Admission of Murder – Impression Evidence Unveils Forgery, By Sandra R

The value of evidence contained within documents related to criminal cases is sometimes overlooked by investigators and prosecutors until just prior to a case going to trial. A similar situation presented itself in relation to a homicide. A hand printed letter containing an admission of murder (Fig. 1) stating details of the crime, was examined by Ms. Raudabaugh.

The admission was allegedly prepared by the accused individual in the homicide of a toddler. A comparison of the hand printed letter to the hand printing of the accused was conducted.  While some similarities were noted in the comparisons, they were far from conclusive.  Ms. Raudabaugh conducted an impressed (indented) writing examination using an Electrostatic Detection Device.  Impressed writing, a letter indented upon the admission letter (Fig. 2), was recovered which indicated a known suspect writer other than the accused may have written the admission letter. Through comparisons of the admission letter to writings of that known suspect writer, Ms. Raudabaugh subsequently identified that known suspect writer as the writer of the admission letter. He later confessed to having forged the letter of admission for personal gain.