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The Role of Forensic Evidence in the Atlanta Child Murders

Start a criminal justice degree at American Military University.

By Leischen Stelter, editor of In Public Safety

Starting in 1979, at least 28 children, adolescents, and adults were murdered during a two-year period in Atlanta, Georgia. The series of murders is often referred to as the Atlanta Child Murders. A jury convicted Wayne Williams of two of those murders, but it’s suspected he was involved in dozens more.

Jon Hager, an American Military University criminal justice faculty member, spent 16 years as death investigator specializing in forensic science and discusses the forensic evidence that was critical in convicting Williams.

Listen to the podcast below to learn more about the characteristics of trace evidence in criminal investigations, how Locard’s exchange principle applies to the case of the Atlanta Child Murders, and the challenges death investigators face when interpreting the results of forensic evidence.

Leischen Kranick is a Managing Editor at AMU Edge. She has 15 years of experience writing articles and producing podcasts on topics relevant to law enforcement, fire services, emergency management, private security, and national security.

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