Williams+Case+Study+Questions+CEB

1)  The use of fiber evidence in the Williams case was very different than in any other case before. Fiber evidence played a very significant role in the Williams case, more significant than ever before. In normal cases fiber evidence is used to support other testimony, in the Williams case other evidence was used to support the unusually strong fiber evidence.  2)   The investigators were hoping to find a common thread between the fibers found on each body. From this common thread they were going to try to find the common source. To find these things they look at the unique things in the fibers and they found the unique lobed cross-sectional appearance. From there they found the manufacturer of the carpet. From their investigation they learned that Williams, a suspect they found on the bridge, had possession of a carpet with the same unique fibers as found of the bodies. From there it was determined that the carpet was made my Wellman Corporation. The significance of this information is that the carpet is very unique therefore narrowing down the suspect pool and the probability that the bodies picked the fibers up anywhere else. 3)  Sources of fibers are helpful to investigators for many reasons. The types of fibers found can help investigators locate the perpetrator. Some fibers are unique to certain companies, areas, ect. so this helps investigators narrow down the suspect pool. Also if they can locate the fiber they can show that the victim was in that location therefore implementing the suspect.   4)   Investigators collected a lot of different information from the Wellman Corporation. They obtained: a list of customers who bought that fiber type, technical information about the finer, and data concerning when and how much of this fiber type had been manufactured. They found that this carpet fabric was only made for a one year period before some alterations were made. This helped connect Williams because he had purchased this fiber and not that many people had. 5)  Investigators took numbers given to them by the Wellman Corporation and set up a probability about Williams being the killer. They came to find that finding a carpet like Williams in the Atlanta was 1/7792. What they did was take how much carpet was made, divided it by the areas it was sent, then by the people in the Atlanta area and made their probability. This convincing fiber evidence along with Williams being on the bridge and some other evidence was enough to convict him of the murders.