LA Forensics: A Friend's Betrayal

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Putting the Pieces Together

Next to Tammy's body was a large heavy lamp that was shattered on one end and covered with blood. The broken pieces were also bloody, as if they were used as weapons as well.

"Whoever did this beat her and then beat her again," Raquel concluded. "And then after the pieces were too small to wield as a weapon, then he took another item, and then beat her with this item again till it broke into smaller pieces, then took the time to pick up another small item..."

The amount of blood on each item was significant because it told Raquel which was used first; the heaviest amount of blood would be the final weapon. First she was struck with a candlestick holder in the bathroom, then the ottoman, the vase and the lamp. Blood was also collected for a DNA test. An area of particular interest was the bathroom sink, where a bloody washcloth was left. A water bottle with a bloody fingerprint was also in the bathroom, as were bloody paper towels in the trashcan.

Harry Klann DNA Technician Leader

It appeared that Tammy was raped because her pants and underwear were rolled down and discarded on the floor. Blood was discovered on her thighs, on the inside of her pants and on the inside of her bra, meaning that she had already been beaten when the rape occurred. Her vaginal area would be swabbed for semen. 

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1. Skid Row
2. A Violent Struggle
3. A Different Kind of Detective
4. Putting the Pieces Together
5. The Search for a Motive
6. Troy Powell
7. Zeroing in on the Suspect
8. On the Lam
9. A Big Break
10. Making the Bust
11. Murder One
12. Powell's Defense
13. Fighting for His Life