Potentially Major Development in Lisa Ziegert Murder - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

RobinW · 09-27-2016, 04:14 PM

I have no specific details yet, but it looks like they're holding a press conference tomorrow morning to announce a "significant development" in Lisa Ziegert's 24-year old unsolved murder:
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...art_river_home

We've been having a lot of cold cases get solved recently. Here's hoping for another one!

dynoguy88 · 09-27-2016, 07:00 PM

I'll keep my fingers crossed that this case might finally be on track to getting solved. I look forward to hearing what's been developed.

Todd Mueller · 09-27-2016, 07:37 PM

Yay! This is good news. Hopefully this leads to a conviction and justice for Lisa and her family.

Steve W. · 09-28-2016, 02:57 AM

I hope it's a DNA match to her killer(s). They've evaded justice for far too long. This happened on my 9th birthday and that feels like a LONG time ago now.

She seemed like a genuine sweetheart and we need more people like that in our world.

Hambone2421 · 09-28-2016, 08:06 AM

Wow, this is great news!

RobinW · 09-28-2016, 11:28 AM

So it looks like the new development is that they've used the killer's DNA to create a new composite image of what he probably looked like. Apparently, they now have the technology to do that, so a new composite sketch has been released:
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...cart_big-photo

Hopefully, this image actually turns out to be accurate and someone recognizes the suspect.

dynoguy88 · 09-28-2016, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

So it looks like the new development is that they've used the killer's DNA to create a new composite image of what he probably looked like. Apparently, they now have the technology to do that, so a new composite sketch has been released:
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...cart_big-photo

Hopefully, this image actually turns out to be accurate and someone recognizes the suspect.

It's pretty amazing that technology can actually analyze DNA to make a sketch of that person's face. I hope it's accurate and I hope her killer is very nervous right now.

I find it concerning that the DNA does not match anyone in the investigators databases. The Crime Watch episode of this case completely threw me for a loop when they said Lisa was very nervous about being watched the days leading up to her murder and she constantly asked her friends and sister to keep her company so she wouldn't be alone in the card shop. I couldn't believe Unsolved Mysteries never mentioned that. It's still confirmation for me that the killer was from the area. She may not have known him and he could have been a stalker. But it would be waaaay too much of a coincidence for her to be nervous about being watched for days and then kidnapped, raped and murdered by some random drifter that happened to be going through town at that very moment.

Steve W. · 09-28-2016, 01:13 PM

So did anyone at the press conference say whether or not they have tried to match that DNA with anyone in the CODIS database?

RobinW · 09-28-2016, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve W.

So did anyone at the press conference say whether or not they have tried to match that DNA with anyone in the CODIS database?

They said the DNA didn't match anyone in any of the known databases, though they didn't specifically mention CODIS.

I do hope that the killer was someone who lived in the area at that time since it greatly increases the chances of someone possibly recognizing him from the new composite image.

1990 UM fan · 09-28-2016, 09:42 PM

I came to post the same thing. I am amazed at how law enforcement can take something as small as DNA and create a likeliness of a suspect's face with it. I pray this leads to an arrest in Lisa's murder, she was a great person by the sounds of things, and this should not go unpunished any longer. Her brother David was on Facebook thanking the show for continuing to spotlight his sister's case. Hopefully closure is not far away for them.

Steve W. · 09-29-2016, 02:08 AM

I don't know the validity of this, but I read a comment (I think under the comments section for her case on the official UM site) where someone claimed that on the night of the murder, a witness saw a police car in the parking lot of the card shop shortly BEFORE Lisa was abducted (she was dragged into a civilian vehicle behind the store) and that everyone on the Agawam police force was asked to give a DNA sample shortly after she was murdered EXCEPT for two police officers. For some reason, two officers were never forced to give a DNA sample, according to this commenter.

Take it for what it's worth, but if that was/is true, then that would amount to there being a police department cover-up for her murder, which would be one way to explain why it has remained unsolved for so long.

The other theory is that two guys working at a carpet cleaning place nearby were the perpetrators. So, those seem to be the two prevailing theories of what kinds of perps are responsible for her abduction, rape, and murder.

everybodylovesrs · 09-29-2016, 06:45 AM

I'm skeptical of these new DNA sketches they are doing these days. I saw another one recently (different case, non-UM related). When they start to actually solve cases with them then maybe I will believe that they are accurate. To me the picture looks like an average white guy.

1990 UM fan · 09-29-2016, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by everybodylovesrs

I'm skeptical of these new DNA sketches they are doing these days. I saw another one recently (different case, non-UM related). When they start to actually solve cases with them then maybe I will believe that they are accurate. To me the picture looks like an average white guy.

That's a little bit of a stretch. Not every Caucasian is the same or looks the same, as said for other races too. There are certain characteristics that stand out in a person that people might be able to point out as well. I think another phenotype that was circulated months ago lead to an arrest (correct me if I'm wrong?). These phenotypes in the future might help in cases where there was no witnesses to put a face to the crime, and for unidentified dead bodies found without a skull. Right now, DNA, as advanced as our technology has become, is having problems (in certain cases) pinpointing a suspect at the moment because their DNA is not on file in a database, or not all databases are being screened or accessible, so in the meantime, this is what we have and let's pray that someone will come forward, saying they know the person, and an arrest can be made. Time is of the essence.

cdr369 · 09-29-2016, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by everybodylovesrs

I'm skeptical of these new DNA sketches they are doing these days. I saw another one recently (different case, non-UM related). When they start to actually solve cases with them then maybe I will believe that they are accurate. To me the picture looks like an average white guy.

Not to be a downer, but I was slightly disappointment in the news. I was hoping that they HAD a match. But any news is better than no news.

I am also skeptical of the DNA sketches as well.

Steve W. · 09-29-2016, 03:32 PM

If there was indeed a police cover-up in this case, there's no reason to create a facial profile out of someone's DNA. If there are active members of the Agawam Police Department that were on the force back in 1991-1992, then they probably already know which officers never gave a DNA sample.

09-27-2016, 04:14 PM	#1
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	Potentially Major Development in Lisa Ziegert Murder I have no specific details yet, but it looks like they're holding a press conference tomorrow morning to announce a "significant development" in Lisa Ziegert's 24-year old unsolved murder: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...art_river_home We've been having a lot of cold cases get solved recently. Here's hoping for another one!

09-28-2016, 09:42 PM	#10
1990 UM fan Unsolved Mysteries fanatic Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2011 Location: United States Posts: 2,510	I came to post the same thing. I am amazed at how law enforcement can take something as small as DNA and create a likeliness of a suspect's face with it. I pray this leads to an arrest in Lisa's murder, she was a great person by the sounds of things, and this should not go unpunished any longer. Her brother David was on Facebook thanking the show for continuing to spotlight his sister's case. Hopefully closure is not far away for them.
	__________________ Join my Unsolved Mysteries page (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unsolv...899616?sk=wall

09-27-2016, 07:00 PM	#2
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,675	I'll keep my fingers crossed that this case might finally be on track to getting solved. I look forward to hearing what's been developed.

09-27-2016, 07:37 PM	#3
Todd Mueller Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,626	Yay! This is good news. Hopefully this leads to a conviction and justice for Lisa and her family.

09-28-2016, 02:57 AM	#4
Steve W. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 870	I hope it's a DNA match to her killer(s). They've evaded justice for far too long. This happened on my 9th birthday and that feels like a LONG time ago now. She seemed like a genuine sweetheart and we need more people like that in our world.

09-28-2016, 08:06 AM	#5
Hambone2421 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 08, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,067	Wow, this is great news!

09-28-2016, 11:28 AM	#6
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	So it looks like the new development is that they've used the killer's DNA to create a new composite image of what he probably looked like. Apparently, they now have the technology to do that, so a new composite sketch has been released: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...cart_big-photo Hopefully, this image actually turns out to be accurate and someone recognizes the suspect.

09-28-2016, 01:13 PM	#8
Steve W. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 870	So did anyone at the press conference say whether or not they have tried to match that DNA with anyone in the CODIS database?

09-29-2016, 02:08 AM	#11
Steve W. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 870	I don't know the validity of this, but I read a comment (I think under the comments section for her case on the official UM site) where someone claimed that on the night of the murder, a witness saw a police car in the parking lot of the card shop shortly BEFORE Lisa was abducted (she was dragged into a civilian vehicle behind the store) and that everyone on the Agawam police force was asked to give a DNA sample shortly after she was murdered EXCEPT for two police officers. For some reason, two officers were never forced to give a DNA sample, according to this commenter. Take it for what it's worth, but if that was/is true, then that would amount to there being a police department cover-up for her murder, which would be one way to explain why it has remained unsolved for so long. The other theory is that two guys working at a carpet cleaning place nearby were the perpetrators. So, those seem to be the two prevailing theories of what kinds of perps are responsible for her abduction, rape, and murder.

09-29-2016, 06:45 AM	#12
everybodylovesrs Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 12, 2008 Posts: 526	I'm skeptical of these new DNA sketches they are doing these days. I saw another one recently (different case, non-UM related). When they start to actually solve cases with them then maybe I will believe that they are accurate. To me the picture looks like an average white guy.

09-29-2016, 03:32 PM	#15
Steve W. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 870	If there was indeed a police cover-up in this case, there's no reason to create a facial profile out of someone's DNA. If there are active members of the Agawam Police Department that were on the force back in 1991-1992, then they probably already know which officers never gave a DNA sample.