Many prosecutors say that proving the murder of a defendant without the victim’s body is a difficult task, but it isn’t impossible. The body is a key piece of evidence in a case, as a medical examiner can provide expert testimony about the time, manner, and cause of death, as well as other details that may help put a defendant in prison, according to The Washington Post. Without a body, however, all these details couldn’t be determined. But that doesn’t mean that the case is weak.
When prosecutors decide to charge a suspect with murder without finding the body, it means that they have found other information that can lead to a guilty verdict. Some of these include witness testimonies, surveillance videos, forensic tests, and other substantial pieces of evidence that demonstrate the defendant’s guilt. Tad DiBiase, a former prosecutor, says there are three elements that make up a strong no-body murder case (via A&E). The first is forensic evidence, which can be blood, hair, saliva, fingerprints, or DNA and fiber samples. Technological evidence such as phone records, cell tower pings, photos, and surveillance videos. The second is testimonies and confessions that point to the guilt of the suspect, and the third is a confession from the suspect.
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Many no-body murder cases go to trial, and about 86% end in convictions. In the case of Donthe Lucas, prosecutors were able to convince the jury that he was guilty of murdering Kelsie Schelling with forensic evidence they gathered throughout years of investigation.
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