TOPIC: Crime scene

The following will be a tour of the crime scene through the eyes of CID investigators.  For those who want to view 3-D computer recreations of 544 Castle Drive, you can visit here.  This topic will focus on initial descriptions of what was found at the crime scene and does not include the subsequent collection and/or analysis of the physical evidence.  Trace evidence that was found in the rumpled bedding, under Colette's body, under the children's bedcovers, and in the hands of the victims are not included in this topic.

William Ivory arrived at 544 Castle Drive at 4:10 a.m. on February 17, 1970.  Upon entering the living room area of the residence, Ivory immediately noticed that the room was in "good order" with the exception of an overturned coffee table that was resting on its side, an empty flower pot standing upright next to the coffee table with its plant spilled out alongside it, and a pair of reading glasses located on the floor a few feet south of the coffee table.  The coffee table was resting on top of a stack of magazines and a box containing a children's game.  To the north end of the coffee table lay a pair of slippers and an afghan was located on top of the living room couch.  A picture was hanging on the wall directly above the couch and a lamp was standing upright on top of an end table located at the south end of the couch.  Both the picture and the lamp were undisturbed.

The dining room, which is an extension of the living room, demonstrated no signs of a struggle.  Plates remained balanced on edge in an unstable china cabinet and Valentine cards stood upright on the dining room table.  A portion of the dining room floor near the entrance to the kitchen bore traces of smeared blood.  The kitchen was located to the west of the dining room.  The main ceiling light in the kitchen was lit, the wall telephone located just inside the door was off the hook, and the receiver was resting on the floor.  There were traces of blood on several objects in the kitchen which included the refrigerator door handle, on the side of the washing machine, on a pair of oven mitts, on top of the stove, east kitchen sink, south kitchen wall, and the northwest kitchen wall.  There were also several drops of blood on the kitchen floor beneath the sink and directly in front of the sink cabinet.

Running east to west from the living and dining room is a hallway leading to the bedrooms.  Several clothing items and a doll's head were located on the hallway floor near the steps leading to the living room.  The hallway floor bore traces of blood which included a trail of blood droplets leading from the entrance to the master bedroom and extending to the entrance to the bedroom located on the south side of the residence.  A bloody bare footprint was found in the middle of the hallway floor near the entrance to the bedroom located on the north side of the residence.  A pink tissue was located on the floor near the entrance to the hallway bathroom.

The hallway bathroom bore traces of blood in several locations which included droplets on the front, left side, and right side of the sink.  The bathtub, cloth toilet seat cover, toilet tank, and step ladder also bore traces of blood.  A smear of blood was found on the bathroom wall to the left of the mirror and a crumpled pink tissue was located in the bathroom sink. Traces of blood were also found on the door to a hall closet that contained a large stock of prescription drugs, syringes, and disposable scalpel blades.

The first bedroom that Ivory entered was the master bedroom.  Colette MacDonald lay on her back, legs apart, one eye was open, her left breast partially exposed, and her left arm was extended over her head.  Her pink pajamas bore massive blood stains, with the upper half of her body showing signs of a severe beating.  Injuries to her face, head, and arms indicated severe blunt trauma.  Multiple stab wounds were readily visible on her chest and neck.  A blood-soaked and torn blue pajama top was draped across her chest, and a bloodstained white bathmat lay across her abdomen.  A white shag carpet on which the body rested was soaked with blood and a large stain of blood was located on the carpet near the entrance to the master bedroom.  The master bedroom ceiling bore several streaks of blood, two small fragments of a surgeon's glove were located near Colette's body, and several wood splinters were found on top of the master bed.

A pocket from the blue pajama top lay on top of a corner portion of a bluish-green throw rug located at Colette's feet. Numerous blue threads were found near Colette's body and on top of the master bed.  The threads measured from one to two and a half inches in length.  A paring knife lay to the north of Colette's body and a pile of bundled bedding lay near the entrance to the master bedroom.  The master bed was located to the south of Colette's body and contained only a bottom blue sheet.  The sheet was spattered with blood and a large stain, later determined to be urine, was on the south half of the bed.  On the west side of the master bed headboard was the word "PIG" printed in blood.  A suitcase was located near the right corner of the master bed footboard and the right side of the closet in the master bedroom was open.  A pair of white shoes located in the right-hand side of the closet contained blood spatter, and the left side of the footboard bore traces of blood.

The bedroom on the south side of the residence was occupied by Kimberley MacDonald.  Kimberley was found on her bed.  She lay on her left side, her bedcovers pulled up to her shoulders and tucked beneath her.  Blood covered her mattress and her pillow.  Several blue pajama threads were located on top of her bedding and an extremely long pajama fiber was located on her pillow.  Kimberley's face and head demonstrated signs of severe blunt trauma and the right side of her neck contained several gaping stab wounds.  The ceiling and portions of the wall above Kimberley's bed bore traces of blood spatter.

The bedroom on the north side of the residence was occupied by Kristen MacDonald.  Kristen was also found on her bed, resting on her left side.  The lower portions of her body were covered with bedding, her left arm was outstretched, and a nearly empty baby bottle lay next to her mouth.  Her body bore severe stab wounds to her chest, back, and hands.  The bottom sheet of Kristen's bed bore several large blood stains, the wall next to her bed bore blood spatter, and her pillow was heavily stained with blood.  Heavy deposits of blood ran in a downhill direction on the right side of the bed and two bloody bare footprints were found exiting Kristen's room.

In searching the backyard of 544 Castle Drive, investigators found an ice pick and a knife lying side by side beneath a bush.  Just outside the back door lay a long wooden club.  The club was stained with blood and had several dark fibers adhering to it.