Latest news with #forensic
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lab boss suspended in latest DNA contamination scandal
The director of a state-run forensic testing lab has been suspended and will be asked to explain why they should not be removed in the latest scandal over botched DNA sampling. It follows a pause in testing sparked by the identification of contamination issues at Forensic Science Queensland, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said on Friday. "This action was taken following advice I received today that (Forensic Science Queensland) was placing a general pause on routine DNA testing after contamination issues were identified," she said. The pause will be reviewed after seven days as the lab determines next steps. Urgent matters will progress in a limited capacity with appropriate controls, Ms Frecklington said. Forensic Science Queensland was established in 2023 following multiple inquiries, one of which revealed a "fundamentally flawed" automated DNA extraction method might have led to offenders potentially escaping conviction for nine years from 2007. Many samples went untested while others were incorrectly ruled insufficient, an earlier inquiry found. The inquiries also elicited characterisations of a "toxic" culture at the state-run forensic lab. More than 40,000 samples fell within the scope of a historical review process, of which close to 10,000 had been reviewed as of May. Linzi Wilson-Wilde was appointed director in September after serving as interim chief executive. Dr Wilson-Wilde was stepping into "what will undoubtedly be a very challenging role", Ms Frecklington said at the time. Following news of the testing pause, Ms Frecklington moved to immediately suspend her, pending a show cause notice for removal. "I want to assure Queenslanders the Crisafulli government remains firmly committed to fixing the long-standing issues at Forensic Science Queensland," she said.
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Port Lincoln woman arrested after man's body found at Flinders Highway property
The death of a man whose body was found at a property in regional South Australia is being treated as a murder, with police arresting a Port Lincoln woman. Emergency services were called to the property on the Flinders Highway about 3:25pm on Thursday after reports of a small fire, police said. Police said they found the man's body inside when they entered the house. A 34-year-old Port Lincoln woman, who police believe was known to the man, has been arrested. Police said she would be charged with murder. "Police believe both the man and woman are known to each other and there are no community safety concerns," police said. Detectives from SA Police's Major Crime branch, and forensic officers, flew to the region to assist local police with the investigation. Police have asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Print at Louisa Dunne crime scene 'positive match for defendant'
Experts called upon as part of a murder trial have told a court the 92-year-old defendant's palm prints match those found at the crime scene in Headley is accused of forcing entry into the Bristol home of Louisa Dunne, 75, before sexually attacking and fatally strangling recovering a palm print on a rear window of the Easton property and collecting thousands of prints from men and boys, detectives were unable to identify a suspect at the Headley, of Clarence Road in Ipswich, denies raping and murdering Mrs Dunne. Police launched an investigation after the mother-of-two's body was discovered by neighbours on the morning of 28 June was only during a cold case review last year that convicted rapist Mr Headley was identified as a suspect, Bristol Crown Court was told. Following his arrest, fingerprint experts compared his palm print to the one recovered from Mrs Dunne's Hobbs told the court she found "13 characteristics in agreement" between the two prints, which satisfied her it was a positive Benson KC, representing Mr Headley, asked: "What I am going to suggest is that you made a mistake?"She replied: "I disagree. This is an identification of the left palm in the fingerprint form of Ryland Headley to the crime scene mark."A second expert then undertook the analysis again with no knowledge of the case or the earlier expert, Neville Williams, found he was able to "exclude" Mr Headley from his blind verification exercise, the court heard. Due to the difference in opinions, Mr Williams re-examined his work having discussed his findings with Ms Hobbs, the jury was told."She showed me where she found her first two matching characteristics, and it was then that I realised that I'd been starting in a different area of the palm," he said."Now that I had what I refer to as a jumping off point, I was then able to make more points of comparison, find more ridge characteristics in a coincident sequence," he told Bristol Crown Williams said he found 19 characteristics between the two palm prints."At which point I stopped my comparison work because I was confident in my evaluation that there was in fact an identification to the palm on the fingerprint form," he told the court his colleague "didn't assist in any way shape or form", simply giving the "two starting points". Mr Benson questioned the witness about his first conclusion, suggesting it was a "little embarrassing" he and Ms Hobbs had reached different conclusions."No embarrassment was involved at all," Mr Williams replied, adding he was "100% confident" with his final findings and had started in the wrong area of the palm on the initial assessment."I'm going to suggest that actually the prints were inconclusive," argued Mr expert replied: "I did not come to the result inconclusive on my second examination."The court heard a third expert undertook the same exercise and concluded the palm print matched Mr were previously told advances in forensic science enabled samples recovered from Mrs Dunne's body to be tested for DNA, which were a billion-to-one match to the trial was adjourned until Monday.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Major update after air force pilot was accused of staging wife's lawnmower death
An air force pilot accused of killing his wife and staging her death to look like a lawnmower accident has been charged with breaching bail. Robert John Crawford was charged with murder and interfering with a corpse in October 2024, months after his wife was found dead near a ride-on mower west of Brisbane. The 47-year-old is accused of strangling his wife, Frances Elizabeth Crawford, in a 'murderous rage' then moving her body to stage her death to look like a late-night accident. Ms Crawford was found dead near the mower at a rural Upper Lockyer property in July 2024. Crawford was granted bail in the Queensland Supreme Court in May on strict conditions after almost seven months in custody. Conditions included a $250,000 surety and a night-time curfew. Crawford was charged with breach of bail on Saturday. He has reportedly entered into a new bail undertaking and is due to next appear on the matter in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on August 14. Crawford had called emergency services about 3.40am on July 30, 2024 and told them he found his wife at the bottom of a retaining wall and a lawnmower had fallen on her. He told police his wife got up during the night to move the lawnmower away from automated water sprinklers. Prosecutors previously said Crawford was charged on the basis of 'inconsistencies' between his statement to police and expert analysis of the forensic evidence. Crown prosecutor Chris Cook previously said the forensic report favoured strangulation as the cause of death rather than pressure from the ride-on's steering wheel. During an April bail hearing, defence barrister Saul Holt said 'very weak' interpretations of forensic evidence had been used to charge his client. Crawford's murder charge is set to be heard on October 8 at Ipswich Magistrates Court for committal proceedings.
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Pedestrian hit and killed on Manitoba highway Tuesday morning
A pedestrian was killed early Tuesday morning when he was struck by a truck on the Trans-Canada Highway in Headingley. Around 3 a.m. Tuesday, Headingley RCMP received a report of a fatal collision involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. A pickup truck was travelling west on Highway 1, near McGuckin Road in Headingley, when it hit a pedestrian who was walking on the highway, police said. The pedestrian, a 67-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck, a 52-year-old woman from Winnipeg, was not injured. Headingley RCMP, along with a forensic collision reconstructionist, continue to investigate the crash.
