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The Chilling Crimes committed by Paul Bernardo and the Forensic Techniques Used to Reach a Verdict

FSCI – Introductory Forensic Science Nelson Lafreniere March 1st, 2021

Lamont 2 Paul Bernardo is a Canadian serial killer and rapist (Toronto Star, 1993). He faced two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of forcible confinement, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of kidnapping and 45 charges of sexual assault (Toronto Star, 1993). His most horrifying crimes included the murder of two young women as well as a series of rapes around Scarborough. He was known as the Scarborough Rapist (Gunn, 2007). Leslie Mahaffy, a young teenager was Paul’s first murder victim (Toronto Star, 1993). Her dismembered body parts covered in concrete were found by fishermen, floating in Lake Gibson on June 29th ,1991 (Toronto Star, 1993). His second murder victim was another young teenager, Kristen French. She was abducted, raped, and her body was found on April 30th, 1992 in a ditch along a rural road (Toronto Star, 1993). Paul Bernardo had also committed a series of rapes consisting of mostly teenage girls and young adults (Butts, 2007). The rapes generally occurred outdoors and were followed with threats so dire that they greatly deterred the survivors from going to the police (Butts, 2007). The important forensic evidence that was collected and that helped frame Bernardo included DNA found on victims, hair fibers and blunt-force injuries (Duncanson & Rankin, 1995). As Bernardo did not usually bring the victims inside his house, not much trace evidence had been left (Butts, 2007). Bernardo’s house had been torn inside out by forensic technicians in hope of finding anything to help attach Paul to all the crimes (Welsh, 1993). Forensic techniques used to analyze this evidence was DNA analysis and comparison. DNA analysis is the interpretation of genetic sequences (Saferstein, 2014). Swabs were taken from the victim’s body to be compared to samples from Bernardo, his blood, saliva etc. (Butts, 2007). The details of the blunt-force injuries found on Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French were deeply analyzed by a forensic pathologist (Duncanson & Rankin, 1995). Forensic pathologists study human remains to help solve a crime or cause of death (Saferstein, 2014). The blunt-force injury comparison and its similarities helped connect both murders of Mahaffy and French and then the DNA found of Kristen French was connected to the DNA attached to the series of rapes (Toronto Star, 1993). Another technique was hair comparison of some of the hairs found inside Paul’s house that greatly resembled hair from Kristen French (Legall, 1995). An analyst at the Centre for Forensic Science testified and told the jurors that the hairs found in Bernardo’s house were microscopically similar to that of Kristen French (Legall, 1995). Hair analysis is done by taking trace evidence, hair in this case, found at the scene of crime and comparing it to that of the

Lamont 3 victim (Saferstein, 2014). A comparison microscope was most likely used to draw this conclusion, as it was admitted in court (Saferstein, 2014). One specific technique that significantly contributed to the outcome of the investigation was DNA analysis. Since DNA provides a genetic fingerprint, it is important forensic evidence, but this is where the system failed. Originally, Bernardo had samples of blood and saliva taken as he was a suspect for the Scarborough Rapist, but there was not an exceeding amount of suspicion posed against him (Butts 2007). This means his DNA sample sat for months untouched (Pron, 2001). This case specifically exposed many systemic errors and implemented future standards to prevent an occurrence of this nature from happening again (Wickenheiser, 2003). This is the main procedure for proper DNA analysis. DNA analysis is performed by taking an isolated DNA sample, having it processed, and finally comparing, and interpretating the results (Barbisin & Shewale, 2013). The DNA swabbed from the victims is compared to the swab from the suspect to see if the DNA matches. DNA is compared by looking at the length of the strand and as well as the base pairings (Barbisin & Shewale, 2013). DNA analysis is very important to this case, because of the limited forensic evidence found (Welsh, 1993). Paul Bernardo’s DNA matched the DNA found on Kristen French as well as some of the other young teenage girls he had raped (Butts, 2007). This connection was important, as police had already made ties to his series of rapes and now the rapes could be connected to the murders (Butts, 2018). As stated above, the blunt-force injury comparison had connected the two murders to each other, and the DNA sample comparison made the final connection. With the amount of evidence presented for this case, Bernardo’s circumstances lead him straight to trial (Toronto Star, 1994). The judge ruled Paul Bernardo guilty of two counts of firstdegree murder as well as five other charges relating to the deaths of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy (Edmonton Journal, 1996). Some examples of the charges included: abducting, drugging, and confining the victims (Brown, 1995). Bernardo had 28 charges going into the trial, however he pleaded not guilty to 22 of them (Toronto Star, 1994). Bernardo was charged with a life sentence and would have no possibility for parole until he had served a minimum of 25 years (Van Rijn, 1995). Bernardo’s conviction was on September 1st, 1995 and he has since applied for parole (Brean, 2018). During his hearing in 2018, his request for parole was denied, as he was declared a dangerous offender, but Paul can apply for parole again in two years (Brean, 2018).

Lamont 4 References Barbisin, M., Shewale, J. (2013, August 22). Assessment of DNA Extracted from Forensic Samples Prior to Genotyping. [1st Ed.] Forensic DNA Analysis: Current Practices and Emerging Technologies https://www-taylorfrancis-com.uproxy.library.dcuoit.ca/books/forensic-dna-analysis-jaiprakash-shewale-rayliu/e/10.1201/b15361?refId=f2fb628b-e8b9-4acb-bf95-37748e7872d7 Brown, B. (1995, August 29). Defence lawyer urges manslaughter verdict; `Twisted' client deserves benefit of doubt; ON TRIAL: PAUL BERNARDO: [FINAL edition]. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dcuoit.ca/newspapers/defence-lawyer-urges-manslaughter-verdicttwisted/docview/252193015/se-2?accountid=14694 Butts, E. (2018, October 31). Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka Case. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/paulbernardo-and-karla-homolka-case Duncanson, J., & Rankin, J. (1995, June 08). Court empties for forensic evidence: [Final Edition]. Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dcuoit.ca/newspapers/court-empties-forensic-evidence/docview/437265480/se2?accountid=14694

Lamont 5 Gunn, L. (Ed.) (2003). Paul Bernardo and Karl Homolka. Encyclopedia of murder and violent crime. https://www-doi-org.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/10.4135/9781412950619 Legall, P. (1995, July 18). Locks of hair similar to teen's; expert also says fibres on body may have come from bernardo home; ON TRIAL: PAUL BERNARDO: [FINAL edition]. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/newspapers/locks-hair-similar-teensexpert-also-says-fibres/docview/252190399/se-2?accountid=14694 Legall, P. (1995, August 04). Psychologist explains battered-woman syndrome to jury; ON TRIAL: PAUL BERNARDO: [FINAL edition]. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/newspapers/psychologist-explainsbattered-woman-syndrome/docview/252197305/se-2?accountid=14694 Pron, N. (2001, Jan 03). Private labs to test DNA for RCMP ; auditor-general's criticism sparks move to speed up process in criminal cases: [ontario edition]. Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/newspapers/private-labs-testdna-rcmp-auditor-generals/docview/438243283/se-2?accountid=14694 Saferstein, R. (2014, February 14). Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science [11th Ed.]. Pearson.

Lamont 6 Toronto Star. (1993, February 18). [A "lucky" break based on strands of forensic DNA evidence ...]: [PM edition]. (1993, Feb 18). Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/newspapers/lucky-break-based-onstrands-forensic-dna/docview/436793778/se-2?accountid=14694 Toronto Star. (1994, May 04). Paul Bernardo's trial: [MET edition]. Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/newspapers/paul-bernardostrial/docview/437027802/se-2?accountid=14694 Toronto Star. (1993, February 19). Paul bernardo will plead not guilty to two murder charges: [FIN edition]. Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dcuoit.ca/newspapers/paul-bernardo-will-plead-not-guilty-twomurder/docview/436788596/se-2?accountid=14694 Wickenheiser, R. (2003, Oct 14). Faster forensics: [national edition]. National Post. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/newspapers/fasterforensics/docview/330232635/se-2?accountid=14694...