Uncommon clue at Minneapolis crime scene factors to a barefoot killer

It was a grisly scene when police arrived at a Minneapolis condominium complicated on June 13, 1993, to research the homicide of 35-year-old Jeanie Childs. Her physique was discovered partially beneath her mattress, her bed room was in disarray, and there was blood spatter throughout the partitions and ground. Childs had been stabbed greater than 60 occasions. As investigators tried to piece collectively what unfolded, they discovered a uncommon clue within the bed room: bloody, naked footprints.

“That drew my consideration straight away … I imply, wow,” Bart Epstein, a retired forensic scientist, instructed “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty in “The Footprint,” now streaming on Paramount+. “You do not see this at crime scenes basically, naked ft which have stepped in blood,” mentioned Epstein.

Investigators knew the footprints needed to belong to Childs’ killer as a result of she was sporting socks on the time of her dying. These footprints needed to have been left there after the perpetrator stepped in her moist blood after the homicide. Investigators documented and photographed the footprints.

“So the footprints, past being one thing that might have a tendency to point out guilt, additionally was necessary to point out to clear individuals who might need been beneath any suspicion,” mentioned retired FBI agent Chris Boeckers, who would later be a part of the investigation.

In keeping with the case file, investigators in contrast the footprints left on the crime scene to a number of folks, together with a person named Arthur Grey, whom Childs lived with on the time of her homicide. In keeping with police experiences, authorities discovered hairs caught to Childs’ left hand and a type of hairs matched Grey.

However Boeckers says the case in opposition to Grey began to crumble fairly rapidly. “He had a very stable alibi that he was out of city that weekend that was corroborated by others.” Grey, who loved driving bikes, instructed authorities he was in Milwaukee. Forensic scientists additionally examined Grey’s footprints and decided he didn’t go away these footprints on the crime scene.

Days became years after which a long time with out discovering the person who left these footprints. In 2015, forensic scientist Andrea Feia, who was requested to do DNA testing on gadgets collected on the crime scene, decided there was an unknown DNA profile that saved repeating itself. It was discovered on the comforter, a towel, a washcloth, a T-shirt and on the lavatory sink.

Investigators then turned to investigative genetic family tree for solutions. A forensic genealogist submitted the unknown DNA profile to family tree web sites. “The forensic genealogist indicated she had a match to doubtlessly two brothers right here in Minnesota,” Boeckers mentioned. A type of brothers was businessman and hockey dad Jerry Westrom.

Investigators have been anxious to substantiate that the unknown crime scene DNA was certainly Westrom’s, however to do this, they wanted to trace him down. In January 2019, investigators adopted Westrom to his daughter’s faculty hockey recreation in Wisconsin and obtained a serviette and meals container he had used after consuming on the enviornment. They took the gadgets to the lab for testing and the outcomes revealed there was a match.

The next month, in February 2019, Westrom was arrested for the homicide of Childs. Throughout his police interview, Westrom denied being on the condominium and understanding Childs. The subsequent day, authorities collected his footprints for comparability.

Though Westrom’s DNA was on the scene, it was necessary to substantiate the footprints belonged to him as a result of there was different male DNA discovered at Childs’ condominium that didn’t belong to Westrom.

Mark Ulrick, a supervisor with the Minneapolis Police Forensic Division, examined the footprints. “In Minnesota right here, individuals are not committing crimes numerous occasions with the socks and footwear off,” he instructed “48 Hours.” He says he targeted on the friction ridge pores and skin — the association of ridges and furrows — distinctive to each individual. “Friction ridge pores and skin is discovered on … your fingers, your palms, and the soles of your ft,” Ulrick defined. Throughout his examination, he in contrast the unknown footprints to Westrom’s prints and to these of alternate suspects.

Westrom’s protection workforce employed its personal forensic scientist, Alicia McCarthy, to confirm Ulrick’s work. What would the specialists conclude concerning the footprints? Watch “The Footprint” Saturday, Could 17 at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.