Photo Expert: Second Person Seen In SUV In (UNC Student Prez Eve) Carson Murder Case

Raleigh Chronicle ^ | March 9, 2008 | Staff

[abb]

A photography expert with over 30 years of experience says that a second person can be seen in the back seat of the SUV in a photo provided by police regarding the murder of UNC student Eve Carson.

William Mathis of Mathis & Jones Communications near St. Louis, Missouri initially contacted the Raleigh Chronicle newspaper to provide a color enhanced version of the ATM surveillance photos that were provided by Chapel Hill Police.

UNC student body president Eve Carson, age 22, was found murdered on Wednesday morning in Chapel Hill and police are looking for the man whose photo was taken while using her ATM card.

According to his bio, Mathis is an award-winning expert in photography with over 30 years of experience and works to enhance digital photographs for a living. He uses large format cameras, printers, and other specialized equipment to do his work which has included architectural photography for large architectural firms such as HOK, worked as an official photographer for historic site renovations, and has performed graphic arts design in the sports industry.

Mathis saw an interview with the editor of the Raleigh Chronicle about the case on MSNBC on Sunday morning and decided to help out, especially since he is originally from North Carolina.

"I have daughters at Vanderbilt and University of Maryland and this type of heinous crime has to be stopped," said Mathis. "It is the least I could do."

Mathis provided the Raleigh Chronicle two colorized versions of the original grainy black and white photos that Chapel Hill Police provided to the media on Saturday. He also improved upon the color of the "retro" Houston Astros baseball cap that the suspect appears to be wearing.

However, while working on the photos, Mathis noticed something else in the background, which he did not notice until he started examining the photos closely.

"It also looks like there is a very large person in the backseat," said Mathis, who said he noticed the figure when he printed out a very large copy of the photo.

Mathis has large format printers that can print copies of pictures several feet across, to the point of being life-sized.

"When I blew them up, I noticed...hey, there's another person back there," said Mathis.

Mathis said an outline of a shoulder can be seen in the back seat and although no face can be seen, he feels that after reviewing the photo that another person is in the vehicle.

"[The figure] is a very big man," said Mathis.

Mathis said he believes the second person in the back seat is also wearing a baseball cap.

Indeed, looking at the original black and white photographs provided by police (see below), a very dark outline against the light-colored leather seats of the SUV in the back can be seen. The outline blocks all light and does not seem to be a shadow.

The outline seems to be in the shape of a person, although that is certainly not confirmed by Chapel Hill Police at this time. It could be something else that simply appears to be a person in the photographs.

Mathis said it would be better to work with a higher resolution version of the photo than the one handed out to the media.

Chapel Hill Police have not mentioned a second person in their discussions of the case, but the Raleigh Chronicle will notify police of the photo expert's opinion.

The official spokesman for the Chapel Hill Police Department, Lt. Kevin Gunter, was not immediately available for comment in the case. Two messages were left with the police department on Sunday afternoon including one with the staff duty officer at the front desk.

[Frank_2001]

“An oversized hood over an oversized baseball cap is de rigueur in many neighborhoods.”

And NEVER wear white shoes after Labor Day!;)

[lonestar]

Where are Al and Jessee?

[aposiopetic]

Yesterday, if memory serves, a post on another thread said there is no capital punishment in North Carolina, due to a stance taken by its state medical association. I have not done any research to verify this, but I thought it might offer an answer to the question you raised.

[theymakemesick]

From http://www.raleigh2.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=617&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2502&hn=raleigh2&he=.com

http://www.raleigh2.com/clients/raleigh2/3-9-2008-2-43-55-PM-8879296.JPG

http://www.ncwanted.com/wralasset/news/local/2008/03/07/2544488/1204996254-carsonsuspect1-400x300.jpg

From: http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/image/2545166/

My images aren't posting so i provided links to them, copy and past into your browser's address field. Adding color will in no way enhance the "H" that much while only minimally enhancing the rest of the photo.

I hope none of you are charged because of a doctored photo. My last post on the issue.

[Eaker]

I hope none of you are charged because of a doctored photo.

What part of "the color photo not being used in evidence" do you not understand?

My last post on the issue.

Thank goodness!

[EEDUDE]

“Guys this thuggish and cold have to be disposed of ~ they fail to make the grade to be treated as humans.”

I agree with you completely!

The problem is that if he gets the death sentence he will likely die of old age- he will NOT be executed for 20 to 30 years.

Spending the rest of his natural life in solitary is much worse IMO.

If I had my choice, the SOB would be hanged about thirty minutes after he was convicted.

[cherry]

"race riot"

oh please....we whiteys are too polite for that....you need two to tangle and we don't even know how to stand up.....

but what might happen is an increase in vigilante payback.....

its too bad but I think that is what is coming....

[cherry]

now if Obama or Jackson or Sharpton really wanted to impress Southern whites, they would all be in NC speaking to their black brethren about turning this guy in......

and the silence is deafening.....

[cherry]

why do robbers rob banks?...because that's where the money is....

why do murderous dogs go roaming in upscale college areas?...not to find their own kind I assure you...

[cherry]

the hat is inconsequential.....it only aides the public in id-ing this animal.....by now, its been thrown away in the kitchen garbage.....

with that amount of hair, I should think a stand or two were left in Eves' car...

[cherry]

I want to second your thoughts....I just wish there would be acknowledgement by the black leaders that the violent nature of a good number of their young black men is an absolute reality....that no Oprah show can disprove it....that blaming whitey can only go so far....

[dragnet2]

We're not dealing with a diabolical genius here, just a street punk.

Not hardly. Big difference between street punks and a psychopathic brutal murderer, that was more than willing to murder a defenseless female in cold blood. He might have just been a street punk at one time, but now he's a ruthless murderer.

[TiberiusClaudius]

What are you arguing w/ this person? There’s clearly an “H” in the original, and there’s no need to take more than one post to point that out.

[TiberiusClaudius]

What part of "the color photo not being used in evidence" do you not understand?

It's unlikely they would need it here, but, I would be surprised if you couldn't admit a photo into evidence which had been run through a standard process like an edge filter.

[shaft29]

“Has anyone mentioned that the skank using the murdered beauty’s ATM card is black?”

What, are you racist? Can’t you see he is chocolate skinned brother?

[brwnsuga]

Does this guy driving her vehicle look like he was part of the student body? She was more likely murdered because the perp is evil and greedy and she looked like she had money.

[brwnsuga]

Evil is evil, no matter the race.

[brwnsuga]

If the people in those two incidents had been the same race as you, do you think you would be a prejudiced as you are today? I can see how that would affect your thinking, but I’m sure you know all black people are not like that.

[brwnsuga]

FR is not a “race crazed” Identity website, however, some Freepers seem to be “race crazed” Identity type people. And I am not a troll freepin’. I’m just stating an observation, just like that other person.