October 26, 2009

NEW TECHNOLOGY SOLVES OLD CASE
A 1987 Aggravated Sexual Assault case is solved thanks to new technology involving DNA. 

The Midland Police Department continuously reviews cold case files to see if any evidence collected is more valuable now with newer technology.  In April 2009, Detective Kay Therwhanger asked the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas to search for the evidence, originally submitted, in a 1987 Aggravated Sexual Assault case and send it to the DPS lab in Lubbock.  There, they used new technology to extract additional foreign DNA from the victim’s clothing.  The DNA was entered into the CODIS (combined DNA index system).  A positive match was made.  The Midland Police Department was notified in August of this year.

In 2005, the Texas Legislature passed a law that allowed for the seizure of DNA from all felony convicted prisoners for the purpose of creating a DNA record. 

48-year-old Roger Allen Reed (4-4-61) has been incarcerated in the Texas Department of Corrections since November 30, 1988.  His DNA matched that of the suspect in the 1987 Aggravated Sexual Assault case.  MPD detectives traveled to the Clements Unit in Amarillo on August 27, 2009, to interview Reed.  He did not admit to the crime.  Detectives had a search warrant to collect his DNA.  A confirmed positive match was recently made. 

The Case
On November 8, 1987, then 28-year-old Andra Chamberlin was jogging at Windlands Park, 1000 W. Dengar.  It was early, around 5:00 a.m.  Chamberlin remembers a man running towards her at full speed.  He knocked her down and sexually assaulted her.  The Midland Police Department was notified and an exam was performed at the hospital where evidence was collected.  Chamberlin worked with detectives and a composite was drafted and shown to the public through the media, along with a description of the suspect.  No leads developed in the case.

The Suspect
In November 1982, Reed was charged and convicted of Sexual Assault.  He received a three year sentence.  In July 1986, he was once again charged and convicted of Sexual Assault and received a three year sentence.  In March of 1987, he was charged with Theft.  In April 1988, he had a parole violation.  Then in November 1988, he was convicted of Aggravated Kidnapping.  He received a 40 year sentence.  That case was similar to the Chamberlin case in that Reed abducted the woman from a park, in Odessa, in an attempt to Assault her.  She escaped. 

Closure
The findings bring closure for the victim and her family.  The Midland Police Department is able to close out an old cold case.  Reed cannot be charged for the crime since the statute of limitations has run out. (Texas law now allows foreign evidence from stranger rapes to be “good” forever with no statute of limitations.  The law was passed in 2001 and encompasses cases from September 1, 1996, forward) Reed however, is up for parole in August 2010.  This new evidence linking him to another Aggravated Sexual Assault could be used at that hearing in an attempt to keep him behind bars for the remainder of his 40 years.

SHIFT CHANGE
Beginning today, Monday, October 26, 2009, patrol officers with the Midland Police Department will begin to work 12 hour shifts.

Patrol officers had been working four 10 hour shifts in a seven day work period.  The new shift schedule is called the 2-2-3 system whereby officers work two on, two off, three on, with the schedule repeating itself between days worked and days off.  The new configuration has officers working 14 days in a 28 day work period.  Shifts will be staggered with officers working from 6 am to 6 pm, 7 am to 7 pm, 3 pm to 3 am, 6 pm to 6 am, and 7 pm to 7 am.

Computer models have shown that this shift is more efficient in terms of available manpower than the 10 hour and the traditional eight hour shift.  The benefits to this configuration are increased coverage, time for more proactive policing, reduced response times, more time off for officers, and the elimination of long stretches of consecutive work days.  This shift configuration also allows the department to keep their “squad system” intact  which provides for better supervision and accountability, regular training time, regular rotation of days off, and weekends off every other month. 

Because the new schedule differs from what is considered a “normal 40 hour work week,” the law required that a majority of the officers in the department agree to the schedule by signing an acknowledgement waiver.  When the waivers were counted, only a handful of officers voted against the new schedule.

When MPD surveyed departments in Texas using the 12 hour shift, an overwhelming majority of them spoke favorably about this deployment. 

MISSING PERSON
The Midland Police Department needs your help in locating a missing 48-year-old Midland woman.

Scheler Lee was last seen on Friday, October 23, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.  At the time, she was driving a 2009 silver Dodge Avenger.  Her family reported her missing on October 26, 2009.

Lee is a black female, 5’5”, 200 pounds, black hair, and brown eyes. 

Anyone with information about her whereabouts should contact the Midland Police Department at 685.7108 or Crimestoppers at 694.TIPS.

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