Re: 2/1/04 - Hartford Courant: The Case is Still Open
The Case is Still Open
February 1, 2004
By Gary Libow
Five years after Suzanne Jovin's murder, a New Haven detective remains specifically focused on solving a murder with scant forensic evidence and no eyewitnesses.
When asked recently if James Van de Velde is still a suspect, New Haven Deputy Police Chief Bryan Norwood said, "I would say the prime suspect."
Norwood, former head of detectives, said he remains confident the murderer will be apprehended. There has been investigative progress in the past year, he said, but refused comment when asked if forensic technology advances contribute to his optimism the murderer will be convicted.
Over the years, police have repeatedly declined to divulge the contents of their investigative file and comment specifically on their active investigation, claiming disclosure would taint their probe and put sources at risk.
Henry Lee, a respected forensic expert, still laments he wasn't immediately summoned by New Haven police when the crime scene was fresh five years ago.
"In solving cases, you need a lot of ingredients to work together. ...The most important is the crime scene," Lee said in late January. "I wasn't called to the crime scene. You have no crime scene to work with.
"Second, you need the physical evidence. Third, you need the witness. Fourth, a little bit of luck."
Lee, retired as state public safety commissioner, still works at the state police forensic lab in Meriden. "We will never give up on any case."
Lee said he's willing to revisit the unsolved murder if a top law enforcement official, such as State's Attorney Michael Dearington of New Haven, requested his expertise.
"It's out of my hands now," Lee said. "If Michael asked, I'd definitely help. I am willing to take a look."
But Lee quickly stressed he "can't guarantee" solving the Jovin murder because only scant forensic evidence exists.
Lee found problems with some of Van de Velde's suggestions for further forensic analysis.
For instance, Lee said the fingerprints harvested from the Fresca soda bottle are inadequate to extract DNA. Those partial fingerprints are essentially a smear, only offering a few ridges, he said.
Regarding pinpointing the ethnicity of the person whose DNA was found under Jovin's fingernails, Lee said he doesn't know how much of that DNA remains and where it is. That advanced technology poses risks, including destruction of the precious DNA sample, he said.
"It's way beyond what the state police lab can do," Lee said.
Gary Libow is a Courant staff writer who has covered the Jovin murder case from the beginning.
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