The Conviction of Dr. Crippen: New Forensic Findings in a Century‐Old Murder

:  Dr. Hawley Crippen was accused and convicted of murdering his wife in London in 1910. Key to the conviction was microscopic analysis of remains found in the Crippen’s coal cellar, which were identified as Cora Crippen based on a scar she was said to have. Dr. Crippen was hanged, always proclaimin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of forensic sciences 2011-01, Vol.56 (1), p.233-240
Main Authors: Foran, David R., Wills, Beth E., Kiley, Brianne M., Jackson, Carrie B., Trestrail III, John H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ancient DNA
Chromosomes
Chromosomes, Human, Y
Crippen, Hawley Harvey (1862-1910)
DNA Fingerprinting - methods
DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics
Famous Persons
Female
Forensic pathology
forensic science
Genealogy
Haplotypes
Histology
History, 20th Century
Homicide - history
Humans
London
Male
Mitochondrial DNA
Sequence Analysis, DNA
sex determination
Sex Determination Analysis
Tissues
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary::  Dr. Hawley Crippen was accused and convicted of murdering his wife in London in 1910. Key to the conviction was microscopic analysis of remains found in the Crippen’s coal cellar, which were identified as Cora Crippen based on a scar she was said to have. Dr. Crippen was hanged, always proclaiming his innocence. In this study, genealogical research was used to locate maternal relatives of Cora Crippen, and their mitochondrial haplotypes were determined. Next, one of the pathology slides of the scar was obtained, DNA was isolated, and the haplotype was determined. That process was then repeated. Finally, both DNA isolates were assayed for repetitive elements on autosomes and repetitive elements specific to the Y chromosome. Based on the genealogical and mitochondrial DNA research, the tissue on the pathology slide used to convict Dr. Crippen was not that of Cora Crippen. Moreover, that tissue was male in origin.
ISSN:0022-1198
1556-4029
DOI:10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01532.x