Dateline looks at Angie Dodge's murder case Judge denies new DNA testing to find Angie’s killer By ELIZABETH LADEN IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls mother whose daughter was murdered and raped in 1996 wants the man convicted of the crimes to be freed. Carol Dodge, mother of Angie Dodge, shared her story with the nation on the August 24th NBC-Dateline show, called “The Confession.” The Dateline episode is also available for viewing at www.angiedodge.com. In June 1996, Angie was found murdered and raped in her apartment. Christopher Tapp, who was 20 yrs old at that time, and hung near the Snake River in downtown Idaho Falls with many other young people during that summer; admitted to the Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) detectives after several hours of interrogation that he willing took part in the murder. In 1998, a jury convicted Tapp of murder and he has spent the past 15 years in prison. However; Angie’s mother Carol, the Idaho Innocence Project, and state’s appellate court attorneys’, Dennis Benjamin and Sara Thomas, now believe Tapp is an innocent man. The NBC-Dateline episode focused on the possibility that Tapp is innocent, and the main reason is that the IFPD has no DNA evidence that puts Tapp at the scene. The DNA samples of semen and hair found at the crime scene belong to a Caucasian individual that has never been brought to justice. NBC-Dateline, Idaho Innocence Project and many others all question the tactics that IFPD Detective Jared Fuhriman (now Idaho Falls mayor) and Det. Ken Brown (now retired) used during the interrogation that resulted in Tapp’s confession. They assert that Tapp was manipulated into admitting he was in Angie’s apartment when she was killed and that he cut Angie, after another man he cannot identify slit her throat and raped her. IFPD detectives claim that when they questioned Tapp, he knew details about the crime that only a person who was there would have known. However, there are many who question the IFPD’s investigative tactics saying the detectives gave Tapp the information. The Dateline episode showed some of the segments of the interrogation that support their assertion. Indeed, Dodge told NBC-Dateline that she believed Tapp was guilty until she spent many hours watching all of Tapp’s interrogation tapes. Dr. Greg Hampikian, a professor at Boise State University, a DNA expert, and director of the Idaho Innocence Project, has requested the DNA profiles in the Angie Dodge murder case so that new DNA technology can be applied that would possibly lead to the true identity of real killer. On August 14, District Judge Joel E. Tingey denied a petition filed by Tapp, asking for YSTR DNA testing. Judge Tingey ruled that Tapp was convicted of Angie’s murder based on Tapp’s statements, not DNA evidence. Tingey ruled that “The identity of Tapp was not an issue at the time of trial but rather the issue was the extent of his involvement in the murder. Tingey stated that the DNA gathered at the crime scene was only relevant to the identity of a yet unknown assailant. DNA evidence of an unknown individual has no effect on Tapp’s conviction.” He noted that Idaho law allows new DNA testing if the result of the test has “the scientific potential to produce new, noncumulative evidence” that would show the petitioner to be innocent. Dr. Hampikian said the Innocence Project is appealing Tingey’s decision. Still, IFPD could request Touch DNA testing that may lead to the actual killer. Although; IFPD Chief Steve Roos says the Dodge case is actively an open case, he has not authorized further DNA testing. Roos has not responded to an Island Park News requesting that he explain why he will not authorize further DNA testing. Dodge told the News that Idaho Falls Prosecuting Attorney Bruce Pickett recently told her Tapp will remain in prison because of his confession and the fact that he was convicted by a jury. Pickett has not responded to a phone call or e-mail asking for his thoughts about Tapp and also about a letter a California attorney sent to Pickett and sent a copy to Island Park news. Dated August 27, the letter, from Gregory Sarno of Castro Valley, blasts Pickett for allegedly making a statement that maybe there would be “closure” for people affected by Angie’s murder now that Tapp’s appeal was denied in July 2012. Sarno’s letter states: “How could there be any closure when the citizens of Bonneville County, the state of Idaho, and the nationwide ‘Dateline’ audience know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ms. Dodge’s cold-blooded killer has not been identified, charged, or incarcerated? In such context, the false imputation to you of remarks about closure brands you as delusional at best, or as harboring a hidden agenda for condoning egregious miscarriage of justice entailed by Mr. Tapp’s imprisonment for more than a decade. “More effective that retraction, as a means of salvaging your tarnished image, would be a press conference asking Attorney General Wasden to reopen the Tapp matter. Justice delayed is justice denied, true, but belated justice is better than none at all.”