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Louis R. Vitullo

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Louis R. Vitullo
Occupation(s)police seargent, microanalist

Louis R. Vitullo (1924?- January 3, 2006 [1]) was a Chicago police sergeant and later became chief microanalist at the city's crime lab.[2] He is best known as the first person to standardize evidence collection in cases of sexual assault, which until then was not done systematically. The resulting evidence kits were initially called Vitullo kits [1] and continued to be known as such even when his name was officially removed from them.[2] Nowadays, they're more commonly known as sexual assault evidence kits (SAEK) or rape kits for short.

Death

Vitullo died at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington[3] on January 3, 2006 after he collapsed at his home in Cary. He was survived by his wife Betty and his children Robert and Jennifer.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Obituary for Louis R. Vitullo at lastlinkontheleft.com (accessed October 19, 2006).
  2. ^ a b c "Crime lab expert developed rape kits: Standard system to collect" by Chris Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times (published January 12, 2006; accessed October 19, 2006).
  3. ^ "Man who invented rape kit dies" by Karen Long, Northwest Herald (accessed October 19, 2006). (Google cache version)