Re: 12/19/02 - New Haven Register: Many paths unexplored in Jovin case
Many paths unexplored in Jovin case
Letter to the Editor December 19, 2002
Regarding the article "Police asked to turn over Jovin probe," here are but a few examples of what the state Cold Case Unit could do to complement the Suzanne Jovin murder investigation but which the chief of police, apparently, opposes:
• Compare the fingerprints found on crime scene evidence with all local and national databases, as well as the FBI's partial-fingerprint database.
• Compare the DNA found under the fingernails of Jovin with all local and national databases.
• Take the DNA to a molecular biologist, such as Professor Brian Sykes at Oxford's Institute of Molecular Medicine, who can determine the ethnicity of the individual.
• Give the fingerprints to molecular forensic scientists, who can determine the age of the individual who left the prints.
• Give Jovin's clothing to a forensic microscopy expert, such as Skip Palenik in Chicago, who might find unique molecules (not just fibers) to link to a specific place or individual or van. (For instance, microscopic dirt might have transferred from the killer to Jovin if he placed his body against hers, such as pollen or molecular bits of tire rubber that trace to a region, vehicle, town or, ideally, an individual.)
• Take the tip of the murder weapon found in Jovin's body to the University of Connecticut's Department of Metallurgy to determine the type of weapon used in the crime.
• Make use of regional and national motor vehicle records and other federal agencies to locate the van seen at the crime.
• Elicit the help of the U.S. Army Forensic Laboratory at Fort Gillam, Ga., which has a 70 percent success rate at solving cold cases.
Why does Yale University President Richard Levin remain so consistently silent regarding the murder of a Yale student and oppose the involvement of state experts?
Why has Mayor John DeStefano Jr. remained so silent throughout the Jovin investigation circus? Does he have something to hide?
What happened to the state's April 2001 request for assistance in locating the van seen at the crime? What type of van do they seek? Why can't the city use assistance if they haven't even found the right van?
State's Attorney Michael Dearington stated over a year ago that should the DNA found under Jovin's fingernail not match an innocent contact, it likely would match the killer. Has it matched anyone? Why can't the city use state and national assistance if they haven't matched the DNA yet?
Since the state's Cold Case Unit complements, and does not supplant, local law enforcement, why would the chief of police shun any expert assistance ever?
Why does Chief Melvin Wearing want another year to try to solve it himself and allow a murderer to perhaps murder again in the meantime?
Only in New Haven would the mayor, the chief of police and the president of Yale place their reputations ahead of finding a murderer. The city is a disgrace.
James Van de Velde
Washington, D.C.
©New Haven Register 2002
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