Case study in Forensics - Ashley Coulston
Date due: 14 February 2014
Case:
Ashely Mervyn Coulston is known as the ‘Burwood triple murderer’ he murdered three innocent victims in cold blood on 29 July 19921. Coulston had gone to a Burwood house under the guise of renting a room in the house that had been ‘advertised in the Herald Sun’2. Coulston had a bag that contained a .22 rifle, ammunition, a homemade silencer and plastic cable ties. Coulston bound, gagged and covered the victim’s heads (using a towel or dressing gown) and shot each in the back of the head at point blank range3.
I will briefly outline the circumstances of the case and how the perpetrator – Coulston, was eventually captured and the evidence that flowed to convict him for the triple murders in Summit Road, Burwood.
In this case study I will examine the forensic evidence (limited to the main ballistic evidence), that was presented in the criminal trials and the forensic evidence that was introduced by the prosecution.
Background
Coulston was caught by police not for the murders in Burwood but for an armed robbery that occurred several months after the murders in July. Coulston had approached a couple who were returning to their car parked near the National Gallery in St Kilda Road. Coulston was wearing a balaclava and carrying a .22 calibre rifle when he approached the couple in their car4. The couple believed the assailant was after money; so they threw some money at Coulston hoping that he would leave5.
Coulston grabbed the money and forced the couple from the car. He then forced the female to the ground and tied her hands with the cable ties. At that moment the male partner of the couple noticed that Coulston had placed the gun on the ground and he took the opportunity to grapple with Coulston, thus allowing the female to run. The male also fled, with both calling out for help. Two security officers near the scene heard screams for assistance, and subsequently called for police. Coulston followed the couple and fired
Case:
Ashely Mervyn Coulston is known as the ‘Burwood triple murderer’ he murdered three innocent victims in cold blood on 29 July 19921. Coulston had gone to a Burwood house under the guise of renting a room in the house that had been ‘advertised in the Herald Sun’2. Coulston had a bag that contained a .22 rifle, ammunition, a homemade silencer and plastic cable ties. Coulston bound, gagged and covered the victim’s heads (using a towel or dressing gown) and shot each in the back of the head at point blank range3.
I will briefly outline the circumstances of the case and how the perpetrator – Coulston, was eventually captured and the evidence that flowed to convict him for the triple murders in Summit Road, Burwood.
In this case study I will examine the forensic evidence (limited to the main ballistic evidence), that was presented in the criminal trials and the forensic evidence that was introduced by the prosecution.
Background
Coulston was caught by police not for the murders in Burwood but for an armed robbery that occurred several months after the murders in July. Coulston had approached a couple who were returning to their car parked near the National Gallery in St Kilda Road. Coulston was wearing a balaclava and carrying a .22 calibre rifle when he approached the couple in their car4. The couple believed the assailant was after money; so they threw some money at Coulston hoping that he would leave5.
Coulston grabbed the money and forced the couple from the car. He then forced the female to the ground and tied her hands with the cable ties. At that moment the male partner of the couple noticed that Coulston had placed the gun on the ground and he took the opportunity to grapple with Coulston, thus allowing the female to run. The male also fled, with both calling out for help. Two security officers near the scene heard screams for assistance, and subsequently called for police. Coulston followed the couple and fired