The Reid Scale: Classic Unsolved Murder Cases

[sdreid]

It's almost as if her attacker knew when she would be alone

[sdreid]

Some more examples:

0-John List
1-James Earl Ray
2-Elmer Crawford
3-Riverdell Hospital Killer
4-Babysitter
5-Paraquat Killer

[sdreid]

Sullivan was actually living two other women.

I think some have suggested that her killer was an acquaintance of one of the other women.

[sdreid]

According to an eminent source, DNA from one of those acquaintances was found with Sullivan's body after an exhumation.

[sdreid]

0-Neville Heath
1-Darlie Routier
2-Willian Bradford Bishop
3-Lord Erroll Murder
4-Tylenol Murders
5-Weldone Atherstone Murder

[sdreid]

Routier is presently on death row.

[sdreid]

Routier has been there for 18 years which must be close to a record for Texas.

[sdreid]

Routier has been there for 18 years which must be close to a record for Texas.

Actually, I just checked and there's a guy there who's been on death row for 38 years because he's supposedly mentally unfit to be executed.

[GUT]

Actually, I just checked and there's a guy there who's been on death row for 38 years because he's supposedly mentally unfit to be executed.

Am I the only one who thinks it's a bit nutty, but not as bad as "He's sick [physically] so we have to get him better so we can kill him"

[sdreid]

Yes, I guess we want them to feel like they are losing something.

[John G]

Hello,

There seems to be some dispute about what cases should be considered unsolved so I thought I'd create a scale like we have for tornadoes. I'll post it here and over on that other site. Here are the categories and at least one example of each.

The Reid Scale: Classic Unsolved Murder Cases

Level 0: Cases with a standing conviction and where there is no serious doubt regarding the verdict (Ted Bundy).

Level 1: Cases where there is a standing conviction but some doubt about it (James Hanratty) or cases where there is no conviction but where there is little doubt regarding the perpetrator (Bella Kiss).

Level 2: Cases where there is no standing conviction but where there is a better than even chance that one suspect did it (Lizzie Borden).

Level 3: Cases where there are good suspects but they are independent and/or conflicting (Jack the Ripper).

Level 4: Cases where there is no serious suspect (The Original Nightstalker).

So there you be.

What level would you categorize the Julia Wallace murder? A murder so mysterious that it was described by Raymond Chandler as "...the nonpareil of all murder mysteries...I call it an impossible murder because Wallace couldn't have done it and neither could anyone else...the Wallace case is unbeatable; it will always be unbeatable." Frankly, I'm inclined to agree! As Dorothy L Sayers remarked, "The problem of the Wallace murder had no key- move and ended, in fact, in stalemate."

[sdreid]

At present, I would put Wallace at a 3 on that old scale or 4 on the updated scale.

When I say "better than even chance", I mean by an undisputed consensus, not my personal feeling.

[John G]

At present, I would put Wallace at a 3 on that old scale or 4 on the updated scale.

When I say "better than even chance", I mean by an undisputed consensus, not my personal feeling.

I would rate it a 4, based upon personal opinion. In fact, just when I think I've arrived at a reasonable solution I quickly realize I'm back to square one. Of the two viable candidates, Wallace would have to have been an Olympic runner, rather than a late middle aged man with a serious disability, and Parry had accumulated an entire platoon of alibis, which some might say is suspicious in itself.

If you haven't seen it before, this website provides an excellent, detailed analysis of the case: http://inacityliving.blogspot.co.uk/...rder-case.html

[sdreid]

I know where you're coming from. Right now, I'm about 55% on the side that Wallace did it.

[sdreid]

55% Wallace-40% Parry-5% the field