Louis R. Vitullo
Louis R. Vitullo (July 2, 1924[1] – January 3, 2006[2]) was a Chicago police sergeant and chief microanalyst at the city's crime lab.[3]
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 (aged 81) |
| Occupation | police sergeant, microanalyst |
Vitullo is best known for his role in the development of the rape kit, which standardized evidence collection in cases of sexual assault.[4] Marty Goddard, a victim advocate, had noted the need for more systematic evidence at trial, and brought her concerns and the idea for a kit to Vitullo. Vitullo helped develop Goddard's prototype.[5][6][7][8] Although the resulting evidence kits were for a time called Vitullo kits,[2][7] this name has more recently come under criticism for underemphasizing Goddard's contribution to the kits.[8]
Death
Vitullo died at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington on January 3, 2006 after he collapsed at his home in Cary.[3]
References
- "Louis R Vitullo". Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- Obituary for Louis R. Vitullo Archived 2006-06-17 at the Wayback Machine at lastlinkontheleft.com (accessed October 19, 2006).
- "Crime lab expert developed rape kits: Standard system to collect" Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine by Chris Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times (published January 12, 2006; accessed October 19, 2006).
- Engels, Tristin (2020-09-04). The Power of Truth: The Life of Louis R. Vitullo and the Legacy of the Rape Kit. Genius Book Publishing. ISBN 978-1-947521-71-1.
- Ravitz, Jessica (November 21, 2015). "The Story Behind the First Rape Kit". CNN. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- T. Christian Miller; Ken Armstrong (6 February 2018). A False Report: The chilling true story of the woman nobody believed. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4735-3943-3.
- Freudenheim, Betty (2 December 1978). "Chicago Hospitals Are Using New Kit to Help Rape Victims Collect Evidence". The New York Times. p. 48. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- Kennedy, Pagan (2020-06-17). "Opinion | The Rape Kit's Secret History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
Further reading
- Engels, T. The Power of Truth: The Life of Louis R Vitullo and the Legacy of the Rape Kit, Genius Books Publishing (2020), a book by Vitullo's granddaughter.
