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https://vimeo.com/252226316/67cd16be50
Also included: Victim photos, suspect composites from Snapshot
Due to advances in DNA and DNA databases, Eugene Police Violent Crimes Unit detectives received a hit on three previously unlinked cases from the late 1980s, and then partnered with Parabon's Snapshot, a revolutionary forensic DNA analysis service that accurately predicts the physical appearance and ancestry of an unknown person from DNA. Today detectives released a Snapshot composite sketch of the suspect as he would have looked at age 25, and then age-progressed.
Detectives hope the release of this new information will generate new leads in these cases, and would like previously interviewed parties to come forward in the hope they may be able to help with these leads. The Eugene Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit has established a dedicated tip line for these cases and is asking anyone with information about these three murders to call the tip line at 541.682.5162.
Background and Info
On June 5, 1986, at approximately 2:42 p.m., Eugene Police and Eugene Fire Medics responded to an apartment at 255 High Street regarding deceased person Gladys May Hensley, age 62, who was located during a welfare check by an apartment employee after she had not been seen for several days. The investigation revealed that the death of Hensley was a murder and that it was likely that she was killed in the early hours on June 4, 1986. Police have not been able to locate the involved suspect, however, similarities in the murder and evidence at the scene connect the suspect with two additional murders, one that occurred in the same month and the other in February, 1988.
In August 2000, additional DNA work requests resulted in Hensley`s murder being connected to the June 19, 1986 murder of Janice Marie Dickinson, investigated by the Eugene Police Department, and the February 28, 1988 murder of Geraldine Spencer Toohey, investigated by the Oregon State Police.
Janice Dickinson, a 33-year-old white female, was found murdered behind the car dealership at 20 Coburg Road, Eugene. She was naked and had been sexually assaulted. Her death was attributed to brutal homicidal violence.
Geraldine Spencer Toohey, a 73-year-old white female, was found in her residence, on the 5400 block of Franklin Boulevard. Evidence of forced entry into the residence was discovered. Toohey had been sexually assaulted and her death was attributed to brutal homicidal violence
The Eugene Police Department investigated eight murders in 1986, four of which occurred in a three-month period beginning with Hensley`s murder. Several persons of interest were developed and thoroughly investigated over the years and have been excluded through DNA comparison. All three cases have lacked any strong leads.
In 2016, a new technology came to market, from Parabon Nano Labs, allowing the inference of physical characteristics of individuals based on DNA information. This service, Snapshot Phenotyping, was employed in this case and in September 2017 Eugene Police Investigators received the results.
Snapshot accurately predicts the physical appearance and ancestry of an unknown person from DNA. It can also determine kinship between DNA samples out to multiple degrees of relatedness. Snapshot is ideal for generating investigative leads, narrowing suspect lists, and solving human remains cases. Starting with extracted DNA or biological evidence, Parabon can produce a detailed Snapshot report and composite sketch that includes eye color, skin color, hair color, face morphology, and detailed biogeographic ancestry.
06/03/86 21:30, 200 BLOCK HIGH ST
Murder (Victim/Gladys May Hensley) -- 8608247
06/19/86 16:23, 20 COBURG RD
Murder -- 8609010 (Victim/Janice Marie Dickinson -- Mentioned/Geraldine Spencer Toohey murder, February 28, 1988, investigated by OSP)