN

AND THE LOCATION OF THE PRINT

AND INJURIES THAT WERE AFFLICTED TO THE VICTIM

EXACTLY WHICH HAND IT WAS,

BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL HAD STEADIED THEMSELVES

BY PLACING THEIR HAND ON THE THIGH AREA

WHILE THEY WERE CONDUCTING

WHATEVER INJURIES THEY WERE SUSTAINING TO THE VICTIM.

Narrator: ABOVE THE BODY, ON SOME LOW-HANGING BRANCHES,

POLICE DISCOVERED 35 HEAD HAIRS

WHICH DID NOT COME FROM THE VICTIM.

IT APPEARED THE BRANCHES

BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE ASSAILANT'S HAIR

DURING THE ASSAULT.

POLICE NOW HAD THE PALM PRINT

AND POSSIBLY A HAIR SAMPLE FROM THE KILLER.

ALL THEY NEEDED NOW WAS TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIM

AND FIND THE SUSPECT.

Narrator: WHEN THE BODY OF THE VICTIM

WAS TAKEN TO THE MORGUE IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA,

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DETERMINED THAT SHE WAS...

HE FOUND A BITE MARK ON THE WOMAN'S BREAST

AND SIGNS SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.

THERE WERE SOME BLOODY BOOT IMPRESSIONS

ON THE VICTIM'S TORSO,

BUT THEY WEREN'T CLEAR ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY.

Gifford: IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,

THE VIOLENCE DIDN'T INDICATE

WHETHER THEY WOULD BE KNOWN TO ONE ANOTHER.

BUT WHAT IT DID TELL US IS THAT THE SUSPECT

SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME WITH THE VICTIM,

BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER DEATH.

Narrator: THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT

INDICATED THAT THE VICTIM HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .308 --

OVER 4 TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT.

ANCHORAGE POLICE CHECKED MISSING PERSONS REPORTS,

BUT FOUND NO ONE RESEMBLING THEIR VICTIM.

AT THE CRIME SCENE,

ABOVE THE BODY, IN SOME LOW-HANGING BRANCHES,

POLICE FOUND HUMAN HAIR.

THE HAIRS, PRESUMABLY THE ASSAILANT'S,

WERE ANALYZED AND IDENTIFIED AS MONGOLOID.

MONGOLOID HAIRS ARE FROM ASIAN RACES.

NATIVE AMERICANS WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS CATEGORY.

Amick: MONGOLOID HAIRS TEND TO HAVE VERY DARK PIGMENTATION.

THE HAIRS ALMOST LOOK BLACK VISUALLY,

AND THEY TEND TO BE VERY STRAIGHT.

Narrator: THE HAIRS WERE VERY LONG --

BETWEEN 18 AND 20 INCHES -- AND THEY WERE HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE HAIR SAMPLES

THAT I'VE EVER SEEN.

Narrator: THE LONG HAIRS HAD BEEN BLEACHED,

AND BECAUSE MONGOLOID HAIRS ARE SO DARK IN COLOR,

THIS TYPE OF CHEMICAL TREATMENT HAS A DISTINCT EFFECT.

Amick: WHEN THEY ADD BLEACH TO IT,

IT PULLS SOME OF THE PIGMENT OUT.

AND IF IT'S INCOMPLETE, THE HAIR ALMOST LOOKS ORANGISH.

Narrator: POLICE WERE NOW LOOKING FOR A NATIVE ALASKA MALE

WITH LONG BLACK HAIR DOWN TO HIS WAIST

WITH AN UNEVEN ORANGE TINT.

Wallace: WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE ASSAILANT WAS.

WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT PERSON WAS GOING TO DO --

WHETHER THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SERIES OF CRIMES.

AND FOR THE FIRST WEEK OR SO, WE CERTAINLY HAD CONCERNS

THAT WE HAD A PERSON, OR PERSONS,

CAPABLE OF COMMITTING SUCH A HEINOUS CRIME,

WALKING AROUND OUR COMMUNITY

WITHOUT US ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHO THAT PERSON WAS.

Narrator: SINCE THE VICTIM

HAD A HIGH ALCOHOL CONTENT AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH,

POLICE CANVASSED BARS IN DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE,

MANY OF WHICH ARE POPULAR WITH THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.

MANY OF THE BARS HAVE EXTENSIVE VIDEO-SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS

FOR LIABILITY PURPOSES.

THIS WAY, BAR OWNERS CAN PROVE

THEY HAVEN'T SERVED ANYONE WHO WAS VISIBLY INTOXICATED.

Gifford: BAR OWNERS DECIDE

WHETHER THEY WANT TO HAVE THESE VIDEOTAPE SYSTEMS OR NOT,

AND THEN THEY INSTALL THEM -- THEIR OWN.

THERE'S NO MANDATE FOR IT.

THEY DO THIS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.

Narrator: POLICE COLLECTED THE SURVEILLANCE TAPES

FROM EVERY DOWNTOWN BAR THAT HAD A VIDEO SYSTEM

AND LOOKED THROUGH THE HOURS OF FOOTAGE.

ONE VIDEOTAPE WAS FROM AN OUTSIDE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA

TAKEN ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER.

FORTUNATELY, THE PICTURE WAS RELATIVELY CLEAR

FOR A NIGHT SCENE.

WHY?

EVEN AT 9:00 OR 10:00 AT NIGHT,

THE SUN IS STILL SHINING IN ALASKA SINCE IT'S SO FAR NORTH.

THIS IS WHY ALASKA IS CALLED THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN.

ON THIS ONE TAPE WAS A CLEAR IMAGE

OF A WOMAN WEARING A CHECKED JACKET

LIKE THE ONE FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.

SHE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET, ARM IN ARM,

WITH A MAN WITH LONG BLACK HAIR.

Gifford: I WOULD SAY

THE VIDEO IMAGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL WAS FAIR.

IT WASN'T REAL CLEAR, BUT IT WAS FAIR ENOUGH

THAT WE COULD -- FELT COMFORTABLE

TO GO OUT AND BEGIN SEARCHING FOR THE PERSON.

IT WAS ENOUGH THAT WE COULD GET AN IDEA OF WHO HE MIGHT BE.

Narrator: THE TRICK NOW

WAS TO FIND OUT THE INDIVIDUAL'S IDENTITY.

Narrator: ANCHORAGE POLICE

UNCOVERED THIS VIDEO-SURVEILLANCE IMAGE,

THOUGHT TO BE THEIR VICTIM AND THE KILLER,

TAKEN ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER.

THE VIDEOTAPE WAS FROM A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

AT A BAR IN DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE CALLED THE AVENUE.

THE BAR HAD 9 TINY VIDEO-SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

IN OPERATION AT ALL TIMES.

ALMOST EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THE BAR

AND THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT ARE ALL COVERED.

THE BAR OWNER, JOHN PATTEE,

SAYS THE SURVEILLANCE IS NOT A LUXURY -- IT'S A NECESSITY.

Pattee: VIDEO SURVEILLANCE GIVES ME ANOTHER BODY.

IT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE, MAYBE,

A COUPLE FEWER EMPLOYEES.

AND YET YOU CAN MONITOR 7 OR 8 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS

WITHIN THE BAR.

Narrator: WHEN POLICE SHOWED THE SURVEILLANCE PICTURE

TO JOHN PATTEE, HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE MAN IN THE IMAGE...

BUT HE KNEW THE WOMAN.

HER NAME WAS MARTHA HANSEN.

Pattee: EVERYONE CALLED HER "MARTY."

SHE WAS A REGULAR CUSTOMER.

SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE KNOWN HER, BUT JUST AS A CUSTOMER.

A TINY, LITTLE GIRL -- NEVER CAUSED A PROBLEM.

Narrator: A BACKGROUND CHECK REVEALED MARTHA HANSEN

WAS A 48-YEAR-OLD DIVORCED MOTHER OF 6 CHILDREN

AND WAS UNEMPLOYED.

Trefon: SHE WAS JUST VERY TRUSTING, VERY OPEN WITH PEOPLE.

AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO YOU WERE, SHE'D REACH OUT TO YOU.

I THINK THAT WAS...

PROBABLY WHAT THE DOWNFALL WAS HERE.

Narrator: SHE'D BEEN GONE FOR 2 DAYS

BEFORE HER CHILDREN REPORTED HER MISSING,

WHICH IS WHY POLICE HAD NOT CONNECTED HER TO THEIR VICTIM.

PATTEE SAID THAT ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER,

MARTHA HANSEN WAS IN HIS BAR AND WAS DENIED SERVICE.

Pattee: THE BARTENDER'S FIRST ENGAGEMENT WITH HER --

THAT BARTENDER DETERMINED

SHE WAS TOO INTOXICATED TO BE IN HERE.

SO WE ASKED HER TO LEAVE, AND SHE LEFT.

Narrator: MARTHA WAS INSIDE FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES.

PATRONS REMEMBERED HER,

BUT DID NOT REMEMBER SEEING THE MAN IN THE SURVEILLANCE IMAGE.

IT APPEARED THAT THE MAN NEVER ENTERED THE BAR,

SO THERE WAS NO CLEAR SHOT OF HIS FACE.

Brandlen: THE BEST IMAGES, UNFORTUNATELY,

WERE MARTHA HANSEN AND THE SUSPECT

WALKING AWAY FROM THE BAR,

SO WE HAVE THE BACK OF THE SUBJECT,

AS OPPOSED TO THE FRONT.

Narrator: THE IMAGE SHOWED MARTHA AND THE MAN

WALKING ARM IN ARM,

WHICH SUGGESTED THE TWO KNEW ONE ANOTHER.

Wallace: WE WERE CANVASSING THE AREA --

GOING BACK TO BUSINESSES, RETAILERS, PEOPLE,

SAYING, "DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS PERSON IS?"

Narrator: WHEN POLICE PUT THE PHOTOGRAPH IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER,

A CONCERNED CITIZEN CALLED WITH SOME INFORMATION.

SHE SAID THAT A WEEK AFTER THE MURDER OF MARTHA HANSEN,

ONE OF HER FRIENDS BLURTED OUT THAT HE'D KILLED SOMEONE.

WHEN SHE ASKED HIM HOW, HE HELD UP HIS HANDS,

INDICATING THAT HE'D EITHER HIT OR STRANGLED HIS VICTIM --

OR BOTH.

Wallace: HER INITIAL INSTINCT WAS,

"HE'S JUST BRAGGING, HE'S INTOXICATED.

HE COULDN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS."

Narrator: THE MAN'S NAME WAS EVANS LEE CURTIS,

WITH HAIR SO LONG, IT FELL ALMOST TO HIS WAIST.

CURTIS WAS UNEMPLOYED, WITH NO PRIOR ARREST.

Wallace: EVANS CURTIS

FIT THE PHOTO THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE VIDEOTAPE TO A "T."

Narrator: CURTIS HAD LEFT HIS PANTS IN THIS WOMAN'S BEDROOM.

THEY APPEARED TO BE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE SURVEILLANCE IMAGE.

WHEN POLICE ANALYZED THOSE PANTS,

THEY DISCOVERED THEY WERE SPATTERED WITH BLOOD.

EVANS LEE CURTIS WAS INTERROGATED BY POLICE,

BUT HE DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN MARTHA HANSEN'S MURDER.

Narrator: POLICE HAD THE SURVEILLANCE IMAGE,

THE HAIRS, AND THE PALM PRINT OF THE KILLER.

THE QUESTION NOW WAS WHETHER THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE

WOULD MATCH EVANS LEE CURTIS.

Narrator: EVANS LEE CURTIS SAID

HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MURDER OF MARTHA HANSEN.

HE CLAIMED THE MAN IN THE VIDEO IMAGE WAS SOMEONE ELSE --

THAT HE CERTAINLY WASN'T THE ONLY MAN IN ANCHORAGE

WITH LONG HAIR.

BUT HIS LONG HAIR WAS DISTINCTIVE.

IT HAD THE SAME UNUSUAL ORANGE COLOR

AS THE HAIRS FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.

Amick: THE SUSPECT'S HAIR

WAS ALSO CHEMICALLY TREATED, WAS VERY LONG IN LENGTH,

AND THE CHEMICAL TREATMENT WAS IRREGULAR ALONG THE LENGTH --

THE SAME AS WHAT I FOUND IN THE HAIRS FROM THE SCENE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WANTED SOMETHING MORE CONCLUSIVE.

THEY WANTED TO KNOW

IF THE PARTIAL PALM PRINT FOUND ON MARTHA HANSEN'S THIGH

BELONGED TO CURTIS.

POLICE TOOK IMPRESSIONS OF HIS HANDS,

FOCUSING MORE ON HIS PALMS THAN HIS FINGERTIPS.

INVESTIGATORS WERE LOOKING FOR THE DISTINCTIVE CREASE

BETWEEN THE INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS

THEY FOUND ON MARTHA HANSEN'S THIGH.

WHEN COMPARED, THERE WAS NO MISTAKING IT.

THE PRINT ON THE BODY WAS FROM EVANS LEE CURTIS.

Gifford: THAT PRESENTS HIM WITH A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

AND THAT PROBLEM IS,

HOW DOES HE EXPLAIN WHY HIS PALM PRINT IS ON A DEAD WOMAN?

Narrator: THE PRINT EVIDENCE, WHILE SIGNIFICANT,

WAS SUBJECT TO DEFENSE ATTACK.

THE SUPERGLUE-FUMING PROCESS WAS SO UNUSUAL,

INVESTIGATORS WERE CONCERNED

WHETHER IT WOULD BE ALLOWED AS EVIDENCE.

SO THEY CONDUCTED DNA TESTING

OF THE BLOOD FOUND ON CURTIS' PANTS.

WHEN THE BLOOD ON THE PANTS

WAS COMPARED TO DNA FROM MARTHA HANSEN'S BLOOD DNA,

IT WAS A MATCH.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY HE LEFT HIS PANTS BEHIND,

BUT WE'RE GLAD HE DID.

Narrator: BUT PERHAPS THE MOST DAMNING CLUE

WAS FOUND ON THE BOOTS CURTIS WAS WEARING

AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST.

THEY WERE GIVEN TO FORENSIC ANALYST JIM WOLFE.

IN A CREVICE ON THE BOOT'S SOLE, CREATED BY SIMPLE WEAR AND TEAR,

HE FOUND WHAT LOOKED TO BE A SMALL POCKET OF BLOOD.

Wolfe: WHAT REALLY CAUGHT MY EYE --

WHAT WAS ON THE VICTIM'S BODY APPEARED TO BE A HEEL IMPRESSION

WITH SOME POSSIBLE BLOODSTAINS ON THE HEEL OF THE BOOT --

ACTUALLY INSIDE A HEEL --

OR INSIDE A HOLE THAT WAS WORN INTO THE HEEL.

Narrator: WOLFE SWABBED THE AREA,

EXTRACTING THE BLOOD.

THE DNA FROM THE SHOE WAS COMPARED TO MARTHA HANSEN'S DNA.

IT MATCHED.

PROSECUTOR DAVID WALLACE HAD ONE OF THE BEST CASES OF HIS CAREER.

Wallace: IN THIS CASE, IT WAS FORENSICALLY SOLID.

MR. CURTIS WOULD HAVE HAD A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO --

HOW ALL OF THESE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE WERE NOT HIM

WHEN I HAD MULTIPLE EXPERTS GOING TO TAKE THE STAND AND SAY,

"IT WAS, IN FACT, MR. CURTIS THAT KILLED MARTHA HANSEN."

Narrator: POLICE DISCOVERED

THAT CURTIS KNEW MARTHA HANSEN'S DAUGHTER

AND HAD ACTUALLY MET MARTHA AT A DINNER PARTY

A FEW WEEKS BEFORE HER MURDER.

Trefon: SHE HAD TRUSTED EVANS.

SHE APPARENTLY HAD BEEN AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH HIM.

HE HAD BEEN INVITED OVER TO THE HOUSE A COUPLE OF TIMES,

AND I GUESS SHE HAD -- ACTUALLY HAD FED HIM.

Narrator: PROSECUTORS BELIEVE

THAT WHEN MARTHA LEFT THE AVENUE BAR,

SHE JUST HAPPENED TO RUN INTO CURTIS.

RECOGNIZING ONE ANOTHER,

THEY WALKED DOWN THE STREET ARM IN ARM,

POSSIBLY ON THEIR WAY TO ANOTHER NIGHT SPOT.

BUT INSTEAD, CURTIS TOOK MARTHA TO A SECLUDED AREA

AND MADE A SEXUAL ADVANCE.

WHEN SHE REJECTED HIM, CURTIS ATTACKED HER.

NO! NO! NO! NO, DON'T DO THAT!

IN THE ENSUING FIGHT,

CURTIS CAUGHT SOME OF HIS HAIR IN A TREE BRANCH --

HAIR WHICH HAD A DISTINCT ORANGE BLEACHING.

CURTIS GOT BLOOD ON HIS PANTS.

THE MOST UNUSUAL PIECE OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE

WAS HIS PARTIAL PALM PRINT ON MARTHA'S LEFT THIGH.

AND WHEN HE STEPPED ON MARTHA'S TORSO,

HER BLOOD BECAME EMBEDDED IN THE SOLE OF HIS BOOT.

SINCE HE LEFT THE BODY UNDER THE TREES,

PROTECTED FROM THE SUNLIGHT AND EXCESSIVE MOISTURE,

THE CONDITIONS WERE PERFECT

TO PRESERVE THE PRINT FOR HOURS AFTER SHE DIED,

PROVIDING ONE FINAL CLUE IN A MOSAIC OF EVIDENCE

THAT ULTIMATELY IDENTIFIED EVANS LEE CURTIS.

Wallace: I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CASE IN ALASKA

WHERE A PALM PRINT, FINGERPRINT, OR ANY TYPE OF PRINT

HAS BEEN LIFTED FROM A DECEASED PERSON.

Narrator: WHEN FACED

WITH THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE,

EVANS LEE CURTIS DECIDED TO PLEAD GUILTY.

Judge: ...IS A BRUTAL KILLING.

THE APPEARANCE OF THE VICTIM'S FACE IS SHOCKING.

Narrator: EVANS LEE CURTIS WAS SENTENCED TO 99 YEARS IN PRISON.

HIS CONVICTION -- A COMBINATION OF OLD-FASHIONED POLICE WORK,

HIGH-TECH FORENSIC SCIENCE, AND A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK.

Brandlen: THE VIDEOTAPE EVIDENCE,

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PALM PRINTS

AND OTHER EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE,

WERE JUST OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR.

WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN TECHNOLOGY, GIVE SOMETHING A SHOT.

AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, MODIFY IT.

GIVE SOMETHING ELSE A SHOT.

BUT THERE'S UNTOLD THINGS OUT THERE

THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE EMPLOYED

WHERE WE WILL BE MAKING IDENTIFICATIONS OF PEOPLE

TODAY WOULD THINK IMPOSSIBLE.

FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN MANY, MANY CASES,

WHETHER IT'S HOMICIDE TO SIMPLE THEFTS.

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONFESSION,

IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN EYEWITNESS TO THE CRIME, YOU HAVE NOTHING.

SO WITH FORENSIC EVIDENCE,

WE ARE ABLE TO CIRCUMSTANTIALLY PIECE TOGETHER A PUZZLE

THAT MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN PIECED TOGETHER BEFORE.