Opinion ID: 564787
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: I.Code Ann. tit. 1, Sec. 4 (1967).

Text: 9 Although we uniformly apply V.I.Code Ann. tit. 1, Sec. 4 in civil cases, we rarely encounter its application in criminal cases. It could be argued that we should first look to the Model Penal Code which, although not technically a Restatement, is prepared by the American Law Institute. However, the Model Penal Code is also silent on this issue 10 Under the old Texas Penal Code, one of the elements of the corpus delicti of murder in Texas was that the body of the deceased must be found and identified. See, e.g., Smith v. Texas, 329 F.2d 498, 501 (5th Cir.1964). Tex.Penal Code Ann. art. 1204 (Vernon 1925) provided: No person shall be convicted of any grade of homicide unless the body of the deceased, or portions of it, are found and sufficiently identified to establish the fact of the death of the person charged to have been killed. In 1974, Texas repealed the requirement that a victim's body be found in order to prove the corpus delicti of homicide. See, e.g. Williams v. State, 629 S.W.2d 791, 796 (Tex.Ct.App.1981) (noting the omission of the body-must-be-found requirement under the new Texas Penal Code). Regardless, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals still requires that the body of the deceased be found and identified. See, e.g., Harris v. State, 738 S.W.2d 207 (Tex.Crim.1986) (holding that homicide victim's body must be found and identified), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 872, 108 S.Ct. 207, 98 L.Ed.2d 158 (1987); Penry v. State, 691 S.W.2d 636 (Tex.Crim.1985) (same), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1073, 106 S.Ct. 834, 88 L.Ed.2d 805 (1986). But see Wheeler, Invitation to Murder? Corpus Delicti, Texas Style, 30 S.Tex.L.Rev. 267, 268-69 (1989) (discussing the peculiarities of the body-must-be-found requirement followed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals) 11 There are relatively few cited federal cases; most are state law cases. See, e.g., United States v. Stabler, 490 F.2d 345, 346 (8th Cir.1974) (holding that circumstantial evidence was sufficient to establish the corpus delicti of the victim's murder: the victim was last seen on the Indian reservation in a car that was soon thereafter set on fire; the charred and unidentifiable body found in the car was human; and the victim had not been seen in the community since the fire occurred) 12 The following states hold that the body of a missing person need not be produced to convict for murder: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. We have cited only those published state law cases where the victim disappeared and was never heard from again and where a body was never produced or, in a minority of cases, the body was in a condition beyond any possible means of identification except that it was human. See Gilchrist v. State, 466 So.2d 988 (Ala.App.1984) (defendant made statements to his common law wife that he struck victim in the head with a large stick and then hid her body; victim had not contacted friends or family or picked up her paycheck; there was no evidence that victim was unhappy or contemplated suicide); Lewis v. State, 220 Ala. 461, 125 So. 802 (1930) (defendant admitted to police that he and others murdered the 70 year-old victim in the woods with an ax, found with bloodstains and white hairs; witness saw the murder; ashes found nearby containing fragments of bone and victim's clothing); Derring v. State, 273 Ark. 347, 619 S.W.2d 644 (1981) (defendant told acquaintances and cellmate he had shot and killed a man, had thrown him in a river or a ditch, and was found driving the man's car; victim was last seen stopping his car on a highway talking to a black man; defendant, who was black, was seen on highway near that time; defendant attempted to sell victim's car containing papers and a bible with victim's name on them; defendant had gun at time of arrest; victim was dependable, religious, kept to a rigid schedule, frequently contacted family and friends); People v. Manson, 71 Cal.App.3d 1, 139 Cal.Rptr. 275 (2nd Dist.1977) (defendant made statements to witnesses that he and others killed victim, that they cut him up in nine pieces and buried him under some leaves and that they cut his head off; witness heard defendant asking for lye to get rid of the body and had heard victim screaming the night before; victim's car and possessions were found), cert. denied, 435 U.S. 953, 98 S.Ct. 1582, 55 L.Ed.2d 803 (1978); People v. Scott, 274 Cal.App.2d 905, 79 Cal.Rptr. 587 (2nd Dist.1969) (defendant made statements that he had gotten rid of victim, his common law wife, and that he had shot her; defendant and victim had been heard arguing several times each month; defendant asked witness to carry a heavy cardboard box to his car and to help him bury it; on same weekend defendant sold victim's clothing and a rifle; victim ceased communication with family and did not show up for work); People v. Bolinski, 260 Cal.App.2d 705, 67 Cal.Rptr. 347 (4th Dist.1968) (defendant made no admission; defendant was found by police driving victim's car and using his credit cards and cash; defendant said that victim picked him up while he was hitchhiking and loaned him the car; no weapon was found although defendant was known to have been armed with a revolver when he began hitchhiking; victim was soon to receive a retirement pension); People v. Scott, 176 Cal.App.2d 458, 1 Cal.Rptr. 600 (1959) (defendant made no admission; stated that victim, his wife, who had supported him, drove away one afternoon and never returned; no weapon uncovered; victim's dentures and glasses were buried near her home; victim in excellent mental and physical health although defendant told friends she was ill; defendant pleased and satisfied when wife left and spoke ill of her; tried to prevent investigation of his efforts to steal her large estate; fled country in fear of murder charge), cert. denied, 364 U.S. 471, 81 S.Ct. 245, 5 L.Ed.2d 222 (1960); People v. Cullen, 37 Cal.2d 614, 234 P.2d 1 (1951) (defendant made statements to police and witness that defendant's wife and father-in-law, with whom he lived, had died in their house and that he knew where the bodies were; he hoped the police wouldn't get anywhere because they had no corpus delicti; defendant forged his father-in-law's pension check; bloody clothing was found in the home and wet spots of human blood on the carpet; attempt was made to sand the floor and wash off the blood); People v. McMonigle, 29 Cal.2d 730, 177 P.2d 745 (1947) (defendant made written admission to police that he enticed victim, 14-year-old girl, into his car with false story; shot victim and dropped her body over a cliff into the ocean; police found blood-stained articles, gun, and victim's clothing and possessions; defendant stole serviceman's clothing that he wore on day of murder); People v. Faulkner, 186 Ill.App.3d 1013, 134 Ill.Dec. 683, 542 N.E.2d 1190 (1989) (defendant made no admission; defendant's son and daughter said that they saw defendant dump victim's body in a reservoir; son said that he saw defendant stab victim while victim was having sex with defendant's wife; red stains were found on mattress and trunk of defendant's car although blood tests were negative); Campbell v. State, 500 N.E.2d 174 (Ind.1986) (defendant admitted to crime on tape; accomplice testified that badly beaten victim was held under water and was last seen floating down the river; unsuccessful search for body did not begin until four years later; victim not seen since day of attack); State v. Pyle, 216 Kan. 423, 532 P.2d 1309 (1975) (defendant admitted to police and others burning victim's (his grandmother) home while she was inside or killing her in a gruesome way and disposing of her body elsewhere; no physical evidence of victim's body in ashes; defendant and victim had strained relations; defendant believed he was the primary beneficiary of victim's will; defendant attempted suicide; made inconsistent statements); Gibson v. Commonwealth, 301 Ky. 402, 192 S.W.2d 187 (1946) (defendant made no admission; victim's (defendant's neighbor) house had been burned and skeleton with bullet in head was thought to be victim; victim's money box was open; defendant had one of victim's guns and extra money); Warmke v. Commonwealth, 297 Ky. 649, 180 S.W.2d 872 (1944) (defendant confessed that she threw her baby into a flooded creek then stated it was accidental; child was illegitimate and defendant said she would be humiliated to go home; a coat the baby was wrapped in had been found); Hurley v. State, 60 Md.App. 539, 483 A.2d 1298 (1984) (defendant made no admission; daughter of defendant and victim (defendant's estranged wife) heard a scream and saw victim on floor of defendant's office; defendant made inconsistent statements concerning victim's disappearance; since disappearance, victim did not contact friends or family although defendant's evidence suggested that wife was suicidal and capable of disappearing without notification), cert. denied, 302 Md. 409, 488 A.2d 500 (1985); State v. Hicks, 495 A.2d 765 (Me.1985) (defendant made no admission; evidence introduced that victim, defendant's wife, screamed on the morning of her disappearance that defendant was killing her and her body was awkwardly positioned on a seat later that morning with hair covering her face; defendant's behavior was peculiar on morning and his statements inconsistent about victim's location; no weapon or bloodstains were found; victim absent for six years; victim had made specific commitments with friends and family; loving mother); People v. Modelski, 164 Mich.App. 337, 416 N.W.2d 708 (1987) (defendant admitted to friends, a paramour, and police that he had shot and killed victim, his wife, in a rage following an argument, and then dumped the body; relationship was stormy with frequent arguments, instances of violence, and defendant's accusations that victim was unfaithful; marriage was deteriorating), appeal denied, 1987 WL 24489, 1988 Mich. LEXIS 836 (Mich.1988); King v. State, 251 Miss. 161, 168 So.2d 637 (1964) (defendant made no admission; defendant was arguing with victim, who had bought whiskey from him; three witnesses saw defendant beat victim whose head was mashed in and who had ceased breathing; witness helped defendant bury body but body could not be found later); State v. Lamb, 28 Mo. 218 (1859) (defendant made written admission that he never recanted stating that he drowned his wife in a river and tied down her body with stones; his prior attempts to poison her had made her ill; he soon married another woman; he said his wife was not his equal); People v. Curro, 161 A.D.2d 784, 556 N.Y.S.2d 364 (2d Dept.) (defendant stated to brother that he had strangled victim and cut her body into pieces in a bathtub, put them in a bag and took them for a ride; defendant believed victim, his girlfriend, was informing on him about drug dealing; relatives had not heard from victim for six years since her disappearance), appeal denied, 76 N.Y.2d 855, 560 N.Y.S.2d 994, 561 N.E.2d 894 (1990); People v. Seifert, 152 A.D.2d 433, 548 N.Y.S.2d 971 (App.Div., 4th Dept.1989) (defendant made statement that he would kill victim, his brother, who had filed criminal charges against him; long history of hatred between brothers; defendant had lured brother to rural site where human blood (of brother's type) and brain tissue were found), appeal denied, 75 N.Y.2d 924, 555 N.Y.S.2d 43, 554 N.E.2d 80 (1990); People v. Lipsky, 57 N.Y.2d 560, 457 N.Y.S.2d 451, 443 N.E.2d 925 (1982) (defendant admitted murder of victim, a prostitute, whose body he had dumped in a gully; victim's belongings had been found in defendant's apartment), later appealed, 103 A.D.2d 1033, 478 N.Y.S.2d 441 (4th Dept.1984); State v. Nicely, 39 Ohio St.3d 147, 529 N.E.2d 1236 (1988) (defendant made no admission; defendant and victim, his wife, had stormy marriage and victim wanted to leave him the night of her disappearance; human blood of victim's type was found on defendant's pants and other items as well as in and around victim's car, which defendant had abandoned; bag containing some of victim's items was found weighted in a creek); State v. Dudley, 19 Ohio App.2d 14, 48 Ohio Op.2d 19, 249 N.E.2d 536 (1969) (defendant made no admission; defendant at plant the night victim, a plant watchman disappeared; bloodstains were found in the plant, on victim's car and cap, and defendant's pants; defendant burned his pants and shoes; defendant seen with a crowbar which had some of victim's hair; witness saw defendant argue with victim and hit him with crowbar); Arnold v. State, 803 P.2d 1145 (Okla.Crim.1990) (defendant admitted to ex-wife and others that he had murdered victim while victim was sleeping in his car; victim had made violent threats toward defendant's stepdaughter; defendant was seen with blood and dirt on his pants the day victim disappeared and defendant stored and stripped victim's car); Rawlings v. State, 740 P.2d 153 (Okla.Crim.1987) (defendant made no admission; had told victim, his wife, whom he had beaten in the past, that next time she saw him she would be dead; near time of victim's disappearance, defendant purchased and used a gun, rented a car and plane, moved victim's possessions, wrote letters on her behalf, and possessed a suitcase with her belongings; human blood was found on the car, plane, and gun); State v. Brown, 310 Or. 347, 800 P.2d 259 (1990) (defendant told cellmate he had disposed of victim's body; had threatened to kill victim, a prospective witness in a case against him; victim was last seen being forced to leave her house with him; victim had not contacted her relatives and left possessions behind); State v. Lerch, 63 Or.App. 707, 666 P.2d 840 (1983) (defendant, a prison escapee, confessed that he had strangled victim, a seven-year-old boy and put his body in a dumpster; witness testified he had smelled the odor of decomposing human flesh coming from the dumpster; hair similar to victim's was found in defendant's home), aff'd 296 Or. 377, 677 P.2d 678 (1984); State v. Williams, 46 Or. 287, 80 P. 655 (Or.1905) (defendant made no admission; lived with victims, his wife and mother-in-law, and gave inconsistent reasons for their disappearance; married another woman whose name he said was that of his wife; forged a check with his wife's name and took over her land; finding of human blood and hair); State v. Owens, 293 S.C. 161, 359 S.E.2d 275 (defendant made statements to police investigator and three inmates indicating knowledge of victim's death and location of his body; victim, 72-years-old, was last seen at his residence where there were signs of a struggle; dragmarks, human bloodstains, victim's eyeglasses and needed medication, found at his residence; victim was dependable and had standing appointments; defendant picked up ransom money and his daughter and son sold victim's possessions; hairs similar to victim's found in defendant's car trunk), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 982, 108 S.Ct. 496, 98 L.Ed.2d 495 (1987); Williams v. State, 629 S.W.2d 791 (Tex.Ct.App.1981) (defendant admitted shooting and killing victim at trial and helping to conceal the body thereafter; eye-witness testified as to shooting and a neighbor called police about seeing body put in car trunk; defendant refused to let police inside his home); State v. Rebeterano, 681 P.2d 1265 (Utah 1984) (no admission from defendant, ex-husband of witness, who became jealous because witness and victim were talking in a bar; witness heard defendant and victim scuffling and a groan; observation that defendant placed a large, wrapped bundle in victim's automobile; large amounts of type A blood found in witness's apartment and in trunk of victim's automobile; kitchen knife found on roof of victim's home); Epperly v. Commonwealth, 224 Va. 214, 294 S.E.2d 882 (1982) (defendant made no admission but made incriminating statements, such as a reference to victim's body before anyone thought she was dead; victim last seen with defendant whom she had just met; evidence of violent struggle and savage beating of victim; victim's hidden, blood-soaked clothing; human bloodstains and hair in home; defendant's lack of remorse and efforts to avoid detection; dog-tracker led to defendant's front door; victim's highly modest and careful conduct, close contact with family and friends); State v. Neslund, 50 Wash.App. 531, 749 P.2d 725 (1988) (defendant told niece and brother that she and their other brother had killed victim, her husband; witness-brother overheard conversations between defendant and other brother describing how victim had been shot, butchered, burned, and disposed of; blood was found on defendant's handgun and in home; victim indicated that he was afraid of defendant and feared for his life; defendant was familiar with firearms); State v. Quillin, 49 Wash.App. 155, 741 P.2d 589 (1987) (defendant admitted felony murder of robbery victim to police and to witnesses; took police to homicide scene where body had been thrown from bridge; knife thrown from car was not recovered but some of victim's possessions were); State v. Lung, 70 Wash.2d 365, 423 P.2d 72 (1967) (defendant signed statement admitting he accidentally shot his wife and disposed of her body in the river; victim's car contained some personal possessions including her coat which had a bullet hole and human bloodstains; defendant returned victim's car to its usual place; attempted to remove bloodstains in his home; returned rifle to his workshop); but see Lemons v. State, 49 Md.App. 467, 433 A.2d 1179 (1981) (reversing first degree murder conviction for insufficient evidence independent of defendant's statements to establish corpus delicti; defendant, who was mentally unstable and had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, told police, his girlfriend, and girlfriend's daughter details about how he killed victim and disposed of her body eleven years earlier; victim had disappeared near the time defendant stated killing occurred; defendant said he desecrated the grave of another woman and grave was found to have been desecrated; psychiatrists stated that defendant could not tell between fantasy and reality; employer said victim was unreliable; state made limited efforts to attempt to locate victim or to find if anyone had reported her missing); Campbell v. People, 159 Ill. 9, 42 N.E. 123 (1895) (reversing murder conviction for insufficient evidence; defendant made no admission; conviction was based primarily on unmarried witness's inconsistent testimony that defendant, who was married, was the father of her baby and took the baby from her directly after its birth and she never saw it again; witness told defendant's friend that the baby was born dead; witness was jealous of defendant's wife). 13 See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Smith, 523 Pa. 577, 568 A.2d 600 (1989) (defendant made no admission; circumstantial evidence was sufficient to present jury question that defendant was guilty of the murder of victim and her children: finding of victim's pin and hair in defendant's car and home, respectively, and defendant's comb under her body; testimony that victim's children were last seen with victim and never found despite nationwide FBI search; this case reversed an earlier conviction that had improperly relied on hearsay testimony); later appealed, --- Pa.Super. ---, 591 A.2d 730 (1991); Commonwealth v. Burns, 409 Pa. 619, 187 A.2d 552 (1963) (defendant told several persons that he had cut her [victim] up and put her in the trash or buried her in the cellar; friend last saw victim, defendant's girlfriend and housemate, lying on the floor with blood on her head; defendant's son saw defendant hit victim in the head with a hammer; victim ceased pattern of activities and contacts with friends); Commonwealth v. Lettrich, 346 Pa. 497, 31 A.2d 155 (1943) (defendant made admission to police that she suffocated her sister's eight-day-old, illegitimate, baby and burned the body in the furnace; was last seen with the baby; father denied defendant's statement that she had given the baby to him); Commonwealth v. Jones, 297 Pa. 326, 146 A. 905 (1929) (voluntary manslaughter conviction; defendant admitted to police that he shot victim, his wife, then set fire to abandoned farmhouse with victim's body inside; ashes of burned farmhouse contained pieces of human bone, clothing, and jewelry resembling victim's; human bloodstains near grounds of farmhouse; defendant burned his wife's clothing in home furnace, where clothing parts were found in ashes; defendant indifferent to wife's disappearance; no evidence confession involuntarily made). But see Commonwealth v. Kysor, 334 Pa.Super. 89, 482 A.2d 1095 (1984) (prior to finding victim's body, circumstantial evidence was insufficient for probable cause for arrest or conviction of homicide (precluding defendant's double jeopardy claim): victim was last seen alive with defendant, a companion; defendant was arrested while driving victim's car; explanations for how defendant got the car were disproved; victim never again contacted relatives or friends after his evening with defendant) 14 See State v. Zarinsky, 143 N.J.Super. 35, 362 A.2d 611 (1976) (defendant stated to cellmates that 17 year-old victim, a stranger, would never be found and that he had thrown victim's body into a river; defendant was a suspect in the death of other teen-age girls and had previously tried to lure girls into his car; four witnesses saw in defendant's car; some of victim's possessions (hairclips) were found in defendant's car; victim last seen with defendant), aff'd, 75 N.J. 101, 380 A.2d 685 (1977) 15 Under V.I.Code Ann. tit. 14, Sec. 2251(a)(2), the government must prove: (1) The defendant possessed a dangerous or deadly weapon; (2) The defendant intended to use the weapon unlawfully against another; (3) The defendant possessed the weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.