A University geology professor and graduate assistant aided law enforcement officials in their search for possible evidence against suspected serial killer Derrick Todd Lee.
Professor Jeffrey Nunn said the attorney general’s office contacted the University about equipment it might have that could help in the examination of concrete slabs on Lee’s properties. The request then filtered down to him, Nunn said.
Nunn and his graduate assistant, Angela Thomas, traveled to Lee’s properties in East Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes in late May and early June with a University-owned Ground Penetrating Radar device in hopes of finding bones or other evidence useful to investigators.
“We were looking for any geophysical anomaly that might indicate a buried body under the slabs,” Nunn said.
While investigators did not find any bodies, they found several bones under the slabs.
The bones were brought to Mary Manhein, director of the University’s Forensic Anthropology/Computer Enhancement Services lab, for analysis. Manhein determined them to be animal bones.
Manhein could not be reached for comment about her role in the investigation.
However, Chancellor Mark Emmert said Manhein has been active in the investigation process and has provided a great deal of support to the Multi-Agency Homicide Task Force.
Nunn said to the best of his knowledge, his involvement in the investigation ended June 2 after all of Lee’s known concrete slabs were examined, but he enjoyed being able to take part in the search.
“Angela and I were happy to assist law enforcement. One of LSU’s roles as the state’s flagship university is to provide advice and assistance to state and local agencies,” he said.
Thomas said while the experience has been “kind of surreal,” she was excited about being a part of the investigation.
“It’s been great being involved,” she said. “It’s neat to try and use it [the GPR device] for something different.”