I bring you this column out of my pure fascination with cold cases, forensics, police work, and all things mysterious. As an active duty Police Officer, I hold an interest in all cases especially those that bring justice to light in the end. The purpose of this column is to tell the story of how technology and forensics can play a key role in solving a case even if it has been cold for decades, giving hope to those who may be in the middle of a tough case that has led to sleepless nights. I have been there, and have experienced the constant thought process of how a case could be solved, questioning what is missing and going over the evidence numerous times. I hope you find these cases as intriguing and motivating as I do.
Case #1: Bullet Proof
June 12th, 2013. Boise City, Oklahoma. A typical hot Summer afternoon. 77 year old Charles Nieman and his wife are passing through town and decide to make a stop. The couple pull into a Loaf 'N Jug gas station to fill up, but an everyday stop for fuel would become a devastating, life changing event for Mr. Nieman and his family. Witnesses would later relay to investigators they observed a male exit an extended cab pickup with Louisiana plates, with two other males inside. The male approached Mr. Nieman, holding a firearm.
In a classic attempt of armed robbery, the male demanded Mr. Nieman's wallet. Mr. Nieman however, was known to be hard of hearing. He looked to his wife to ask what the man said, and was gunned down where he stood. Mrs. Nieman, fortunately was uninjured in the event, but there is no way to heal the emotional wounds she suffered that day.
The male was seen fleeing on foot, and the pickup left the parking lot as well. Later that day witnesses stated they saw the truck, the suspect, and his accomplices at convenience stores in Colorado, and the men stated they were headed to Denver. A bullet shell casing found at the scene was collected, and in 2014 it was run through the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS), but no match was found. The case would then sadly lay dormant for 5 years, with all leads going cold.
In November of 2018, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations implemented a new Cold Case Unit, designed to re-investigate cold cases dating back to 1950, hoping to find new leads. In December of 2018, the Cold Case Unit began investigating Mr. Nieman's murder and requested the shell casing be run through IBIS once again. This time however, there was a match from a case in Colorado.
IBIS is the platform used by the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) established by the ATF in 1999. IBIS is designed to identify markings on shell casings and fragments in order to identify what firearm fired what rounds. Much like fingerprints, the markings left on shell casings after being fired are unique to the gun they were fired from. The system uses 3D images of recovered ballistic evidence and matches it in its database to determine the likelihood of a match. The system will produce a list of potential matches based on images of the breech face, firing pin, and ejector, and can find these matches based on the first five photos 97% of the time. These potential matches are then evaluated by a firearms expert using microscopes for more accurate comparison. This allows firearms already entered into the database to be linked to new evidence. As of 2018, NIBIN contained over 3 million pieces of evidence.
On July 24th, 2013, Port Allen Louisiana Police Cheif Esdron Brown reported his department issued 40. Caliber Glock handgun had been stolen, likely from a vehicle parked outside his home. Denver Police located the stolen gun prior to the report, on June 16th, 2013, and it was later sent back to Louisiana. Near Chief Brown's home, a truck matching the one involved in Mr. Nieman's murder, was also stolen in the same time frame.
Using this information and the new lead thanks to IBIS, OSBI was able to trace the three suspect's crime spree from Mississippi, through Louisiana and Texas, and finally to Colorado. The suspects were identified as 25 year old Timothy Dees, 29 year old Zachary Wilson, and 33 year old Jeremy Scott. All three men were arrested in February of 2019, with Dees and Wilson being apprehended in Alabama, and Scott in Colorado. Wilson and Scott would eventually plead no contest and be sentenced to life in prison, with all but 25 years, and 35 years respectively, being suspended from their sentences. Dees would go on to plead guilty to first degree murder and be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
It may have taken several years, but thanks to OSBI, their Cold Case Unit, IBIS, and several other assisting agencies, the wheels of justice continued to turn, and provide closure for the family of Charles Nieman. This long standing case of cold blooded murder was finally wrapped up, and justice stood tall in the end. The availability, meticulousness, and growth of IBIS, combined with the relentlessness of Law Enforcement, was able to thaw a half decade old cold case. As time carries on, this technology will continue to improve, surely making stories like this more common.
Officer Brendan Rodela, Contributing Editor | Officer
Brendan Rodela is a Deputy for the Lincoln County (NM) Sheriff's Office. He holds a degree in Criminal Justice and is a certified instructor with specialized training in Domestic Violence and Interactions with Persons with Mental Impairments.
