CSI: Dayton

During a session of the Citizen's Academy in April, Deputy Mark Franklin explained some of the ways real homicide investigations differ from those on TV.

By Ken Graham

At around 6:00 p.m. on a June evening in 2002, Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Franklin responded to a 911 call that someone had been shot. "When I got to the house, I didn't know if the shooter was still there," says Franklin. "It was very tense, but I was able to do a sweep of the house and determine that he had left." There were two victims in the house and two ambulances and backup deputies were on their way.

Franklin transmitted the suspect's name, clothing description and possible direction of travel to the dispatcher, and seven minutes after the initial response, then Under-Sheriff, and current Sheriff, Walt Hessler, had Daniel Huwe in custody less than two blocks from the scene. Huwe was later convicted of murdering Lenore Lawrence, and is now serving a 38-year sentence.

"In a situation like this, our first priority is to make sure the scene is safe for medical personnel to treat the victims," says Franklin. "Once that is done, we begin the long process of investigation."

During his presentation to the Citizen's Academy in early April, Franklin described the steps taken by the Sheriff's department in any major crime investigation. He used the Huwe case as an example. "I began by taking notes and drawing sketches of the scene," he says. Franklin pointed out that he marvels at all of the high-tech equipment the investigators have at their disposal on the CSI TV shows. "I get jealous and I have to turn off the TV," he says. In reality, Franklin says, the investigative equipment he has is just a pencil and pad, and a digital camera. "We have the training and tools to identify, photograph, collect, preserve and package any number of types of potential evidence: wet or dry; hardware such as broken glass or bits of wood and metal; or clothing."

Franklin took hundreds of digital photos that evening. Photos were taken throughout the house and along the route taken by the assailant to where he was apprehended. While Franklin worked processing the crime scene in the house, other deputies were stationed outside, keeping the house secure. "It is extremely important that nothing is disturbed at the crime scene," he says. While Franklin worked at the scene, Deputies Jeff Jenkins and Lee Brown collected evidence from the suspect at the Sheriff's office.

"At about ten-o'clock that night we sealed off the house," says Franklin. The house was observed by deputies throughout the night to make sure no one disturbed the scene. "At this point I had to prepare an affidavit for a search warrant so the crime scene could be re-entered and the investigation continued the next morning."

Two technicians from the Washington State Crime lab in Spokane, which is operated by the Washington State Patrol, arrived in Dayton before nine-o'clock the next morning. Their job was not to gather evidence, but to assist the local investigators with identification, prioritization, handling and packaging. Local deputies collected and prepared the evidence for testing. "We spent the whole day gathering and cataloging evidence at the house," says Franklin. "We had to make sure we got everything we needed. There wouldn't be a chance to go back later."

Franklin spent the next several days documenting and preparing evidence to send to the crime lab. "On TV you don't get to see how much paperwork is involved," says Franklin. Laboratory Examination Forms have to be completed for every piece of evidence, telling what it is and what type of examination is being requested. "If more than one test is necessary, we must determine what order the exams will be in, so as not to damage things such as finger prints or DNA that may be required following the first or second test," he says.

Six days after the homicide, Franklin drove to Spokane and hand-delivered 35 pieces of evidence to the crime lab. The lab was asked to do a series of tests, including DNA testing, latent fingerprinting and ballistics testing. The results came back in about nine weeks. Franklin says that the work of the state crime lab is a great help for local law enforcement. "DNA tests are very time-consuming and expensive," he says. "But the WSP provides those services to all Washington law enforcement agencies free of charge."

Over the next couple of months, the Sheriff's office spent many hours preparing their case. "We interviewed at least a dozen witnesses," Franklin says. "Several of them more than once. And there were tons of reports to write."

Franklin says it was at least three months before the department's investigation was completed. The case went to trial about a year after the crime.