WSVN — He was murdered, she was murdered, a baby murdered, a teenager murdered. It happens far too much and in every case a detective has to find the killer.
Detective Rick Sessions, Lauderhill Police Department: "The title of this class is how to investigate a death in the 21st century."
Rick Sessions is a well respected Lauderhill homicide detective teaching this three day seminar at Broward College.
Rick Sessions: "I'm going to try to put you guys in my shoes."
Sharing his experience with 40 law enforcement officers from 15 South Florida agencies.
Rick Sessions: "That's what we would like to call a clue."
Asking questions that a homicide detective has to be able to answer to solve a murder.
Rick Sessions: "One of the suspects then empties five rounds into her."
In this case, two people were murdered at a house in Lauderhill. Their bodies quickly driven to Sunrise where the car was dumped in a parking lot. Now the question a detective heading out has to instantly answer.
Rick Sessions: "Do I go to Sunrise where I have the vehicle, I have the bodies or do I go over here?"
What is your guess? As the lead detective, do you go to the house where the murders took place? Or to where the bodies were sitting? The answer:
Rick Sessions: "If you've got a body at a scene guys it's not going anywhere. The most important thing that I have? Witnesses."
The detective should go to the house before the witnesses take off.
Officer Atina Johnson, Lauderhill Police: "I think this class has a lot of good information because it's a lot of things that you don't necessarily learn on road patrol."
During the three day seminar, the officers see pictures you dont want to see. A medical examiner showing bullet entry and exit wounds on victims. For a detective to determine how far away the shooter stood.
Detective Lane Sauls, Hallendale Beach Police Department: "I'm currently assigned to financial crimes and they're training me for homicide crimes against person as we speak, so for me it's invaluable what you're learing in this class."
The future and current homicide detectives get to see several mock crime scenes to figure out was this woman killed during an autoerotica sex act or murdered.
Detective Jennifer Nubin, Riviera Beach Police Department: "It made you think about what should you do how should you approach it."
As the lead detective, Sessions has solved every murder he has investigated, but its never easy.
This case, Sessions had promised Woodlin Dagobert's family he would catch their son's killer, but he couldn't. So session told the class he did what some officers dont like to do, asked for help.
Rick Sessions: "I proactively decided to call Channel 7 and I explained to Patrick my case."
We did an Out for Justice with Sessions recreating the murder. A tip came into Crime Stoppers. Sessions was able to arrest another killer.
Rick Sessions: "And she bottom line confessed to her that he killed Woodlin."
Some of the men and women here will soon be investigating murders. Many already do, but they all learn.
Rick Sessions: "We certainly can all learn from our mistakes. We can certainly all learn from other people's mistakes so that we don't make those same mistakes in the future."
Patrick Fraser: "Learn how to catch a killer and at the same time do it professionally so that not only do you catch the murderer, you help convict them.
Rick Sessions: "So when they actually put handcuffs on a suspect and they arrest them for murder, we want to make sure that at the end of that case we get a conviction."
These are the men and women who are Out for Justice spending their lives chasing, catching and convicting killers.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONl:
Broward Crime Stoppers: 954-493-TIPS
Out For Justice: 305-598-HELP (4357)
Miami-Dade or 954-796-HELP (4357) in Broward