The Axeman of New Orleans

Physical Evidence: Door Panels and Weapon Analysis

Crime scene investigators preserved door panel fragments from multiple Axeman break-ins, showing consistent chisel marks and entry techniques. Detective Joseph Dantonio noted the killer used a specific method: removing panels near door locks rather than breaking down entire doors, suggesting professional tool knowledge. Forensic examination of the axes revealed the killer exclusively used victims' own tools, never bringing weapons to crime scenes. Blood spatter patterns indicated the attacker was right-handed and possessed considerable upper body strength. Dr. Joseph O'Hara, the coroner, documented wound patterns consistent with a single assailant across multiple crime scenes. Physical evidence was preserved using 1918-era techniques and remains in NOPD evidence storage, though much has deteriorated over decades. Modern forensic analysis has never been applied to these materials. Could DNA testing of century-old evidence finally identify the Axeman, or has too much time passed for viable biological samples?