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DNA From 'In Cold Blood' Killers Could Solve 1959 Florida Cold Case
ABC News ^ | Dec. 3, 2012 | ALYSSA NEWCOMB

Posted on 12/03/2012 6:24:52 PM PST by nickcarraway

More than 50 years after the Walker family was murdered in the quiet, carefree town of Osprey, Fla., the focus of the cold case investigation has shifted to two notorious killers who were the basis of Truman Capote's true-crime book "In Cold Blood."

Investigators from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office are hoping to travel to Kansas as soon as an order is approved by a judge to exhume the bodies of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock. They hope mitochondrial DNA evidence collected from the bones of the killers, who were executed by hanging in 1965, will help close a cold case that rattled Sarasota County.

On Dec. 19, 1959, the Walker family, including parents Cliff and Christine and their toddler children Jimmie and Debbie, were shot to death in their Osprey home.

Detective Kim McGath, who has been assigned to the Walker case for the past four years, said she decided to start from the beginning last year in investigating the case, and through her research developed a hunch that Smith and Hickock could be responsible. The men were briefly investigated in 1960, but were ruled out as suspects after passing lie detector tests.

"Some things started jumping out at me," she told ABCNews.com.

After committing the "In Cold Blood" murder of Herbert Clutter, his wife and two children on Nov. 15, 1959, Smith and Hickock hit the road, hiding out from law enforcement in Mexico and Florida, among other places, according to Capote's book and law enforcement accounts. They were ultimately captured in Las Vegas.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: crime; florida; mtdna
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To: Scoutmaster

Thank you for writing, and for the information. A lot could have happened in the editing process. What always made me doubt her was that she never wrote anything else.
And, yes, I knew that she and Capote were not related. It was another FRpr who wrote that.


21 posted on 12/04/2012 6:47:24 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Scoutmaster

Thank you for writing, and for the information. A lot could have happened in the editing process. What always made me doubt her was that she never wrote anything else.
And, yes, I knew that she and Capote were not related. It was another FRpr who wrote that.


22 posted on 12/04/2012 6:48:16 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Scoutmaster

Thank you for writing, and for the information. A lot could have happened in the editing process. What always made me doubt her was that she never wrote anything else.
And, yes, I knew that she and Capote were not related. It was another FRpr who wrote that.


23 posted on 12/04/2012 6:48:27 PM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: kabumpo
What always made me doubt her was that she never wrote anything else.

Lee's explanation is:

"Two reasons: one, I wouldn't go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill A Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again."

BTW, Lee published a few short stories after To Kill A Mockingbird.

24 posted on 12/05/2012 7:22:23 AM PST by Scoutmaster (You knew the job was dangerous when you took it)
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To: Scoutmaster

If you know about writing and publishing, you know this statement is nonsense. J.D. Salinger continued to write and publish while living like a hermit.


25 posted on 12/05/2012 8:11:36 AM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: kabumpo
I'm confused. What statement?

When drafting my reply, I initially wrote something about Salinger having published short stories and novellas but only one novel, but I deleted that from my reply in draft and preview before I posted. I didn't think it supported my point and I agree with you.

Where did you see something about Salinger?

26 posted on 12/05/2012 8:36:00 AM PST by Scoutmaster (You knew the job was dangerous when you took it)
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To: Scoutmaster

The statement Lee made about not being able to stand the publicity. I referred to Salinger to refute what Lee said, since he was obsessed with privacy, but continued to write and publish more books.


27 posted on 12/05/2012 8:52:14 AM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: kabumpo
I understand now.

I can only offer that Lee and Salinger were different people.

28 posted on 12/05/2012 9:10:06 AM PST by Scoutmaster (You knew the job was dangerous when you took it)
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