Digest

This episode of Anatomy of Murder delves into the cold case of Leo Beauregard, a World War II veteran and successful businessman who was found murdered in his North Palm Beach apartment in 1990. The investigation initially yielded few leads, with no witnesses, no murder weapon, and no fingerprints. However, detectives noticed an empty beer can on the table next to Leo's body, which had no blood on it despite the significant blood spatter surrounding it. This observation led them to believe that the beer can had been placed there after the murder. In 2018, a tip from another homicide case involving a suspect who had been a frequent visitor to Leo's apartment led detectives to collect DNA from the beer can. The DNA matched Mark Griffin, a convicted felon who had been on parole in Palm Beach County at the time of the murder. Griffin's birthday was noted in Leo's calendar, and records showed that Griffin had been released to a halfway house in Florida from the Ohio prison system. Griffin initially denied knowing Leo or being in his apartment, but his DNA evidence and his own statements ultimately led to his arrest and extradition back to Palm Beach County. Despite the chain of custody issue with the beer can, which had been sent to a psychic for analysis, the prosecution argued that the evidence was still admissible and that the break in the chain of custody went to the weight of the evidence, not its admissibility. The jury ultimately found Griffin guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The episode highlights the importance of meticulous crime scene investigation, the power of DNA evidence, and the dedication of law enforcement officers who work tirelessly to bring justice to victims and their families.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Murder of Leo Beauregard

This Chapter introduces the case of Leo Beauregard, a World War II veteran and successful businessman who was found murdered in his North Palm Beach apartment in 1990. The episode details the discovery of his body, the crime scene investigation, and the initial lack of leads. The investigators note the absence of a murder weapon and the presence of an empty beer can with no blood on it, suggesting that the killer had been present after the murder.

00:02:04

The Cold Case

This Chapter discusses the challenges faced by investigators as the case went cold. The lack of witnesses, fingerprints, and a murder weapon made it difficult to identify a suspect. The investigators explored Leo's personal life, interviewing his friends and family, but no concrete leads emerged. The episode also highlights the use of a psychic in an attempt to gain insight into the case, which raised concerns about the chain of custody of evidence.

00:21:26

A New Lead

This Chapter describes the breakthrough in the case that occurred 28 years after Leo's murder. A tip from another homicide case involving a suspect who had been a frequent visitor to Leo's apartment led detectives to collect DNA from the beer can found at the crime scene. The DNA matched Mark Griffin, a convicted felon who had been on parole in Palm Beach County at the time of the murder.

00:24:55

The Connection

This Chapter explores the connection between Mark Griffin and Leo Beauregard. Griffin's birthday was noted in Leo's calendar, and records showed that Griffin had been released to a halfway house in Florida from the Ohio prison system. The episode also discusses the possibility that Leo had been sending money to Griffin, which could have been a motive for the murder.

00:28:37

The Arrest

This Chapter details the arrest of Mark Griffin. Detectives traveled to Ohio to confront Griffin, who initially denied knowing Leo or being in his apartment. However, his DNA evidence and his own statements ultimately led to his arrest and extradition back to Palm Beach County.

00:34:07

The Trial

This Chapter focuses on the trial of Mark Griffin. The prosecution presented the DNA evidence from the beer can, but had to address the chain of custody issue that arose when the can was sent to a psychic for analysis. The defense argued that the beer can could have been left there at any time, but the prosecution countered that the lack of blood spatter on the can indicated that it had been placed there after the murder. The jury ultimately found Griffin guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

00:42:15

The Aftermath

This Chapter concludes the episode by discussing the aftermath of the trial. The episode highlights the dedication of the prosecutor, Alita McRoberts, and the importance of seeking justice for victims and their families. The episode also touches on the ongoing cold case of Mark Griffin's girlfriend, who was found murdered in Boynton Beach.

Keywords

Q&A

• What was the key piece of evidence that led to the arrest of Mark Griffin?

  The key piece of evidence was a beer can found at the crime scene that had no blood on it, despite the significant blood spatter surrounding it. DNA analysis of the beer can matched Mark Griffin's DNA profile.

• Why was the chain of custody of the beer can a concern for the prosecution?

  The chain of custody of the beer can was a concern because it had been sent to a psychic for analysis, which raised questions about whether the evidence had been tampered with or contaminated. The prosecution had to address this issue in court and argue that the break in the chain of custody did not affect the admissibility of the evidence.

• What was the prosecution's theory of the motive for Leo Beauregard's murder?

  The prosecution's theory was that Mark Griffin killed Leo Beauregard for money. Griffin had been receiving money from Leo, and the prosecution argued that Griffin may have killed Leo when he was cut off from his source of income.

• What was the significance of the fact that Mark Griffin was on parole in Palm Beach County at the time of the murder?

  The fact that Mark Griffin was on parole in Palm Beach County at the time of the murder was significant because it placed him at the crime scene and provided a plausible explanation for how his DNA could have ended up on the beer can. The prosecution argued that Griffin had no other opportunity to leave his DNA on the beer can, except at the time of the murder.

• What was the outcome of the trial?

  The jury found Mark Griffin guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Show Notes