TEAM FORENSIC FILES by Jennifer Preston https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz Diablo Highway Group Project en-us 2023-04-15 21:11:24 UTC 2023-05-05 21:11:27 UTC hello@padlet.com https://wallpaperaccess.com/full/2900358.jpg Case History rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2573959164 Hazel and Nancy Frome were a wealthy Mother and daughter duo that decided to tale a well deserved trip across country on Wednesday march 23rd, 1938 to make a visit to hazels other daughter Mada in Parris Island, South Carolina. They Chose to take a longer trip starting in LA. They would then make thier way west through Arazpna, then onto El Paso. Continuing forward east, they would start on US 80, in Dallas. This plan would be 6 days of driving, with an arrival date of Tuseday March 29th. Unfortunately they never made it to Mada. Because of a delayed start  and unexpected detours caused by bad weather in California. After only two days, they were behind. The  Packard’s engine began to backfire as they made their way through the Chihuahuan Desert. Hazel and Nancy made another 200 miles through New Mexico until they finally reached their stopping point at 6 o’clock on a Friday night at  Hotel Cortez in El Paso, Texas. They called for  Dr. Wolfgang Ebell to see nancy as she wasnt feeling well. The next morning, Hazel called Harold White, an old friend to drive the car to a shop to hopefully be fixed which would take a few days,later that same day, Saturday, they took a trolley across the border into Juarez, Mexico to do some shopping. On Monday, Hazel reportedly visited a Fortune Teller, Allie Gillespie. Latter tuseday night yestimoney says the two Frome women were seen chatting and sharing drinks with two men with foreign accents. Hazel was given a large plain envelope with no stamps or address on it. The only marking was the word Frome scrawled on the envelope. After reading the contents, the hotel staff reported that Hazel appeared agitated as she stuffed the envelope into her pocketbook and went back to her suite. The next morning they were on the road again. Two days later, on Friday, April 1st, two army engineers surveying land in the area reported seeing the abandoned Packard near the intersection of U.S. 80 and U.S. Highway 290. At twilight the following Sunday, April 3rd, a search party found both bodies, further west on U.S. 80 side-by-side, face down, in a shallow gravel pit, just south of the highway.
The Fromes appeared to have been tortured before both were shot in the side of the head. 

]]> 2023-05-01 16:48:21 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2573959164 Car scene rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575305325 The car was found abandoned about 200 ft south of route 290, 56 miles away from the victim's bodies The car was found off the road with both the driver side doors open. Off to the left of the car was a open suitcase with fingerprints on the luggage handle pertaining to Ms.Frome. There was a letter laying on the ground between the luggage and the car, the same letter that was received at the hotel. Fingerprints were found on the driver side door handle. A cigarette butt (#23) was found on the car floor in the front seats belonging to Nancy Frome. There was a piece of ripped fabric in the backseat collected which seems to be Nancy's slip (#27). Shoe impressions was found walking from the car to the open luggage on the ground which matched Nancy Frome (#18). Fingerprints were found on the car trunk. ]]> 2023-05-02 14:41:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575305325 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575491803 Hazel Frome was a 50 year old married mother of two. Enjoyed playing Bridge and having cocktails with her friends. She was married to Weston Frome a wealthy top executive of Atlas Powder. Hazel loved to travel the world and go on cruises or stay for months at a time in Europe all at her husbands expense. She was thought of as a woman who did not have to follow the societal standards of what a woman should do (i.e cooking cleaning, raising children while the husband worked). She was also raising her two daughters to be ready for an accidental marriage instead of one that was planned. 

]]> 2023-05-02 16:53:09 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575491803 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575562652                 There were six pieces of DNA evidence that was collected and evaluated. The two pieces of evidence that out to me the most were the cigarette butts found in the desert (Evidence #3 & #4). These pieces of evidence belonged to Manuel Garcia and Pancho Flores respectively.  These two pieces of evidence are important because they were collected from the site where the bodies were found. 

                These cigarette butts belonging to anyone other than the victims was the first red flag that I encountered when examining the evidence. This was a red flag because I knew from testing the other evidence collected, that Nancy Frome the youngest victim also smoked cigarettes. Using DNA profiling, I was able to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the only two people that could have contributed to the DNA left on these two particular pieces of evidence were Manuel Garcia and Pancho Flores respectively.

                These two pieces of evidence are important because they show that both Flores and Garcia were on the scene and could have gotten into an altercation with the victims. The DNA from these cigarette butts accompanied by the blood on the red kerchief which both suspects were have said to be wearing as part of the Red Sash Gang belonging to Nancy Frome brings me to the conclusion that these items were left at the time of the murders and not before or after.

]]> 2023-05-02 17:44:29 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575562652 Bodies Scene rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575567825 The bodies of Hazel and Nancy Frome were found about 200 ft from the road, about 6 miles east of Van Horn Texas. They were found laying face down. There were two sets of tire impressions at the scene which appear to belong to Milam's truck (#15) and Ebells ford (#16) tire impressions found a few feet away from the bodies. They were unfortunately found in their under slips laying in pools of blood that suggest they were shot . There were shoe impressions (#16) found on the left side of Hazel which matches Miliams shoe print. Their were fibers found under Nancy's fingernails (# 13) matching fibers in Bbells ford. Found near the bodies was a bloody kerchief that had Nancys blood (# 14) . A horseshoe impression found near the bodies that seem to match Pancho Flores horse (# 1). ]]> 2023-05-02 17:48:27 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575567825 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575568247 There were three pieces of blood evidence collected and evaluated. The piece that stood out the most to me was the blood on the kerchief (Evidence #11). This piece of evidence stood out to me because I do not believe that the kerchief belonged to either victim. The kerchief being at the scene and having one of the victims’ bloods on it seems to point to an altercation with the individual that the kerchief belongs to. 

The blood found on the kerchief belonged to Nancy Frome. The owner of the blood was confirmed through blood analysis. Nancy was the only individual in this victim or suspect that had the blood type found on the kerchief. This makes it impossible for anyone else to contribute to this sample.

This piece of blood evidence is important because it shows that the victim engaged in a struggle with the individual who attacked and killed her. The other two pieces of blood evidence that were collected happen to be the blood pools that both the victims Nancy and Hazel Frome were lying in, respectively. With the victims lying in the blood pools, it makes the most logical sense that they were lying in their own blood, nobody else’s. 

]]> 2023-05-02 17:48:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575568247 Romano Trotsky rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575585786 Was a career criminal, medical crazy, and a con-man with 30 plus aliases. He used this alias at the times of the murders which was referenced to to an Russian revolutionary that was exiled and who fled to Mexico city and still lived there at the time of the murders. The fake name had just enough truth to lend credibility to to his latest story and to confuse his victims who knew a little bit of difference. He was always broke and traveled from town to town. He had worked with Ebell in the past even though the two of them hated and didn't trust each other. He was also known as a ladies man who weaseled his way in and out of woman's lives. Trotsky was seen in the night club with another unknown man. They were drinking cocktails with the victims, which is where he could have learned the details of the wealth of the fromes and their trip. ]]> 2023-05-02 18:02:02 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575585786 Manuel Garcia and Pancho Flores rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575590702 Manuel Garcia and Pancho Flores- They were cattle rustlers who were seen in the area at the time of the murders. They were part of the red sash gang and well known to local authorities. Numerous interviewed motorists after the bodies were found said they seen these men on horses galloping quickly in that area. This was the time of the great depression and it just so happens that the part of taxes the woman were driving threw was one of the areas hit bad by the great depression. The car the Fromes drove was an obvious they had wealth and rarely seen in this desert.    


]]> 2023-05-02 18:05:57 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575590702 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575591207 Nancy Frome was the beautiful 23 -year-old daughter of Hazel and Weston Frome. She stood 5’4 with dark blonde curly hair that was usually cut into a short bob. Nancy was not your typical 20-something adult, sure she loved dancing and parties as well as the occasional risk but she was also very accomplished. She was a great equestrian. She was even recognized for her talent on the bench of a piano while in college. 

]]> 2023-05-02 18:06:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575591207 Adelonda rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575593884 A germen show girl who was having an affair with Pop Frome (Hazel Fromes husband) for a couple of years. He would frequently visit her on his work trips, but after a while broke it off. She wasn't happy and threatened to go public about the affair and tell his family if he didn't pay her off. Frome began giving her substantial monthly payments to keep quiet. Pop finally had enough, and two months before this fateful trip he cut her off no matter what the consequences were to be. ]]> 2023-05-02 18:08:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575593884 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575772349 There were five different prints lifted from the crime scene. All of which belonged to the victims. The evidence that stood out the most to me was the fingerprint on the letter (#20). This stood out to me because whatever the letter contained had irritated Ms. Frome. Whoever had sent that letter was someone she did not want to be bothered with. 

                The fingerprint found on the envelope belonged to Hazel Frome. This was confirmed by a fingerprint analysis. This was not surprising that her fingerprints were found on the letter but, the contents of the letter is what concerns me. 

                This evidence is important because this letter could point to a possible motive. This letter was found by the car just outside the suitcase. 

]]> 2023-05-02 21:08:03 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575772349 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575817562 There six different shoe impressions taken from the crime scenes. All of which belonged to different individuals. The shoe impression that stood out me the most was the one that was lifted from between the two victims (#10). 

                The shoe print lifted belonged to Dr. Wofgang Ebell. This was confirmed by a shoeprint comparison. Based on this analysis, the print could not been left by any of the victims or other suspects. This print proves that he was there when the victims were killed.

                This piece of evidence is important because of how the victims are laying and where the Dr. Ebell was standing. These two things are important because it points to the fact that Dr. Ebell could have been the one to kill the victims. 

]]> 2023-05-02 22:19:41 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2575817562 Dr. WOLFGANG Ebell rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576778665 He was a germen doctor who imitated to El Paso in 1930. He was often an on-call doctor for the Hotel Cortez, and was the one who went to check out Nancy Frome in her hotel suite on Friday, March 25th. This is where he may have learned how wealthy the woman may have been. Even though he had a private medical practice, it was a good cover up for the fact he was one of Adolf Hitlers top spies here in the US. His mission was to get information on the military in El Paso. Over time Ebell had acquired many handymen (criminals) to carry out the work and forward all the information and valuable documentation back to the Germans. ]]> 2023-05-03 13:46:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576778665 Jim milam rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576784916 He was an oil truck driver, and was the one who found the bodies of Hazel and Nancy. He had 10 children and was scrounging around trying to make ends meet to take care of his family. He found the bodies in the desert as part of a search party.  His wife made him offer his eye-whatness testimony to investigators to some of the details of the crime. He reported while driving his route on Wednesday, he had seen the victims car apparently being chased by a dark sedan and it was being driven by the Fromes east on route 80. This coincidence raised a red flag to authorities because the same man who discovered the bodies was the same man who had seen the woman in distress on the road right before the murders. ]]> 2023-05-03 13:50:55 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576784916 Allie gillespie rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576787128 She was a fortune teller in El Paso. After news hit of the murders, she came forward with information pertaining to the victims. She said on Monday, March 28th, the day before the Fromes left the hotel, Hazel had visited her to have her fortune read. She spoke about how in her reading she seen enemies, and the death card. She spoke about seeing a journey in which they would never come back, she seemed to be nervous and kept tuning her rings. She said Hazel asked her if she had an enemy who would do bodily harm to her. In caudate to her account of the victims, she accurately described in detail what Hazel Frome was wearing that day, details that had not been previously published in any newspaper story of the crime. During the reading is how she may have found put how fortunate  the Fromes were. ]]> 2023-05-03 13:52:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576787128 Hair Fibers rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576985590 There was three pieces of hair follicles that were collected at tested. One of them being a crucial piece of evidence. The hair follicle (#5) was found near the bodies and came out to be a match for Poncho Flores, surrounded by the horse shoe impressions which also is a match for poncho's horse. Evidence # 22, was hair follicle belonging to Hazel Frome, which was found inside the open luggage near the car. Hair follicle evidence #26 was found inside on the drivers seat in the Packard belonging to Nancy Frome. ]]> 2023-05-03 16:09:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576985590 Tire impressions rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576994295 There were three tire impression marks collected from the scenes. Evidence #15 was found where the bodies were. These tire impressions belong to Jim Milam's truck. He was the one who found the victims and who also seen them being chased the evening before they were found. Tire impression #16, belonged to Ebells ford. These impressions were found at the scenes close to the bodies. The last tire impression that was found #26 was that of the Fromes Packard, which was clearly found behind the vehicle itself. ]]> 2023-05-03 16:16:29 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2576994295 Fibers rcragg1 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2577007976 There were three pieces of fiber evidence we collected. #2 was a sash belonging to Pancho Flores. This was found near the bodies where his horses shoe impressions were. The second Fiber we found #13, was found under Nancys fingernails. This fiber was a match for Dr. Ebells car. The final fiber evidence we collected #27, was a piece of Nancy's slip. This was found in the backseat of the Frome's car. ]]> 2023-05-03 16:27:16 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2577007976 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2578557414 There were three pieces of ballistic evidence collected from the scene. Two of which were so mangled that it made it impossible to identify. The only piece of ballistic evidence that could be compared was a spent cartridge that was left at the scene (#7). This spent cartridge came from the gun belonging to Dr. Ebell. 

                The confirmation that this cartridge came from the doctors gun was done with the use of firearm identification. Out of all the suspects that had a gun, his was the only one that was manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft. The other suspects did not. 

                This evidence is important because this cartridge was found near the victims. This shows that Dr. Ebell’s gun was there and could have been used to kill the victims.

]]> 2023-05-04 16:42:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2578557414 kbice21 https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2579978020 Based on the evidence that was collected, we as a team believe that Pancho Flores and Dr. Ebell were working together and murdered the Frome women. We believe that the women were forced to drive their car to where it was found and then Pancho Flores carried them on on horseback to where they were executed. We believe that they were forced to drive their car because all of the prints that were collected from the car belonged to the victims. At the scene where the bodies were recovered, a kerchief with blood on it which we believe to belong to Pancho Flores. The blood was tested and was found to belong to Nancy Frome. We also found a spent cartridge and a couple bullets. Only the cartridge was able to be identified and it was determined to belong to Dr. Ebell. The spent cartridge along with the footprints that were collected at the scene belonging to Dr. Ebell prove that he was there and likely involved in the murder of Nancy and Hazel Frome.]]> 2023-05-05 20:45:35 UTC https://padlet.com/jpreston110/kutplqdtb11darjz/wish/2579978020