Louis R. Vitullo

Louis Vitullo

Louis Vitullo investigates a knife supposedly used by Richard Speck in the murder of eight nurses.
Born July 2, 1924
Died January 3, 2006(2006-01-03)
Barrington, Illinois
Occupation police sergeant, microanalist

Louis R. Vitullo (1924? – January 3, 2006 [1]) was a Chicago police sergeant and later became chief microanalyst at the city's crime lab.[2] He is best known as the first person to standardize evidence collection in cases of sexual assault, which until then was not done in a systematic fashion. The resulting evidence kits were initially called Vitullo kits[1] and continued to be known as such even after his name was officially removed from them.[2] They are now more commonly known as sexual assault evidence kits (SAEK) or rape kits for short.

Death

Vitullo died at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington[3] on January 3, 2006 after he collapsed at his home in Cary. He was survived by his wife Betty, his children Robert and Joanne, and granddaughter Tristin.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Obituary for Louis R. Vitullo at lastlinkontheleft.com (accessed October 19, 2006).
  2. ^ a b c "Crime lab expert developed rape kits: Standard system to collect" by Chris Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times (published January 12, 2006; accessed October 19, 2006).
  3. ^ "Man who invented rape kit dies" by Karen Long, Northwest Herald (accessed October 19, 2006). (Google cache version)