PENNSYLVANIA HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS ASSOCIATION

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1 President Cpl. Thomas McAndrew PA State Police - Hazleton 250 Dessen Dr. West Hazleton, PA (570) thmcandrew@pa.gov Vice President Cpl. Shawn Williams Pennsylvania State Police Troop N 6850 Hidlay Church Rd Bloomsburg, PA (570) shawwillia@pa.gpv Treasurer Thomas N. Jordan SCPD Detective, Retired 2795 Earlystown Road Centre Hall, PA (814) Tomjordan129@yahoo.com Secretary Det. Chris Weaver State College Police Dept. 243 South Allen Street State College, PA (814) cweaver@statecollegepa.us First Vice President Sgt. William E. Wagner (Ret) Penn State Police Dept. waggs3228@yahoo.com Second Vice President Tpr. Peter J. Salerno (Ret) PA State Police - Hazleton peterjsaleron@gmail.com Third Vice President Tpr. 1 st Class Robert Levan PA State Police Headquarters Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit 1800 Elmerton Ave. Harrisburg, PA rlevan@pa.gov Forth Vice President Gerry Gallagher P.O. Box 43 Orangeville, PA gerrygallagher@verizon.net

2 Law Enforcement Fatalities Hit Highest Level in Five Years National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund on Dec 30, 2016 The 135 officer fatalities in 2016 are a 10 percent increase over the 123 who died in the line of duty last year and is the highest total since 2011 when 177 officers made the ultimate sacrifice. Law enforcement fatalities nationwide rose to their highest level in five years in 2016, with 135 officers killed in the line of duty, according to preliminary data compiled and released Thursday by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) in their 2016 Law Enforcement Fatalities Report. The 135 officer fatalities in 2016 are a 10 percent increase over the 123 who died in the line of duty last year and is the highest total since 2011 when 177 officers made the ultimate sacrifice. Firearms-related incidents were the number one cause of death in 2016, with 64 officers shot and killed across the country. This represents a significant spike 56 percent over the 41 officers killed by gunfire in Of the 64 shooting deaths of officers this year, 21 were the result of ambush-style attacks the highest total in more than two decades. Eight multipleshooting death incidents claimed the lives of 20 officers in 2016, tied with 1971 for the highest total of any year since Those incidents included five officers killed in ambush attacks in Dallas (TX) and three in Baton Rouge (LA) spanning 10 days in July. Fifty-three officers were killed in traffic-related incidents in 2016, which was 10 percent more than the 48 killed on roadways in Of the 53 traffic-related deaths, 28 died in automobile crashes, 15 were struck and killed while outside of their vehicle and 10 were killed in motorcycle crashes. Prior to 2016, traffic-related incidents have been the number one cause of officer fatalities in 15 of the last 20 years. Eighteen officers died from other causes in 2016, including 11 who died from job-related illnesses mostly heart attacks while performing their duties. Other causes included beatings (3), a drowning, a fall, an aircraft crash and a stabbing. Among the states, Texas had the highest number of officer fatalities, with 17, followed by California with 10, Louisiana with nine, Georgia with eight, and Michigan with six. Six Federal law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2016, along with four from the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico and one tribal officer. Six of the fallen officers in 2016 were female. Among the officers who died this year, the average age was 40, and the average length of service was 13 years. Page 2 of 10

3 "Public safety is a partnership and, too often, the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement professionals is taken for granted," observed NLEOMF President and CEO Craig W. Floyd. "We must never forget that 900,000 law enforcement officers nationwide risk their lives every day for our safety and protection. And, this year, 135 of those men and women did not make it home to their families at the end of their shift. As we begin the new year, let us all resolve to respect, honor, and remember those who have served us so well and sacrificed so much in the name of public safety." There are currently 20,789 names of officers killed in the line of duty inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, dating back to the first known death in Over the past decade ( ) the average annual number of officer fatalities has been 151. The deadliest year on record for law enforcement was 1930 when 307 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. The last time officer fatalities dipped below 100 for a single year was The statistics released are based on preliminary data compiled by the NLEOMF and do not represent a final or complete list of individual officers who will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in For a complete copy of the preliminary 2016 Law Enforcement Fatalities Report, go to: TRYING TO GIVE VICTIM S BACK THEIR NAME Cpl. Thomas McAndrew PHIA President, PA State Police Hazleton There are thousands of homicides across this country that simply cannot be solved until victims are identified. By some estimates there are as many as 40,000 unidentified bodies across the United States and these victims remain in graveyards and morgues with little or no effort to identify them. Pennsylvania is not immune to this problem. Unfortunately, there is no organized initiative to determine exactly how many unidentified cases there are in Pennsylvania, despite the fact that we have now reached a time when modern science can greatly further these investigations. The Federal government has made efforts to attack this problem. For a decade now the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUS, has been used by law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, and the public. This system met the need for a free and secure centralized repository for cases involving missing persons and unidentified remains. As of 2016, over 12,000 unidentified person cases were reported to NamUS and over 2,000 of them have been resolved. Page 3 of 10

4 There are, unfortunately, those cases that will never reach the NamUS system or benefit from scientific advancements unless these cases are located and victims exhumed. In the fall of 2016, through a federal grant administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Dr. Erin Kimmerle, a noted forensic anthropologist from the University of South Florida, traveled with a team of assistants to Pennsylvania to exhume four victims buried in two cemeteries in Luzerne County. These victims will now have DNA samples entered in a national database, facial reconstructions performed, and isotope analysis will help isolate what geographic region they might be from. However, it takes cooperation to make these things happen. The Luzerne County exhumations would not have taken place without assistance from the University of South Florida s Institute for Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science (IFAAS), the National Institute of Justice, the Luzerne County District Attorney s office, the Luzerne County Coroner s Office, and Lehigh County Coroner Scott GRIM, who provided much needed assistance and support throughout the project. It will take additional cooperation of law enforcement investigators and coroner s offices to determine exactly how many unidentified cases can possibly be solved if only we apply what tools are available to us today. It will also require that investigators obtain family reference samples in long-term or suspicious missing person cases, for submission to the national database as well. At the same time we must think of the future, so that if unidentified remains are located today, sufficient samples are obtained, analyzed, and stored for possible future testing. Many states are accomplishing these things through legislation, to include New York, Ohio, and Florida. Ever since the beginning of human history, one of the most commonly seen traditions that seemingly transcend all barriers, whether they be race, religion, or politics in marking the area where a loved one was laid to rest. But as time continues to tick, we move in a direction where these people, these victims, will forever be forgotten and remain in unmarked graves. We have the power to make this happen, individually but especially collectively. It s just a matter of doing it. There will be those who question why we still care about these old cases when there are so many new cases coming in. That s easy - it s the right thing to do. While preparing for the four Luzerne County exhumations, a case was discovered that was closed in 1970 without the victim ever being positively identified. The investigator at the time closed the report by writing Because there are no avenues of investigation at the present time, this investigation is being terminated until a time when there is new information or evidence available. That time is now. Page 4 of 10

5 PENNSYLVANIA HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS ASSOCIATION 2017 SPRING TRAINING CONFERENCE The Pennsylvania Homicide Investigators Association is hosting a training conference for law enforcement officers and their affiliates. This year we are featuring the one-week ADVANCED PRACTICAL HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION SEMINAR presented by Lt. Commander (Retired) Vernon J. Geberth, President of P.H.I. Investigative Consultants along with three additional speakers; Dr. Wendy Lavezzi, Forensic Pathologist, Lt. Tracy Harpster, Moraine, Ohio PD and Ms. Andrea Zaferes, Forensic Aquatic-Death Investigator. Topics covered by our four featured speakers include Advanced Investigative Tactics, Procedures and Techniques, Sex Related Homicides, Lust Murders, Suicide and Equivocal Death, Deviate Sexuality, Crime Scene Investigation, Pathology and Autopsy Section, Analysis of calls, and Homicidal Drowning Investigation. For additional information about this curriculum please visit ( or ( Date: Location: Accommodations: Conference Fee: Registration: Training Coordinator: Meals: April 03 through April 07, (Monday Friday) Registration: Monday (04/03/16) from 7:30AM to 8:00AM Instruction Period: 8:00AM to 5:00 PM Ramada Inn and Conference Center ( South Atherton Street State College, PA (814) A block of rooms has been reserved for those attending the PHIA conference. Individuals are responsible for making your own reservations. Our rate is $72.00+tax per night. Deadline for this rate is 03/27/17. Cost for the five-day conference is $ per person. This includes five days of top notch instruction as well as applicable hand out materials. PHIA membership fee is included in the seminar package cost. Early applications are encouraged due to space limitations (100 attendees). Please send the registration form and the checks to the training coordinator. Deadline for registration is March 27, Checks should be made payable to P.H.I.A. Thomas N. Jordan (PHIA Treasurer) District Court Earlystown Road Centre Hall, PA Continental breakfast and mid-morning and afternoon refreshments are included with seminar costs. Lunch and dinner not included. Page 5 of 10

6 P.H.I.A. REGISTRATION FORM ADVANCED PRACTICAL HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION FIVE DAY SEMINAR April 03 April 07, 2017 Ramada Inn and Conference Center 1450 South Atherton Street State College, PA (814) $ Per Person -Includes P.H.I.A. Dues for 2017 and Lt. Cmdr. Geberth s Sex- Related Homicide and Death Investigation Text Book FULL NAME: TITLE/RANK: DEPARTMENT / TROOP: UNIT: WORK ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP: WORK TELEPHONE WITH AREA CODE: WORK FAX NUMBER: ADDRESS: MAIL APPLICATIONS TO: (PHIA EIN # ) Thomas N. Jordan, PHIA District Court Earlystown Road Centre Hall, PA Phone: (814) (tomjordan129@yahoo.com) CHECKS OR PURCHASE ORDERS ONLY PAYABLE TO P.H.I.A. This is the only time the Advanced Practical Homicide Investigation will be held in the northeast in Page 6 of 10

7 Vernon J. Geberth, M.S, M.P.S., B.B.A. Lieutenant Commander (Ret.) NYPD Practical Homicide Investigation Commander Vernon Geberth is retired Lieutenant-Commander of the New York City Police Department with over 40 years of law enforcement experience. He has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and holds dual Master s degrees in Forensic Psychology and Criminal justice. Commander Geberth is a graduate of the FBI national Academy and is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). Lieutenant Commander Geberth, is the author of Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques, now in its Fourth Edition and is recognized in the law enforcement field as "The Bible of Homicide Investigation" and the Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field Guide, which is considered by professionals as an essential prerequisite in conducting proficient death inquiries. Commander Geberth is also the author of Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation: Practical and Clinical Perspectives Second Edition, which is considered the framework textbook on sex-related murder. Commander Geberth is a nationally renowned lecturer, author, educator, consultant and expert witness on the subject of death investigation. He has appeared in numerous local, national and international television programs answering questions on the subject of murder, and providing insight, analysis and commentary with respect to all aspects of homicide and death investigations. Geberth has been referenced as a media consultant on a myriad of national major cases across the United States and Canada. Over 60,000 members from over 7,500 law enforcement agencies have attended Geberth's Practical Homicide Investigation seminars. In his seminars Geberth focuses on Advanced Tactics, Procedures and Forensic Techniques and presents Equivocal Death, Suicide and Missed Investigations as well Serial Murder Investigation and the application of abnormal psychology to the investigative process. Page 7 of 10

8 DR. WENDY LAVEZZI, M.D. FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST Forensic Pathologist Chief Medical Examiner, District 5, State of Florida "Dr. Wendy Lavezzi is Deputy Medical Examiner for District 5, which covers five counties in the State of Florida. Prior to her present assignment a Deputy Medical Examiner at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office in Chicago, IL. She is board certified in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Forensic Pathology. She completed her medical school and residency training in Albany, NY, and then finished her training with a fellowship in Forensic Pathology in Chicago. Before attending medical school, Dr. Lavezzi had a 15-year career as a registered nurse, with a specialty in critical care. She has given lectures and seminars in Forensic Pathology at the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the Chicago Bar Association, and various medical residency programs. She also provides clinical teaching to medical students, resident physicians, and paramedic students, and police trainees." Page 8 of 10

9 ANDREA ZAFERES Forensic Aquatic-Death Investigator & Expert Witness Medicolegal Investigator Homicidal Drowning Investigation Team Lifeguard Systems, Inc. Andrea Zaferes serves as a medicolegal investigator for Dutchess County in New York State. She is also Vice President of Lifeguard Systems Inc. and RIPTIDE Inc. Ms. Zaferes serves as a course director and instructor trainer and is a well published author and noted public speaker and award winner, As a program designer, Andrea Zeferes is one of the leading trainers in the international water rescue and recovery industries today. Andrea graduated from University of Michigan with a BA in Psychology and has completed numerous courses in basic death investigation and is a graduate of the Master s Conference in Death Investigation, St Louis University. Andrea has been certified in numerous states and has been presenting forensic training since 1999 throughout the United States and Canada. She has also taught in Puerto Rico, Asia, The Caribbean and Costa Rica. Andrea Zaferes has investigated and worked on more than 30 scuba accident and fatality lawsuits and has consulted on more than 150 water related death cases. She is an Expert Legal Witness for diving and other water-related incidents and assists law enforcement in homicidal drowning investigations. Andrea Zaferes has published extensively in both journal articles and textbooks and has over 100 publications based on her research and experience. Page 9 of 10

10 Tracy Harpster, M.S, B.S., FBINA Lieutenant Moraine, Ohio Police Department (937) Lieutenant Tracy Harpster is a thirty-year veteran of the Moraine, Ohio Police Department and a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He has served as a patrolman, Sergeant, Detective Sergeant and Lieutenant in various assignments including supervising the Tactical Crime Suppression Narcotics Unit, The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. Lt. Harpster has a Master s of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University and is a 2004 Graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Lt. Harpster is a nationally renowned authority and has published extensively on the analysis of 9-1-1Calls. Lt. Harpster and Dr. Adams have co-authored an article entitled, 911 Homicide Call and Statement Analysis: Is the Caller the Killer? in multiple publications. In 2013, Lt. Harpster was accepted as a member of the Vidocq Society, a crime-solving organization that meets monthly at the Union League of Philadelphia In 2006, Lieutenant Harpster achieved a Graduate Degree from the University of Cincinnati where his Master s Thesis examined the indicators of innocence and guilt of 911 homicide callers reporting the offense. The study defined and analyzed the indicators in order to assist homicide detectives gain insight into the offense, suggest offender probability, and explore pertinent issues during the interview and interrogation phases of the investigation. Lieutenant Harpster has directly assisted on over 500 homicides and has analyzed over nine hundred 911 homicide calls, using the research to help solve the murders. Lt. Harpster has shared his research at homicide conferences across the country including the National Homicide Conference (2006, 2008, 2012, and 2014) and the International Homicide Conference (2010). Page 10 of 10