News & Events

2016 Baton Rouge LEO Ambush

Experience

I am a Trooper First Class (TFC) with the Louisiana State Police (LSP), and have been with that agency since April 11, 2008. I am assigned to the Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigative Division (CID), and have been in that position since January 2013. My current responsibilities are to conduct criminal investigations, primarily for officer involved shootings (both internal and external), major use of force incidents, equivocal deaths, homicides, and other violent crimes throughout Louisiana. Before I was assigned to CID, I was detailed to the Patrol Division and worked criminal interdiction across Louisiana. I am an active volunteer member for the LSP Crisis Intervention Team, and a statewide certified Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) first-responder. Additionally, I am an adjunct instructor at the Louisiana State Police, State Trooper Training Academy. As an adjunct instructor, I instruct both troopers and cadets in topics such as, Homicide Investigation, Interview and Interrogation Techniques and Tactics, Stress Management in Critical Incidents, and Crime Scene Investigation.

Before my employment with LSP (2006 through 2008), I worked for the Saint Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office as a detective assigned to the Persons Crime Section. While there, my primary duties were to conduct criminal investigations into equivocal deaths, homicides, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes. From 2001 through 2006, I worked for the New Orleans Police Department as a detective assigned to the homicide section. Amongst other things, some of my duties included conducting criminal investigations into homicides, equivocal deaths, and officer involved shootings. Before my employment with the New Orleans Police (from 2000 through 2001), I was a deputy with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. During that short time, I was assigned to work as a bailiff in the Court Security Section and was a part-time member of their Bicycle Patrol Unit.

I graduated from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Basic Training Academy in the year 2000, the New Orleans Police Department Basic Police Academy in 2001, and the Louisiana State Police State State Trooper Training Academy in 2008. Throughout my career, I received extensive training from Louisiana P.O.S.T. recognized training institutions in Basic and Advanced Homicide Investigations, Equivocal Death Investigations, Crime Scene Investigation, Interview and Interrogation, Critical Incident and Stress Management, and Force Science Institute Ltd. In 2010, I was qualified as an expert witness in general homicide investigations for Untied States Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. I was also qualified as an expert witness in general homicide investigations in the 41st Judicial District Court, New Orleans, LA.

Topic: Girl in a Box:

Todd Kohlhepp Serial Killer Case Study

Experience

Tommy Clark has been with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office for twenty years. He is a Senior Investigator in the Violent Crimes Unit of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. He started his career with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office in September of 1997 as a uniform patrol officer. After a brief stent in uniform patrol he was transferred to the Crime Prevention, Community Policing Unit focusing on assisting neighborhoods with establishing a neighborhood watch organization, high crime areas and directed crime investigations. He was then transferred to Uniform Patrol Investigations. In August 2002 he was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division. He was initially assigned to investigate property crimes. After two years in that unit he was transferred to the Arson and Auto theft Unit. After four years in that unit he was then transferred to the White-Collar Crime’s and Special Victim’s Unit. After five years in that unit he was transferred to his current position in the Violent Crimes Unit focusing on robberies and homicides. Sr. Inv Clark has extensive experience in investigating a wide range of crimes which has been invaluable to the Violent Crimes Unit.

Topic: Girl in a Box:

Todd Kohlhepp Serial Killer Case Study

Experience

Senior Investigator Mark Gaddy has worked for the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office for 23 years. He is currently assigned to the Violent Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigative Division. Before his current assignment he worked in the Property Crimes and Car Breaking Units of CID. He has worked uniform patrol as a responding deputy and as a road Sergeant. Before coming to CID he served as the training Lieutenant for the office and was an instructor in several areas. He previously served as the SWAT team Commander for the Sheriff’s Office for 11 years. Sr Inv Gaddy’s levels of experience have been invaluable in the Violent Crimes Unit, his work discipline and thoroughness has brought several major cases to successful prosecution.

Topic: “The Murder Accountability Project”

Description of the topic. Tracking America’s unsolved homicides

Experience

Eric Witzig is a retired homicide detective for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. He went on to serve as a crime analyst and supervisor for the FBI, including assignments at the Bureau’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP). He graduated from The American University after majoring in political science and joined the District of Columbia’s police on June 16, 1969. He was appointed to the Homicide Branch, Criminal Investigation Division in 1979. Among his cases were the crash of Air Florida’s Flight 90 and the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. He was trained in criminal personality profiling by FBI profiler John Douglas in 1985. After retiring from D.C. police in 1989, he joined the FBI’s Training Division as a crime analyst in 1990. He became a major case specialist in 1992 and a member of the Critical Incident Response Group in 1995. Witzig became a Supervisory Intelligence Analyst for the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division in 2004. He retired from the FBI in 2012. He received a master of science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University with a dissertation titled “Observations on the Serial Killer Phenomenon.” In 2016 he received the University of Tennessee’s “Heart of Social Work” award from the College of Social Work. Witzig is available to answer questions from law enforcement or the press and can be contacted at witzig@murderdata.org or by phone at 703-577-8995.

Sexual Deviant Killers

Experience

Lawrence J. Simon is the author of the book(s) “Murder by Numbers: Perspectives on Serial Sexual Violence” and “Mortal Desire: Origins of Sexual Violence” For over a decade he has devoted his services to law enforcement, legal, advocacy and forensic professionals throughout the country and is recognized within the law enforcement community as one of the most knowledgeable, skilled and respected instructors on this very challenging subject. Thousands have attended his innovative trainings. He has been a keynote speaker at major national and state-sponsored conferences across the United States and Canada. Dr. Simon is also widely known for maintaining long-lasting professional relationships with many of his clientele and has been dependable in his delivery of fantastic and innovative presentations. For informational purposes Dr. Simon is accepted by the American Board of Sexology as a diplomat and certified as a Sexologist. He earned his doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology specializing in Forensic psychology from an APA accredited institution in Miami graduating in 2007. He is regularly requested by law enforcement and legal staff to serve as a consultant on numerous cases involving crimes of a sexual and explicit nature, including cold case serial homicides. He’s appeared on a major news network discussing his research and the minds of serial murderers. Dr. Simon has spent most of his professional years employed within corrections where he’s interviewed, treated and assessed some of the most dangerous inmates in the country including inmates housed on death row. Dr. Simon’s latest book titled Mortal Desire, released in November 2016 highlights the spectrums of sexual deviant pathology while analyzing and interpreting true accounts and disturbing viewpoints behind their violent crimes from some of the most sinister men behind bars.

American Sniper:
Story of Chris Kyle

Experience

Danny Briley is a Texas Ranger, responsible for assisting local, state, and federal agencies with major crimes. Ranger Briley has 19 years law enforcement experience, and is a senior member of the Texas Rangers Special Operations Group – RECON and SRT-1 Teams. Ranger Briley has actively led and carried out many high risk missions and high profile murder investigations throughout Texas, including the American Sniper Case. All cases have resulted in maximum punishment. Ranger Briley has earned and been credited for his criminal work with numerous commendations. The presentations of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield’s murders exposes the real truth from law enforcement perspective – evil looks a lot like crazy.

Betraying the Badge:

The Death of GI Joe Glieniwicz

Experience

As a member of the Lincolnshire Police Department since 1996, I have served in increasingly accountable positions that have given me the opportunity to experience the Department across all its broad functional responsibilities, both internally and externally. I joined the Department in 1996 as Patrol Officer; was certified as a DARE officer in 1997; and became the Department’s School Resource Officer at Stevenson High School in 1998. In 2002, I was appointed to Investigator, a position I held until I was appointed Sergeant in 2014. I was a Deputy Marshal with Federal Bureau of Investigation Identity Theft Task Force until the unit was dissolved in 2009. I was selected as the Village of Lincolnshire Employee of the Year in 2006.

Lake County Major Crime Task Force:

As one result of my work as an investigator with other law enforcement officials at the local, county, state, national and international levels, I was selected to the Lake County Major Crime Task Force in 2006, after having been nominated by the Lincolnshire Police Department. The Task Force, comprised of 40 officers from throughout Lake County, investigates homicides, kidnapping, child abduction, officer-involved shootings, in custody deaths, and other suspected criminal activities. In 2011, I was appointed a Group Supervisor, with responsibility for a team of Task Force investigators; in 2012 I was promoted to Assistant Commander, with responsibilities for organizing and supervising surveillance and apprehension operations, identifying training needs, personnel evaluations, and Task Force policy administration.

Professional Experience:

As an investigator, I was responsible for the management of major cases handled by the Department, which required the ability to work productively with internal and external law enforcement resources. I organized, coordinated, and directed inter-agency investigations working with local, state, federal, and international authorities. Our combined efforts resulted in the apprehension and successful prosecution of murder suspects, kidnappers, and persons accused of fraud, embezzlement and involvement in identify theft, and locally related postal cases. I led a kidnapping investigation whereby we located the 10 year old victim in Mexico. With the assistance of the FBI, we were able to get her home and the offender was convicted and sentenced to both state and federal prison. I helped to spearhead the investigation into the largest theft case in Lake County history (theft in excess of $7.5 million) and also led the investigation into the only drug induced homicide ever charged in Lincolnshire. Both cases resulted in felony convictions.

I have participated in more than 2,200 hours of professional training and development and am a certified evidence technician, school resource officer, juvenile officer, homicide investigator, and crisis intervention officer and have detailed knowledge of local, state, federal and circuit court rules. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office acknowledges me as a recognized expert in the investigation of identity theft. I also successfully completed the Northwestern Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command.

American Sniper:

Story of Chris Kyle

Experience

Michael Adcock is a Texas Ranger for the Texas Department of Public Safety and assigned to Company “B’” which encompasses forty-two Counties in North Texas. Michael is a twenty- nine year veteran of Texas law enforcement. He has served as police officer, Lieutenant, and as Chief of Police.

Michael has worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety for the last twenty years, serving as a Trooper and as Sergeant with the Department’s Criminal Intelligence Service, before being promoted to Ranger in 2008. Michael primarily conducts investigations that range from murders, kidnappings, and other violent crimes, to public integrity crimes. Michael has been actively involved in Major investigations throughout the State to include the Kaufman County District Attorney’s Murders, Twin Peaks Biker Shootings, the second Fort Hood Shooting, and the Murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield.

Michael is a 2014 graduate of the University of Tennessee’s National Forensic Academy. Michael serves as team leader of Company “B” Crime Scene Team and as a member of the Division’s Major Crime Scene Team. Michael serves as a member of the Texas Ranger’s Crime Scene Working Group. Michael is an active member of the International Association of Identification (IAI).

Michael Jackson

Death Investigation

Experience

Detective Orlando Martinez has been a sworn police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for over twenty-two years and is currently assigned to Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD). He has worked in the Homicide and Robbery unit for fifteen years investigating murders committed during the commission of robberies, gang related murders, narcotic related murders, domestic dispute murders, murders for hire, other types of felony murders, street robberies, business robberies and other miscellaneous types of robberies. Prior to that, Detective Martinez worked uniformed field investigation as well as specialized units. These specialized units included divisional gang suppression unit (CRASH), Narcotics Division Field Enforcement Section (FES), Operations Valley Bureau auto theft task force (CECAT), divisional bicycle patrol details and a divisional Special Problems Unit (SPU). He is a member in good standing or has been a member of the California Homicide Investigator’s Association, the International Homicide Investigator’s Association and the California Robbery Investigator’s Association. He currently holds Basic and Intermediate certificates awarded by the California Commission of Police Officers Standards and Training (POST} and is a POST certified instructor for gang school, homicide school and supervisor’s school.

Pulse Nightclub Tragedy:

Investigation and Response

Experience

On June 14, 2016, Joshua D. Stephany, MD was confirmed for a three-year term as the Orange County Chief Medical Examiner and Division Manager of the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office, which includes Orange and Osceola Counties.

Dr. Stephany completed his residency training in pathology at Orlando Health. He was hired by the county in 2007 as an associate medical examiner and worked closely with his predecessor, Dr. Jan Garavaglia, widely known for her work on the cable program “Dr. G Medical Examiner” on Discovery Fit & Health. Before his appointment Dr. Stephany served as the Interim Chief Medical Examiner, following the retirement of Dr. Jan Garavaglia in May 2015.

Dr. Stephany was selected based on his vast experience, his education, and based on his strong relationships throughout the District. Just days before his confirmation, Dr. Stephany and his team were called to respond to the Pulse Nightclub shooting. Under his leadership, the response to this immense tragedy has demonstrated the utmost care and professionalism, attributes he continues to demonstrate today.

Dr. Stephany graduated magna cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science degree in medical laboratory science. He attended St. George’s University School of Medicine earning her Medical Doctor’s degree. He completed his Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at Orlando Regional Medical Center and went on to complete a forensic pathology fellowship at the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Dr. Stephany previously served as Associate Medical Examiner to the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office and clinical assistant professor in forensic pathology at Florida State University College of Medicine.