Homicide in Pennsylvania Solved by the CVSA

Pennsylvania, Westmoreland Co. District Attorneys' Office, July 7, 2009 - Analyst Ray Dupilka reports that when the Latrobe Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive man in an apartment, they found the body of Mr. Bradley Holnaider, who had apparently been murdered by strangulation.  Following a preliminary investigation, Detective Ray Dupilka was joined by detectives from the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Detective Bureau.  After collecting evidence and reviewing the autopsy results, the detectives developed several individuals of interest.   

One individual of interest, Jay Baird, raised suspicion during his initial interview, and was asked by police to come in to be re-interviewed.  During the interview, detectives confronted Baird with both the evidence they had gathered and the inconsistencies in his statements.  Baird maintained his innocence and asked, “What can I do to make you believe me?”  Detective Dupilka requested that he take a CVSA examination.  Baird agreed and although Detective Dupilka is a CVSA examiner, he requested that Detective Paul Burkey of the Westmoreland County D. A.'s Detective Bureau administer the CVSA examination.  The relevant questions asked during the examination were, "Do you know who killed Bradley Holnaider?”, and "Did you kill Bradley Holnaider?"

Baird failed the CVSA examination and when confronted with the charts, stated, “I’m F---ed, I did it, I killed Holnaider!” and proceeded to provide details of the murder and the location of property he had stolen, which was recovered.     

After the trial, in which the defense attempted to have Baird's admissions declared inadmissible, Baird was found guilty of 1st degree murder as well as several other charges and sentenced to life in prison without parole.  Det. Dupilka stated that all of the physical evidence had been disposed of by Mr. Baird and that without the CVSA and the resulting confession, the case may never have been solved.