Wayne Williams (Atlanta Child Killer) Case Study

Wayne Williams (Atlanta Child Killer) - Case Study Example The deaths were as a result of asphyxiation and strangulation. On each of the recovered victim, there were varying types of microscopic evidence ranging from dog fur, carpet fibers, and blanket fibers. It was noted that once the facts about the killings were publicized by the press, the killings went on, but the victims started appearing nude or partially nude in the Chattahoochee River (Nickell, 2011). The change in the killer’s way of handling the victims was a clear indication that the killer was keen on the media’s reports regarding the killings and was determined to clear any signs of trace evidence (Mallard, 2009). In May of 1981, intelligence officials were in high hopes of getting the killer whereby they launched surveillance along the Chattahoochee River. As they were carrying out surveillance, intelligence officers heard a loud splash and then saw a station wagon in the area along the river. At the time of the splash, there was no immediate discovery of any body. However, the intelligence offers went on to question the 23-year-old male driver who admitted that he had dropped a bag of garbage into the water. On the second day after the questioning of the driver, the body of a young black male was discovered in the Chattahoochee River at a location downstream from where intelligence officers questioned the driver (Lester, 1995). Forensic examination of the identified body revealed that the body had unique man-made yellow and green carpet fibers. This crucial evidence was found on the victim’s hair, and it matched fiber evidence identified on other victims. This piece of evidence made intelligence officers conduct a search in Wayne Williams’ house, where yellow and green carpet material was identified across many areas of the house. Convinced by the discovery of fiber that matched that found on Wayne’s carpeting material, intelligence officers were in no doubts that the killer they had been