- 1983 murder of 19-year-old Christina Castiglione.
- “The work that was done back in 1983 to preserve the evidence, to process the scene, was an outstanding effort by everybody that was at the scene, detectives as well as the responding deputies,” Sheriff Mike Murphy said.
- Cold case team evaluated the case.
- In March 2022, the Sheriff’s Office applied for and received grant funding through Season of Justice to conduct advanced DNA testing on the samples taken in 1983.
- In May 2022, DNA evidence from the case was sent to Othram Inc., a private forensic laboratory in Texas. Othram scientists used “forensic-grade genome sequencing” to develop a comprehensive genealogical profile from the DNA of the unknown suspect.
- Othram’s in-house genealogical team used the genealogical profile to produce leads. Othram returned the leads to the Livingston County Cold Case Team, which used the leads to continue following up on the this murder.
- Said Sheriff Murphy: “We are hopeful that the surviving family members of Christina Castiglione, along with victims and families of other violent unsolved crimes who have been awaiting justice for decades, experience closure as genealogical DNA continues to help law enforcement advance efforts to achieve justice for victims.”
As a reader observed: “Looks like Livingston County has no problem applying genealogy, even seeking grants, and investigating dead suspects. I guess they figure the victims and their families deserve the effort.”
And another DNA/genealogy success announced yesterday in a 52-year-old case:
https://www.aol.com/discarded-cigarette-butt-dna-tests-205835237.html
In 2019, a team of Burlington, VT, PD detectives, officers, technicians and others began working the case as though it had just happened. That’s how the killer, who died of a drug overdose in 1986, was identified and the case closed.
The evidence in the OCCK case may all be garbage. But you don’t know until you test the kids’ clothing (FOUR sets of clothing) and I mean using advanced DNA testing, not your standard state lab check-off-the-box tests. The public is owed an explanation as to why these tests have not been run or rerun and why there are/are not any answers. Ideally the families would be notified first, but that may be asking too much.
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Wow. I’m in tears. For her family to have closure after all these years…. HOPE. It’s out there ❤️🩹.
What is so frustrating as well is if the DNA was all destroyed or whatever, how about going back to good old fashioned detective work?
If a polygraph can eliminate a suspect (which LE loves to do), then why can’t it also cause further questioning? Yes, I know, that’s a rhetorical question… They could gather up all those that have failed their polygraphs, or had inconclusive, and re-test. (Hastings, Gunnels, etc)
They could question all the Gunnels kids- aren’t there 3 of them? Specifically Vince of course. I don’t buy that his brain is too addled by drugs to provide any valid info. Great excuse, but I don’t think you forget the horror show he lived back then.
They could really push on Sloan and Lamborgine. Maybe even talk to the surviving Busch brother and the Busch nephews. (I feel awful for them).
If they aren’t willing to do a poly, maybe someone could go talk to Sweaty Hastings and see if he will talk
Maybe check in with Kenny Bowman since it is possible he saw Tim. (I feel terrible for him too)
Re-look for fingerprints and process the ones they have. (Or should I assume those are gone too? I seem to remember reading about a perfect fingerprint that was on Kristine?)
I am sure there is more but those are just thoughts off the top of my head. As an aside, it will never make sense to me that they will tear apart and examine an entire house for DNA (Busch) but won’t take a closer look at 4 sets of clothes. (Of course, that may have just been for show).
I think what is a true shame is that nobody in Law Enforcement will talk to the families and provide an update on the case. Cowards.
And how about Georgia polygrapher Steve Duncan who conducted the most recent polygraphs on Hastings? He did not respond to any of my entreaties–another member of the secret polygraph society, apparently. WTF? Ken Bowman went to the Birmingham PD to once again tell his story (not that many years ago). A B’ham commander wrote up a report and sent it on to the MSP and Sean Callaghan at the FBI, and they BLEW HIM OFF. I believe the fingerprints from Sloan’s Bonneville are lost, so I am sure any other fingerprints are either gone or not easily accessed. They tore apart the Busch home, but the state lab merely “filed” that evidence. I do not believe any of it was ever tested. I do not believe animal hairs were ever sent to animal DNA expert Joy Halverson, despite the MSP initially contacting her.
What does all of this say? More than a few “somebodies” do not want this case solved. Ever. And so far, they are winning. They “service” the case, refuse comment, and wait for more witnesses and family members to die.
I was reading around some and came across this document (link at bottom of this comment) that states the hairs from the Busch home on Morningview were sent to Quantico. However, I don’t know that anything ever came back.
Also, in this same document it does mention that Greene may have been out on bond when Tim was abducted. (I know there is a lot of controversy around that). That is on the third page of the document in this post. (officially page 70 of the original document) However, I assume it was proven he was in jail in another document as that seems to be the consensus?
https://catherinebroad.blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ocp-26.pdf
This document also talks about how Gunnels failed his polygraph miserably. Why do they do polygraphs??? Pass/Fail, doesn’t matter, they all go free.
KP, this case has a very long history (dating back to 1-27-77) of the cynical use and manipulation of the system’s reliance on police polygraph tests.
Disregard my comment about Greene/Prison. I see the post with all the proof of him being in jail. I just didn’t have it all in my brain.
https://catherinebroad.blog/2021/05/21/was-greene-in-prison-on-march-16-1977/