Nancy Grace on Her Third Crimecon and Why She's Driven to Catch Criminals
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DRIVEN BY JUSTICE Nancy Grace on Her Third CrimeCon and Why She’s Driven to Catch Criminals Perennial fan-favorite Nancy coming to a family reunion. Grace returns for her third The people who are here are CrimeCon, and she’s bringing all like me — dedicated to crime the fire, emotion, and endearing and crime sleuthing,” she told Southern colloquialisms we’ve the Indy Star during CrimeCon come to expect from the pint- 2017. “It’s very invigorating to be sized powerhouse. Grace has around people who share the become a staple of CrimeCon same interest and the natural weekend, often found taking curiosity that I have.” selfies with fans (“The angle is key,” she says) or laughing with Grace has dedicated most of podcasters on Podcast Row. her life to finding answers to the questions that drive our When she takes the stage at fascination with true crime. CrimeCon, though, she is all Her fans are familiar with the business. Grace is famous for story of Grace’s fiance, Keith, her impassioned rhetoric and who was gunned down in boundless energy, and she has his vehicle when Grace was no trouble rousing a crowd nineteen years old. His death -- and CrimeCon is exactly her sparked a change in Grace, kind of crowd. “It felt like I was who promptly switched gears, dropped her literature major, and began studying for law school. She earned a reputation as an outspoken and energetic prosecutor in Atlanta before becoming a broadcaster and crime commentator on HLN and other cable networks. “Wherever I can best do the work I’m called to do, that’s where I’ll go,” Grace told the CrimeCon Informant in 2017. It’s a calling that keeps her busy. In 2017, Grace launched crime reporting platform CrimeOnline and accompanying podcast Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. The daily podcast also airs on SiriusXM (channel 111 at noon Nancy takes a selfie with fans (at the PERFECT angle!) at CrimeCon 2018. 2 CRIMECONFIDENTIAL ET) and features investigators Grace vs. Abrams with longtime and experts Grace’s fans have frenemy Dan Abrams and will come to know and love. soon release a new book about “how to strike back at America’s In 2018, Grace also appeared crime wave” (more details in the debate-format series forthcoming at CC19!). Last year, Grace launched Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here, a five-course series providing parents with resources to keep their children safe. “It’s easy to let yourself live in a bubble,” she says in the series trailer. “I’m here to tell you: there is no bubble.” Grace openly admits that she is “not a helicopter mom, but a straightjacket mom” when it comes to ensuring the safety of her twins, Lucy and John David. Her intense drive to protect them inspired her to parents how to keep their launch the series to help other children safe no matter where parents as well. The series calls they are. upon real-life cases to teach ISSUE 4, ARPIL 2019 3 FIFTY YEARS OF FORENSICS Dr. Henry Lee on Fifty Years of Progress and Finding Love Again at 82 Forensic scientists usually another reports it.” don’t ascend to star status, but Dr. Henry Lee has become a There is, perhaps, no case household name -- at least more infamous for its media in the homes of true crime coverage than the 1995 O.J. enthusiasts. Dr. Lee has been a Simpson murder trial. But fixture in true crime news and while the case was a veritable entertainment, featured in The media circus, it was also Staircase, Forensic Files, The Case hugely influential in changing of: JonBenet Ramsey, and in his investigative procedure. Dr. Lee own series: Trace Evidence: The gave testimony for the defense Case Files of Dr. Henry Lee. He has that certain pieces of evidence lent nearly fifty years of forensic from the crime scene had not expertise to recognizable cases been processed properly or had Dr. Henry Lee such as the death of Caylee been overlooked entirely. “The Anthony, the trial of O.J. Simpson, case set the national standard The problematic investigative the death of Laci Peterson, and for crime scene investigation,” procedures of days gone the September 11 terrorist Dr. Lee explains. “In a double by often interfere with this attacks. He has authored or homicide, there should have honorable effort, though. co-authored over 40 books on been crime scene video. There “Before 1998, nobody wore forensic science, crime scene shouldn’t have been anything gloves,” he explains. “Police investigation, and crime scene overlooked. Evidence should didn’t wear gloves, then take a reconstruction. not have been taken home by piece of evidence to a lab tech, detectives. None of this says the who didn’t wear gloves. The Although his expert testimony defendant is guilty or innocent, prosecutor examines it without sometimes clashes with popular but the evidence was not gloves. Maybe they take it to opinion, one cannot deny Dr. reliable.” trial and the defense attorney Lee the respect his findings and jury handle it without gloves. Ultimately, Dr. Lee hopes to be deserve in the face of 50 years Now we try to retest and find remembered for more than his of experience. Throughout the trace DNA that’s unreliable.” decades, Dr. Lee has observed work on the Simpson trial. He remarkable changes--including currently only investigates cold It is heartwarming to know that the rise of media involvement cases in which everyday people after fifty years of service, Dr. in court proceedings. “We don’t need help finding missing loved Lee is able to devote himself know the case,” he says. “We ones or bringing closure to cold to work that obviously brings only know what is in the media. case murders. “These are the him much fulfilment and joy -- When you sit in the room or in cases dear to my heart,” he says. and that joy spills over into his the jury box, you see all of the personal life, as well. “When my Dr. Lee tells the story of a evidence not accounted for in wife [Margaret] passed away 72-year-old senior citizen, her the media.” two years ago, we had been disabled 42-year-old son, and married 57 years,” he says. “Her her 8-year-old granddaughter, all The corruption of the information departure affected me very much three murdered in one weekend. we receive is colored even and I missed her tremendously.” “Nobody cares,” he says sadly. further by the way we receive What he didn’t know, though, “So we want to help these people it. “You have one story, and the was that Margaret had planned who otherwise wouldn’t have a way one channel reports it may ahead. “I learned that when her be very different from the way chance to find answers.” 4 CRIMECONFIDENTIAL health began to deteriorate, she told her best friend that if THE WOODCHIPPER MURDER she passed, she would send an One of Dr. Lee’s lesser- investigators angel to come and take care of found about known cases was one of three ounces of me.” As luck would have it, one Connecticut’s most influential arrived. In December 2018, at human tissue, Among the lesser-known of including a tooth 80 years old, Dr. Lee married with unique entrepreneur Jiang Xiaping in a Dr. Lee’s investigations is the 1986 murder of Danish flight dental work, a Helle Crafts small ceremony in Connecticut. attendant Helle Crafts in Newtown, fingernail with Connecticut. Her homicide resulted pink polish, bone fragments, and “People asked me “Why in Connecticut’s first murder over 2,600 blonde human hairs remarry?” Life is short. Having conviction without a body. consistent with Helle’s. a partner to walk with you A receipt recovered from the and share your happiness is Helle and her husband Richard were married for six years when Crafts’s home indicated Richard important. You can’t withdraw she discovered his numerous had rented a woodchipper around from the world.” affairs and filed for divorce. Helle the time Helle disappeared. disappeared on November 19, 1986. Investigators later concluded that Her husband gave a number of Richard had struck Helle in the head different explanations to concerned with something blunt and then kept Dr. Lee says that he loves to friends and family but, because her body in a freezer for some time. they knew of Richard’s aggression He later took her body to the lake, travel with his new wife! She will where he dismembered her with accompany him to CrimeCon and frequent angry outbursts, they quickly grew concerned. the chainsaw before feeding the 2019 in New Orleans, where he pieces through the woodchipper. will take the stage to reflect on Dr. Lee led the forensic a career spanning half a century. investigation. Evidence collected at After one trial ended in a hung jury, Come prepared with questions for the couple’s home lead his team to Richard Crafts was found guilty of Lake Zoar in Newtown, CT, where Helle’s murder on November 21, the audience Q&A and your phone 1989. He was sentenced to fifty for the meet & greet immediately they recovered a chainsaw covered in hair and blood that matched years in prison and will be eligible following his session! Helle’s DNA. In or near the lake, for parole in 2021. The Minds of Madness REPEAT OFFENDERS Hosts: Tyler & Bek Allen Podcast topics: Ordinary people who do Badges indicate unspeakable things the number New episodes released: Biweekly of CrimeCon appearances for The Minds of Madness is an award-winning true crime podcast, created and produced by a each Podcast.