S2: Ep2: Touch Me and Die

7/27/2017

It’s never easy, and certainly not common, to exhume a body. In the case of Robert Curley, however, it was imperative to finding out the truth surrounding his death. The trace evidence provided in a single strand of hair told the whole story.

Trace evidence is evidence so small that it is hard to see without magnification or enhancements such as alternative light spectrums or chemical treatment. A pioneer in this was Dr. Edmond Locard, who applied scientific methods to the interpretation of trace evidence. Locard’s exchange principle states that “every contact leaves a trace.” Meaning that a criminal will always (unknowingly) bring something on to the crime scene, and leave the crime scene with something.

A common item used in trace evidence is hair. Not only is it a valuable factor in the exchange principle, but a single strand of hair contains an incredible amount of information. We pull head hair on every homicide, especially in cases where long-term drug exposure is in question, or when needed for identification purposes. Some basic questions we must ask: Does the hair belong to the perpetrator or the victim? Was the hair cut or pulled? Is the sample good enough for DNA studies?

Information contained in hair was so important in this case, that it led to the decision to exhume the corpse. Despite atrophy of the body after years of being buried, we were able to retrieve a hair sample to perform hair segmentation analysis. Hair grows at a standard rate in humans, about 1.25cm a month. Certain drugs and heavy metal will cause lines in a hair follicle at the point of ingestion. It was clear in the case of Mr. Curley that he had ingested thallium salts, which a strand of his hair recorded, line by line. Given the constant rate of hair growth, we could go back from the closest marking on the hair to the scalp and do a retrogression analysis to observe the number and times of the exposure to the poison.

A strand of hair provided a virtual road map to the victim’s suffering and ultimately his murder. In this way, the body spoke to me from the grave.

3 Comments

Rosanne Govea

7/28/2017 06:53:05 am

I find the study of the hair to be fascinating. I've seen bits and pieces of this science when I've watched Forensic Files or other detective type programs over the years. It's amazing what you can find in a strand of hair. I've would have never thought so, but that's been proved wrong. Like I've maintained before, with the constant changes in Forensics it will be harder and harder for people to get away with murder. You never know what piece of evidence just might trip you up and land you in prison for life.

Adam Wittenborn

1/28/2019 04:42:05 am

I just watched the I.D channel show, secrets of the morgue on the curley case. They should have had you in the episode. The only medical examiner I saw was a NY examiner named Dr. Michael baden. Would have enjoyed hearing your input on the case. Love your show by the way. Thank you for sharing your lifes work and amazing skill set.

Albert Bardawil

3/5/2022 05:01:51 pm

Resent, as I am not sure it was submitted....

Dear Mr. Graham Hetrick,

I watch your program on ID, and when I saw the episode about Bob Curley, several month ago, it has stayed in my mind and has been nagging me ever since..I was just watching another episode just now, and I decided to google you and write to you.

I am writing to you about the death of Dame Zaha Hadid, world renowned architect (who designed One Thousand Museum Tower in Miami, amongst many projects worldwide ) that occurred in Miami, on the 31st of March 2016, at Mount Sinai Hospital; she was 65 years old...( please google her ).

The story of Bob Curley, who suddenly dies in hospital, I strongly suspect, is a similar story to what happened to Ms. Hadid in the few final years of her life. She was not able to walk properly, or even stand for an extended period of time, which was always very suspicious to me. Needless to say, that she had never mentioned anything to me, nor was her health condition known to me; I suspect her unusual condition was always kept under wraps, to protect her ongoing very successful business.

I understood from the Curley story, that after 3 years, his body was exhumed, through an investigation. Through the autopsy, by careful forensic hair analysis, it was established that this man was poisoned 7 times, over an 11 month period, leading to his ultimate death, by his wife.

Zaha was a good friend of mine, her body was transported to London, where she is now buried. Needless to mention that there was never any autopsy done, neither in Miami, nor in London. I suspect that she was persistently poisoned over an extended period of time, by whomever, that must be a trusted and close person or persons, that eventually led to her death, however this is only a deep suspicion that I hold and cannot shake it out of my mind.

She had a personal doctor, both in London and Miami.

I am writing to you now, from Beirut, Lebanon, and I am wondering whether you think, that such a case can be potentially solved through an investigation, or not ?

I would appreciate if you could kindly respond to me and let me know whether I could call you by telephone, to tell you all I know, with the deep hope that such a case can be solved, and I can then somehow try to initiate an investigation...

Currently a film is being prepared about her life, in London, by the director who had shot Chariots Of Fire, many years ago.

I was interviewed twice, over the phone during Corona, for the upcoming film. The lady researcher who interviewed me had mentioned to me, over a telephone conversation, that there were a few people that had been interviewed who were also suspicious of the circumstances of Zaha’s deteriorating health over her last few years, before she suddenly passed away.

I would appreciate if you could kindly respond to me by email, then I could give you a call, if at all possible.

Thank you very much.,

Albert Bardawil

VIEW FROM THE BODY BAG

S2: Ep2: Touch Me and Die

Leave a Reply.

Archives

Categories