Child Attack at Cooley Station: Investigation and Prosecution of a Violent Predator (Part 1)

This case study will explore the investigation and prosecution of a convicted sex offender who attacked a fourteen-year-old girl in broad daylight from the initial 911 call, through an extensive investigation, to trial and sentencing. Carl Wayne Price had previously been convicted of a sex offense against a child but was not yet registered locally when he chose the wrong victim to prey upon. In a quiet neighborhood park, he attacked a stranger, a child less than half his size; but he could not have anticipated her immense will to survive and fight – which would ultimately save her life and the case. This presentation will detail the unique case challenges and methods employed to overcome them, ensuring a successful conclusion and a predator behind bars, including multi-agency cooperation, DNA evidence, cell phone location data analysis, and an investigative trip out of state leading to other act evidence. Presenters will focus on the importance of leadership, review of antiquated department policies and procedures, the organization for complex investigations, building a detailed case, avoiding personal biases, and effective multidisciplinary collaboration.