Read Online TRACE EVIDENCE: The Hunt for the I-5 Serial Killer by Bruce Henderson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bruce Henderson
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young man in California, Nevada, and Oregon (1978–80);Marty Trillo, a gardener who broke into the homes of elderly women in broad daylight and raped and killed several victims (1978–80); andJon Dunkle, who killed one teenager and two young boys in northern California (1981–85).
Biondi understood how difficult it was to explain fully why a serial killer does what he does (almost all serial killers are, in fact, men). The rational mind views such crimes as senseless and motiveless. They make a kind of sense to the killer, to whom alone the act has meaning. To the rest of us they seem maddeningly arbitrary. Even when a serial killer is apprehended and the case solved, police and the relatives of victims are often left wondering why it happened. Biondi was convinced that a serial killer wasn’t made overnight or, for that matter, born to his calling. In some instances, something very negative has happened in the perpetrator’s life at a crucial age, then festered inside for a long time until it implodes and starts him killing. No matter what unresolved emotions and unfulfilled fantasies bring him to that moment, after the first time he finds it easier to do again. And he usually keeps getting better and better at killing.
True, in Stephanie Brown, police had just one dead young woman, not two or three. Yet, Biondi had little doubt that she had been a randomvictim, and her abduction and murder a stranger-on-stranger crime. A random victim of opportunity is usually targeted by someone who kills more than once. For these reasons, Biondi was already very much thinking series rather than one isolated, stand-alone killing.
StephanieBrown’s body had been discovered almost immediately, despite the fact that it had been partially submerged in the deep ditch bordered by heavy undergrowth located off a dead-end dirt road. Logically, she should not have been found for some time, which the killer no doubt counted on. Fate had intervened in the form of the fisherman looking for crawdads. The missing persons report had just been filed and was already being investigated, and also, thejurisdiction with the Jane Doe happened to telephone the law enforcement agency that had the “right” missing person. The match had been made quickly. In Biondi’s judgment, they had gotten lucky with this one. Given the killer’s modus operandi, Biondi wondered how many of the dozens of unsolved homicides involving young females in the area this guy might be responsible for.
As StephanieBrown had been aSacramento County missing person and aSan Joaquin County murder victim, either county could have legally assumed jurisdiction in the case. Biondi brought this up when Vito Bertocchini and Pete Rosenquist came to his office.
“I don’t want you guys to ever say we were quick to unload a case on you,” Biondi said lightheartedly.
Rosenquist shrugged. “You’ve got the missing persons report, the car, and the abduction. But we’ve got the body.”
Characteristically, Bertocchini spoke with more intensity. “We did the crime scene and the autopsy. This is our case, Ray.”
Biondi agreed, even though there was a strong possibility that a serial killer was stalking the roads of his jurisdiction. He was impressed with the two San Joaquin detectives; they seemed capable and were taking it very seriously, as working homicide detectives are inclined to do. Biondi could only hope that they would get the support they needed in terms of man-hours and other resources from their bosses. Biondi pledged to assist the San Joaquin detectives in any way possible.
As usual in the beginning stages of a homicide investigation, there were a multitude of facts and pieces of information to sift through; they were looking for pertinent leads while eliminating the worthless ones. It took old-fashioned legwork, and a lot of it.
Take the loud knock at the door of Stephanie’s Sacramento home the night she was killed, as reported by her roommate. Had it meant
Biondi understood how difficult it was to explain fully why a serial killer does what he does (almost all serial killers are, in fact, men). The rational mind views such crimes as senseless and motiveless. They make a kind of sense to the killer, to whom alone the act has meaning. To the rest of us they seem maddeningly arbitrary. Even when a serial killer is apprehended and the case solved, police and the relatives of victims are often left wondering why it happened. Biondi was convinced that a serial killer wasn’t made overnight or, for that matter, born to his calling. In some instances, something very negative has happened in the perpetrator’s life at a crucial age, then festered inside for a long time until it implodes and starts him killing. No matter what unresolved emotions and unfulfilled fantasies bring him to that moment, after the first time he finds it easier to do again. And he usually keeps getting better and better at killing.
True, in Stephanie Brown, police had just one dead young woman, not two or three. Yet, Biondi had little doubt that she had been a randomvictim, and her abduction and murder a stranger-on-stranger crime. A random victim of opportunity is usually targeted by someone who kills more than once. For these reasons, Biondi was already very much thinking series rather than one isolated, stand-alone killing.
StephanieBrown’s body had been discovered almost immediately, despite the fact that it had been partially submerged in the deep ditch bordered by heavy undergrowth located off a dead-end dirt road. Logically, she should not have been found for some time, which the killer no doubt counted on. Fate had intervened in the form of the fisherman looking for crawdads. The missing persons report had just been filed and was already being investigated, and also, thejurisdiction with the Jane Doe happened to telephone the law enforcement agency that had the “right” missing person. The match had been made quickly. In Biondi’s judgment, they had gotten lucky with this one. Given the killer’s modus operandi, Biondi wondered how many of the dozens of unsolved homicides involving young females in the area this guy might be responsible for.
As StephanieBrown had been aSacramento County missing person and aSan Joaquin County murder victim, either county could have legally assumed jurisdiction in the case. Biondi brought this up when Vito Bertocchini and Pete Rosenquist came to his office.
“I don’t want you guys to ever say we were quick to unload a case on you,” Biondi said lightheartedly.
Rosenquist shrugged. “You’ve got the missing persons report, the car, and the abduction. But we’ve got the body.”
Characteristically, Bertocchini spoke with more intensity. “We did the crime scene and the autopsy. This is our case, Ray.”
Biondi agreed, even though there was a strong possibility that a serial killer was stalking the roads of his jurisdiction. He was impressed with the two San Joaquin detectives; they seemed capable and were taking it very seriously, as working homicide detectives are inclined to do. Biondi could only hope that they would get the support they needed in terms of man-hours and other resources from their bosses. Biondi pledged to assist the San Joaquin detectives in any way possible.
As usual in the beginning stages of a homicide investigation, there were a multitude of facts and pieces of information to sift through; they were looking for pertinent leads while eliminating the worthless ones. It took old-fashioned legwork, and a lot of it.
Take the loud knock at the door of Stephanie’s Sacramento home the night she was killed, as reported by her roommate. Had it meant
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