Height x Width x Depth (In plastic bag): 4 x 6 7/8 in. (10.16 x 17.46 cm)
Type:
Crime Evidence
Date:
1995
Description:
The specimens of glue, thread (this object), and ribbon used in the construction of a mail bomb were recovered from the crime scene. As the investigation expanded, the victim’s husband, an officer at a local military base, became a primary suspect. Postal inspectors obtained a search warrant for his home hoping to find physical evidence linking him to the crime. After 13 hours of searching, they found samples of glue, dark thread, and light blue ribbon. These items appeared to be similar to materials found at the crime scene – but this evidence was still circumstantial.
Modern law enforcement relies heavily upon science and technology to catch criminals. Through chemical analysis, forensic scientists determined that the glue sample obtained from the suspect’s home was an exact match of the glue used to construct the bomb. Further, the scientists determined that not only did both ribbon specimens match as well, but that the end cut of the ribbon in the suspect’s home matched the end cut of the ribbon found at the crime scene. Not surprisingly, the samples of thread were exact matches as well.
