ltC dave grossman - 2023 SEHIA Keynote

TOPIC:  VA STATE CATFISH TROOPER

  Austin Lee Edwards, 28, a deputy with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, had "catfished" the 15-year-old girl, posing as someone else to form an exploitative relationship with her online. Edwards made the cross-country drive from Virginia and arrived at the Riverside home, where he committed three murders. Edwards then set fire to the home and kidnapped a 15-year-old juvenile. Hours after he fled the scene, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team contacted Edwards and engaged in a gun fight, Edwards did not survive. At the time of the incident, Edwards had been employed with the Washington County Sheriff's Department for less than 2 weeks. He had previously had a short stint with Virginia state police before resigning Oct. 28.

TOPIC: INSIDE THE MIND OF PSYCHOPATHS AND PREDATORS

  This presentation provides an overview of sexually deviant and violent behavior leading to homicide. The discussion of psychopathy, mental illness, personality disorders, and deviance takes place in the context of the behavioral science approach to homicide investigation and case preparation. This information is of value to everyone in Law Enforcement and Corrections, Attorneys in Trial Presentation, Mental Health Professionals, and Legal/Scientific educators. Psychopathic personality and sexual deviance have been topics that our presenter has testified on many times, in both criminal trials and civil commitment procedures.

TOPIC: TO CATCH A SPIDER - CASE STUDY OF SERIAL KILLER

Cedric Marks, a Mixed Marshal Arts (MMA) fighter, has been convicted by a Texas jury for the Capital Murder of two of his victims and sentenced to death. The investigation has expanded to other victims, in Minnesota and Oklahoma with potential victims in Washington State. The investigation has involved countless municipal, county, state and federal agencies. It has involved dedicated detectives and investigators, who as a group presented a case in which got a verdict that gives justice to the first of his victims. Navigating a web of lies and deceit from a killer who calls himself the "Spiderman." The presentation will cover what happened, how we succeed and how we can improve techniques.

TOPIC: THE UNSOLVABLE MURDER

Case examination of the 1987 Murder of Roxanne Leigh Wood, found in her kitchen with her throat slit. Trials and tribulations of sifting through a cold case deemed to be unsolvable but it wasn't. The case presentation will go through the lessons learned over the years through the investigation.

TOPIC: ARSON, BURGLARY, NO BODY

Frank Bligh, a retired US Air Force Veteran, lived alone in Tucson Arizona. In April 2019, his neighbors reported that his house was fully engulfed in flames. Investigators determined one of his vehicles was missing, and Frank was nowhere to be found. There were empty gun safes inside the home, but dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition were missing. The investigation progressed, and investigators identified Susan Barksdale, a longtime friend of Frank. She was one of the last people to see Frank alive. As investigators focused on Susan's actions and behaviors in the time period leading up to Frank's disappearance, a disturbing pattern emerged. The case would ultimately lead investigators on a nationwide manhunt, from Tucson, Arizona, to upstate New York, to the remote deserts of Utah. As investigators closed in, the question remained: Where was Frank?

TOPIC: ARSON, BURGLARY, NO BODY

Frank Bligh, a retired US Air Force Veteran, lived alone in Tucson Arizona. In April 2019, his neighbors reported that his house was fully engulfed in flames. Investigators determined one of his vehicles was missing, and Frank was nowhere to be found. There were empty gun safes inside the home, but dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition were missing. The investigation progressed, and investigators identified Susan Barksdale, a longtime friend of Frank. She was one of the last people to see Frank alive. As investigators focused on Susan's actions and behaviors in the time period leading up to Frank's disappearance, a disturbing pattern emerged. The case would ultimately lead investigators on a nationwide manhunt, from Tucson, Arizona, to upstate New York, to the remote deserts of Utah. As investigators closed in, the question remained: Where was Frank?

TOPIC:  THE MURDER OF BOTHAM JEAN

On September 6, 2018 Allison Jean received tragic news in the middle of the night that her 

26-year-old son, Botham Jean, had been shot and killed in his Dallas apartment. The details she 

received at first were confusing and left her with more questions than answers. It wasn't until hours later that she got the news that her son, Botham Jean, had been killed. This presentation will focus on the investigation and prosecution which ultimately led to the truth of what happened that night and allowed justice to be served for Botham Jean.

TOPIC: LAW ENFORCEMENT MENTAL HEALTH  ISSUES, WELLNESS, SUICIDE PREVENTION

 Sgt. Mark DiBona is a recently retired 33-year Patrol Sergeant. Assignments include Peer Support Unit, Critical Incident Stress Management Team and Co-founder of Protecting the Guardian. DiBona’s presentation will include his personal story of his issues and struggles through his career. Throughout his presentation he will increase student’s knowledge of mental health illness issues, to include suicide prevention, that affect Law Enforcement Officers. their families, and Law Enforcement agencies. 

TOPIC: NEWER THAN NEW: SNEAK PEEK NEWLY RELEASED/UPCOMING DNA TECHNOLOGIES

Forensic DNA is on the cusp of a wave of new technologies. Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) sparked a fire of innovation throughout the community. New chemistries and software packages are enhancing the type of evidence that can be considered for FIGG dramatically. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to SNP comparisons, long-range kinship comparisons using both traditional short tandem repeats (STRs) and SNPs, and complex mixture analysis are becoming a reality. FIGG and kinship is not the only area seeing major technology and software releases in forensic DNA. STRmix and DBLR software releases aim to take a deeper dive into mixture analysis allowing comparisons of mixtures across different crime scenes, building of offender profiles from a combination of mixtures, and familial searching. 

TOPIC: THE UNSOLVABLE MURDER

Case examination of the 1987 Murder of Roxanne Leigh Wood, found in her kitchen with her throat slit. Trials and tribulations of sifting through a cold case deemed to be unsolvable but it wasn't. The case presentation will go through the lessons learned over the years through the investigation.

TOPIC:  CJNG MEXICAN CARTEL MURDER

In April 2021, Gilmer County 911 received a call from a cabin rental owner who saw on his security video, a man carrying a female into the cabin, who appeared bound at the hands and feet, and she was never seen again on the video. A search of the property uncovered a dismembered and burned body in the woods. The victim was identified as missing person, Rossana Delgado. The case quickly expanded as accomplices were identified, and they all fled to Mexico. It was also discovered that the individual behind the murder was an inmate in prison and was a member of the CJNG Cartel and Surenos. As the investigation continued, and other cartel members were identified and arrested, witnesses began being kidnapped and, all at the direction of the prison inmate, who was serving a state sentence for trafficking. The investigation resulted in over 20 arrests. To date, nine defendants have been sentenced, three of which received life sentences. This investigation has spanned over two years, with over 20 agencies assisting.

TOPIC:  THE MURDER OF BOTHAM JEAN

On September 6, 2018 Allison Jean received tragic news in the middle of the night that her 

26-year-old son, Botham Jean, had been shot and killed in his Dallas apartment. The details she 

received at first were confusing and left her with more questions than answers. It wasn't until hours later that she got the news that her son, Botham Jean, had been killed. This presentation will focus on the investigation and prosecution which ultimately led to the truth of what happened that night and allowed justice to be served for Botham Jean.

TOPIC: FBI VICAP & OTHER EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATIVE RESOURCES

The FBI Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) serves local, state, federal, and tribal 

agencies across the nation by providing a free, law-enforcement sensitive repository for behavioral  and investigative information related to both solved and unsolved violent crimes. Embedded within the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), the ViCAP program serves to facilitate communication and coordination between law enforcement agencies that investigate, track, and apprehend violent serial offenders. ViCAP also provides free case analysis for sexual assault, homicide, missing persons and unidentified human remains investigations. This presentation will provide an overview of ViCAP as well as other worthwhile investigative resources every investigator should know about.

TOPIC: SHOT IN THE DARK

On a dark winter's night, a woman with a burdened mind goes for a stroll in a secluded park. She's not alone. An assailant approaches, fires once, and then disappears. It's the latest in a bizarre string of incidents, three years into a missing persons investigation. Where is Cari Farver? Is she hiding in plain sight? Is someone pretending to be her? The truth will be revealed. This case study covers thousands of hours of investigation as well as traditional and digital forensics, all culminating in a two-week courtroom battle to prove a no-body homicide with hard work, luck, and an unbelievable smoking gun. 

TOPIC: SHOT IN THE DARK

On a dark winter's night, a woman with a burdened mind goes for a stroll in a secluded park. She's not alone. An assailant approaches, fires once, and then disappears. It's the latest in a bizarre string of incidents, three years into a missing persons investigation. Where is Cari Farver? Is she hiding in plain sight? Is someone pretending to be her? The truth will be revealed. This case study covers thousands of hours of investigation as well as traditional and digital forensics, all culminating in a two-week courtroom battle to prove a no-body homicide with hard work, luck, and an unbelievable smoking gun. 

TOPIC: OLD NATIONAL BANK MASS SHOOTING

On April 10, 2023, a mass shooting occurred at Old National Bank, including an officer. Lead invstigator encounters and commanding officer perspectives wll be discussed.

TOPIC: OLD NATIONAL BANK MASS SHOOTING

On April 10, 2023, a mass shooting occurred at Old National Bank, including an officer. Lead invstigator encounters and commanding officer perspectives wll be discussed.

TOPIC: EXTRACTING THE TRUTH

Interview and interrogation techniques will be discussed that will unveil common errors and how to rectify connections with a suspect.

Authentic interrogation footage reveals the dynamic application of strategies to use in real-world scenarios. Witness masterful interviews, capturing the essence of skillful communication and strategy that can make or break a case.