Suspects Eliminated By
Fingerprints
Today fingerprints are fed
into a computer and finding a match or not isn't a laborious or time-consuming
process like it was in 1969 when the Tate and LaBianca murders were
investigated.
So, just how did they narrow
down fingerprints to streamline the process in the TLB cases?
The Henry Classification
System was used categorize the different types of fingerprint characteristics
that are made by friction ridges and furrows.
There are three main types
of fingerprints, loops, whorls and arches. Within those three groups loops,
which recurve back onto themselves to form the loops, are divided into radial
loops that point towards the radial bone (thumb) or the ulna bone (pinky finger).
Whorls form circular or
spiral patterns and are divided into four groups. Plain whorls are concentric
circles, central pocket loops are loops with a whorl at the end, double loops
that create an S-like pattern and accidental loops are irregularly shaped.
Arches make a wave like
pattern that are either plain or tented. Tented arches rise to a sharper point
than plain arches.
The palms of the hand also
have distinct ridges and furrows. Another type of print is the chop. The chop
is the side of the hand from the tip of the pinky finger to the wrist. The best
example of where you might find the chop is if you were to place the sides of
your hand on a window to block out glare while peeping.
No two people have the same
fingerprints, even identical twins and no one person has the same fingerprint
on more than one finger or thumb.
Here are the lists of the suspects eliminated by fingerprints courtesy of Cielo Drive. The second page is a list of law enforcement personnel who were at the crime scene.
