Okay...when analyzing crime scenes details are tedious to Joe Sweatsock but can be priceless to an investigator. I am a Joe Sweatsock but I have a passion for details because I'm a dork. The three of you who have read anything on this blog have likely read my weak little profile of the killer. Here's a quick hit from that:
Both crime scenes were contained inside one room of small, two-room cottages with limited space available for movement.
How small were these cottages? According to one source they were identical floor plans and about 16 by 24 feet. That's a total of 384 square feet which was then divided into two equally sized rooms (192 sq. ft.)! Your master bedroom is probably bigger than that (hell your walk in closet might be). Small space + long, heavy weapon = small killer with efficient axe-swinging skill. Another new detail I have learned (two actually) relates to the injuries sustained by Henry Wayne. According to the surgeon's testimony at the inquest, Henry's injuries were caused entirely by the flat side of the axe rather than the blade or blunt edge (Editor's note: So what?) (Author's response: I have an editor?). Henry's body was also covered with a jacket as well as the bed sheets. Also, and this I feel is important, when the surgeon examined the bodies at the morgue, he noted that Blanch Wayne was not fully clothed. In order to avoid Occam's razor I will leave it at that (but the temptation is there). Soon I'll be starting in on what I believe is the next crime in the series, the murder of the Dawson family in Monmouth, Illinois. However I have come to the conclusion that it would be easier for me to invent and build a time machine rather than do actual research on this case. Till next time.
2 comments:
The reference to the blunt side of the axe is actually important, but the papers don't often explain why. It's because it means the killer was used to killing. Or at least used to hitting soft things (like people) with an axe. If he had used the sharp side, it would have become lodged in the skulls. By using the sharp side, it means (a) he's done this before and learned to use the correct side, and (b) it's at least likely that it's the same guy because most people without this experience trying to kill someone without waking them would assume you should use the sharp side.
There seemed to be a correlation to when the bit side was used and the sex and age of the victim. Generally the pole end or side of the axe was used on men. If anyone was struck with the bit, it was the women. Children usually were struck with the pole or side as well.
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