Forensic evidence is evidence obtained using scientific methods including but not limited to, ballistics, blood analysis, and DNA testing. This evidence is extremely important and is used to establish the guilt or innocence of suspects. There are so many tiny parts that go into solving a case. When one thing during an investigation is done wrong, or not found a case can go unsolved very easily. Without the right amount of evidence it is hard to convict a suspect of the crime in question. The Leanne Tiernan murder case is very special. There is so much forensic evidence involved and without this evidence it would have been impossible to find the killer of Leanne Tiernan.
Leanne Tiernan was a 16 year old girl in Bramley, West Yorkshire, England. She was abducted and murdered less than a mile away from her home on November 26th, 2000. Her body was finally discovered on August 20th, 2001 in a wooded area on the boarder of West and North Yorkshire. This case became one of the largest West Yorkshire Police had ever seen. This case consisted of the search of 1,750 buildings, 1,400 house to house inquiries, 32 drainage wells, underwater searches, 12 search warrants, 200 officers, and hundreds of volunteers. DNA samples were taken from 140 men that were interviewed by the police. On December 4th, 2000 an E-FIT facial composite was made of a man that witnesses saw walking a dog near the area Leanne was last seen shortly after she disappeared. This evidence and E-FIT composite would later prove to be Leanne’s killer, John Taylor. John Taylor lived on the same housing estate as Leanne Tiernan. This housing estate was only a mile away from where Leanne Tiernan was abducted. He was known as the “pet man” by his neighbors since he had many dogs and ferrets. Taylor was a parcel delivery worker for parcel force. He only had one prior conviction, which was a theft when he was 15 years old. Taylor was considered trustworthy and ordinary by his friends and neighbors. Two former girlfriends of Taylor gave his name to police for investigation. Women that were questioned said he was known to tie women up and lock them in cupboards. He also had a fetish for bondage, whips and ties. One former girlfriend reported that Taylor used to tie her up using plastic cable ties around each of her wrists then he used a third cable tie to link them behind her back. There was an extreme amount of forensic evidence that linked John Taylor to the abduction and murder of Leanne Tiernan. All of this evidence was needed to prove he was guilty of this murder and possibly many others. While searching the woods for her body police and volunteers collected over 400 items and forensic scientists used them to compare DNA samples. Leanne was found with her wrists tied behind her back using three cable ties, exactly the way the former girlfriend of Taylor reported. The cable ties were manufactured by an Italian company who sold them to only the Royal Mail which Parcelforce, where Taylor was employed, was a subsidiary. These cable ties were found at Taylor’s home. A leather dog collar was found on Tiernan’s body around her neck holding a plastic bad in place over her head. Forensic scientists examined the collar and found out it was manufactured in Nottingham who then sold it to 220 different places. Detectives contacted each of the wholesalers and asked if any had been sold in the area. One company confirmed that they had records of three sales in the area and Taylor’s name was on that list. A scarf was found around Tiernan’s neck …show more content…
Taylor was convicted and received two life sentences. At the end of this trial the police officers believed he could also have been responsible for two other unsolved murders. On April 3rd, 2003 Taylor pleaded guilty to two other rapes committed before the Tiernan murder. He was further sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years. Since the police now had Taylor’s DNA profile they could open unsolved sex crimes where forensic evidence was still available using DNA extraction. As a result the police opened 10 more cold case murder
Leanne Tiernan was a 16 year old girl in Bramley, West Yorkshire, England. She was abducted and murdered less than a mile away from her home on November 26th, 2000. Her body was finally discovered on August 20th, 2001 in a wooded area on the boarder of West and North Yorkshire. This case became one of the largest West Yorkshire Police had ever seen. This case consisted of the search of 1,750 buildings, 1,400 house to house inquiries, 32 drainage wells, underwater searches, 12 search warrants, 200 officers, and hundreds of volunteers. DNA samples were taken from 140 men that were interviewed by the police. On December 4th, 2000 an E-FIT facial composite was made of a man that witnesses saw walking a dog near the area Leanne was last seen shortly after she disappeared. This evidence and E-FIT composite would later prove to be Leanne’s killer, John Taylor. John Taylor lived on the same housing estate as Leanne Tiernan. This housing estate was only a mile away from where Leanne Tiernan was abducted. He was known as the “pet man” by his neighbors since he had many dogs and ferrets. Taylor was a parcel delivery worker for parcel force. He only had one prior conviction, which was a theft when he was 15 years old. Taylor was considered trustworthy and ordinary by his friends and neighbors. Two former girlfriends of Taylor gave his name to police for investigation. Women that were questioned said he was known to tie women up and lock them in cupboards. He also had a fetish for bondage, whips and ties. One former girlfriend reported that Taylor used to tie her up using plastic cable ties around each of her wrists then he used a third cable tie to link them behind her back. There was an extreme amount of forensic evidence that linked John Taylor to the abduction and murder of Leanne Tiernan. All of this evidence was needed to prove he was guilty of this murder and possibly many others. While searching the woods for her body police and volunteers collected over 400 items and forensic scientists used them to compare DNA samples. Leanne was found with her wrists tied behind her back using three cable ties, exactly the way the former girlfriend of Taylor reported. The cable ties were manufactured by an Italian company who sold them to only the Royal Mail which Parcelforce, where Taylor was employed, was a subsidiary. These cable ties were found at Taylor’s home. A leather dog collar was found on Tiernan’s body around her neck holding a plastic bad in place over her head. Forensic scientists examined the collar and found out it was manufactured in Nottingham who then sold it to 220 different places. Detectives contacted each of the wholesalers and asked if any had been sold in the area. One company confirmed that they had records of three sales in the area and Taylor’s name was on that list. A scarf was found around Tiernan’s neck …show more content…
Taylor was convicted and received two life sentences. At the end of this trial the police officers believed he could also have been responsible for two other unsolved murders. On April 3rd, 2003 Taylor pleaded guilty to two other rapes committed before the Tiernan murder. He was further sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years. Since the police now had Taylor’s DNA profile they could open unsolved sex crimes where forensic evidence was still available using DNA extraction. As a result the police opened 10 more cold case murder