DNA in 1988 Murder May Link to New Bedford Highway Killings

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The Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that DNA testing can go forward, requested by Shawn L. Tanner to prove his innocence in a 1988 Dartmouth murder, that could provide evidence in the unsolved New Bedford Highway serial murder case. Tanner, who was convicted in 1989 of strangling a woman to death in a Dartmouth motel room, maintained his innocence and argued the presence of another person's DNA would support his claim that another man was involved. The court approved Tanner's request for DNA analysis, but delays by the crime lab meant testing could not begin until after Tanner's death from brain cancer in 2022. The Bristol County District Attorney's Office tried to block the testing after Tanner's death, but the court ruled the order wasn't automatically nullified, allowing the testing to proceed.

Why it matters

This case highlights the potential for DNA evidence to provide new leads in cold cases, even decades later. The shared characteristics between the Dartmouth murder and the unsolved New Bedford Highway killings suggest a possible connection, making the DNA testing results potentially crucial for solving the serial murders. The court's decision to allow the testing to move forward despite Tanner's death underscores the importance of honoring requests for post-conviction DNA analysis, even when the original defendant is no longer alive.

The details

In 1989, Shawn L. Tanner was convicted of strangling a woman to death in a Dartmouth motel room and stealing her jewelry. Tanner maintained his innocence, testifying that he had sexual intercourse with the victim but left her alive, and that another man entered the room after him. In 2021, Tanner arranged to have the evidence from the case inspected and photographed, and then sought DNA analysis of items like the stocking used to strangle the victim, bedsheets, and fingernail scrapings. The Bristol County District Attorney's Office objected, citing potential contamination, but the court approved the request. However, delays by the crime lab in authorizing access to the DNA database meant testing could not begin until after Tanner's death in 2022. The DA's Office then tried to block the testing, arguing Tanner's death rendered the order null, but the court ruled the order was still valid, allowing the testing to proceed.

• In 1989, Shawn L. Tanner was convicted of the 1988 Dartmouth murder.
• In 2021, Tanner arranged to have the evidence from the case inspected and photographed.
• In June 2022, the court approved Tanner's request for DNA analysis of the evidence.
• In June 2022, the evidence was sent to Bode Technology Group for testing.
• In September 2022, Tanner died from brain cancer.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The DNA testing ordered by the court will now proceed, with the potential to provide new leads in the unsolved New Bedford Highway serial murder case.