Missing Persons & How to Build a No-Body Homicide Case
This class begins by exploring the dynamics which influence an agency’s approach to missing persons cases and the practical implications these approaches have for later investigations.
A missing persons investigation can evolve into a homicide investigation and may result in a charging decision even when the victim’s body has not been recovered. This type of investigation and prosecution has unique challenges. Using the Alexis Murphy case as a backdrop, strategies for constructing a no-body homicide case are presented. This course will provide law enforcement investigators and prosecutors with the following:
- An understanding of how ordinary approaches to missing persons cases can impede later no-body investigations.
- Strategies for managing the suspect, media, and victim’s family.
- Common features of solved cases across different victim types which can be used to focus limited resources.
- Strategies for proving that the victim is not voluntarily absent and whose death resulted from the “criminal act or agency” of the suspect.
- An in-depth look at how the opening and closing arguments were developed and resonated with two jurors who helped decide the case.
This course is designed for both prosecutors and investigators, who must work together to construct a convincing homicide narrative from available evidence that will compel a jury to convict. Using media clips; research; case photographs; and interviews with jurors, the prosecutor, family members, and the suspect, Randy Taylor, this course provides a framework for successfully building a no-body case.
Presented by:
FBI Special Agent John Pittman (Ret.): John began service in the Newark Division, Garrett Mountain RA, and primarily worked white collar crime cases. He later transferred to the Albuquerque Division, Gallup RA. where he investigated sexual abuse of children, aggravated assaults, and homicides. John transferred to the Richmond Division, Charlottesville RA, where he worked a variety of cases including drug conspiracies, homicides, murder for hire, and white-collar crime. John was the FBI lead on the Alexis Murphy case. He retired from the FBI in November 2021.
Charlottesville Police Department Lt. Brian N. O’Donnell (Ret.): Brian has worked in patrol, as a narcotics detective, and as a full time Task Force Officer with the FBI’s JTTF. He has significant experience using informants and intelligence networks to solve violent crimes. As a supervisor, he has been a patrol Sergeant, Det. Sergeant for IA, Shift Commander, Strategic Policing Bureau Commander, and training unit supervisor. He is an IADLEST National Certified Instructor. He retired after 25 years in November 2021.
Testimonial from the 2022 IHIA Southeastern Cold Case and No-Body Homicide Conference:
“I have worked over 8.5 years as a Homicide Detective and 1.5 years in the Cold Case unit. The No Body homicide class provided me with the knowledge on how to prove a murder case without a body. I passed the information on to a detective who has a no body homicide. I believe the case can now be prosecuted. I highly recommend this training for new and experienced Homicide Investigators.”
Acting Sergeant Jodi Gonterman
Cold Case Unit, Albuquerque Police Department
Questions or inquiries can be sent to bluematters@odonnellpittman.
Upcoming course on August 17, register here!