looking at an entry for a guy who was twelve when he disappeared in 1987. He has a photo labeled “Age Progression.” I have a feeling this stocky man in a blue polo shirt with a shaving nick on his Adam’s apple never existed outside of Photoshop. That he was only bones well before he had a chance to be an adult.
I click and click, until the details blur together. They went to the mall, to the fair, to church—only they never came home. Sometimes they never went anyplace but to bed. They were last seen with friends, with three boys, on the beach with an older man, getting into a car, going fishing, getting off the bus. They have gaps between their teeth, freckles, a mole on their nose, need medication. They grin at me from school portraits or family photos.
Underneath their photos are sad scraps of facts. “Tyler’s photo is shown age-progressed to 24 years. He was last seen in his bed. He has warts on his right foot.” Tyler has been missing for twenty-one years. Those warts must be long gone, one way or another.
I don’t realize that I’m crying until a hot tear plops on my thigh.
City of Roses Lab Report
DNA from a toothbrush belonging to Kayla Cutler (Exhibit A) as well as from blood on a rock found by the Willamette River (Exhibit B) was amplified using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and profiled at the loci listed on the attached table.
A single human DNA profile was identified in Exhibit B which matches the DNA profile of Kayla Cutler obtained from Exhibit A. This profile would be expected to occur in approximately 1 in 273 billion unrelated individuals.
The evidence will be held in the laboratory vault and may be picked up at your earliest convenience.
From the Web Site of Trevor G. Smith, Criminal Defense Attorney
Q: Why should I never talk to the police or law enforcement agencies about a crime?
A: Regardless of whether you think you are guilty or innocent of a crime, you should never talk to the police before you first talk with an attorney. The police often lead people to believe they will receive a lesser penalty if they confess. Usually, the opposite is true. After you have an attorney and negotiate an agreement, then you may benefit from giving information to the police.
Q: Can the police lie to me?
A: Yes! Many people are surprised that the police are allowed to lie. Think about it; they lie every day when they pretend to be drug buyers and instead are undercover narcotics detectives. Or they pretend to be johns and tell prostitutes that they are customers. The sad truth is the American justice system allows police officers to lie. And they will lie if they think it will build a case against you.
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the police can lie to you in order to extract a confession. Police officers are also allowed to lie about evidence. For example, in a 1978 case, the police said they had compared the defendant’s fingerprints to a fingerprint on the victim’s checkbook and that they matched. Actually, no fingerprints were found on the checkbook. The defendant then confessed to the robbery. The Court later ruled that the police deception did not invalidate a voluntary confession.
Transcript of Police Interview With Cody Renfrew
Today’s date is May 11, and it is approximately 10:30 A.M. Myself—Sergeant R. F. Thayer with the Portland Police Department—and FBI Special Agent Berkeley Moore as well as Cody Renfrew are present. At this time, I am going to advise you of your rights. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak with an attorney and have him or her present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do
I click and click, until the details blur together. They went to the mall, to the fair, to church—only they never came home. Sometimes they never went anyplace but to bed. They were last seen with friends, with three boys, on the beach with an older man, getting into a car, going fishing, getting off the bus. They have gaps between their teeth, freckles, a mole on their nose, need medication. They grin at me from school portraits or family photos.
Underneath their photos are sad scraps of facts. “Tyler’s photo is shown age-progressed to 24 years. He was last seen in his bed. He has warts on his right foot.” Tyler has been missing for twenty-one years. Those warts must be long gone, one way or another.
I don’t realize that I’m crying until a hot tear plops on my thigh.
City of Roses Lab Report
DNA from a toothbrush belonging to Kayla Cutler (Exhibit A) as well as from blood on a rock found by the Willamette River (Exhibit B) was amplified using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and profiled at the loci listed on the attached table.
A single human DNA profile was identified in Exhibit B which matches the DNA profile of Kayla Cutler obtained from Exhibit A. This profile would be expected to occur in approximately 1 in 273 billion unrelated individuals.
The evidence will be held in the laboratory vault and may be picked up at your earliest convenience.
From the Web Site of Trevor G. Smith, Criminal Defense Attorney
Q: Why should I never talk to the police or law enforcement agencies about a crime?
A: Regardless of whether you think you are guilty or innocent of a crime, you should never talk to the police before you first talk with an attorney. The police often lead people to believe they will receive a lesser penalty if they confess. Usually, the opposite is true. After you have an attorney and negotiate an agreement, then you may benefit from giving information to the police.
Q: Can the police lie to me?
A: Yes! Many people are surprised that the police are allowed to lie. Think about it; they lie every day when they pretend to be drug buyers and instead are undercover narcotics detectives. Or they pretend to be johns and tell prostitutes that they are customers. The sad truth is the American justice system allows police officers to lie. And they will lie if they think it will build a case against you.
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the police can lie to you in order to extract a confession. Police officers are also allowed to lie about evidence. For example, in a 1978 case, the police said they had compared the defendant’s fingerprints to a fingerprint on the victim’s checkbook and that they matched. Actually, no fingerprints were found on the checkbook. The defendant then confessed to the robbery. The Court later ruled that the police deception did not invalidate a voluntary confession.
Transcript of Police Interview With Cody Renfrew
Today’s date is May 11, and it is approximately 10:30 A.M. Myself—Sergeant R. F. Thayer with the Portland Police Department—and FBI Special Agent Berkeley Moore as well as Cody Renfrew are present. At this time, I am going to advise you of your rights. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak with an attorney and have him or her present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do
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