Fearing the worst, her husband, Bishop Lawrence Hancock, and her father Municipal Court Judge C. Allen McConnell, made appearances on national television to plead for her safe return. Her family and friends held prayer vigils. The FBI was called in. Mrs. McConnell-Hancock was found Saturday about fourteen miles northwest of Atlanta near the Six Flags amusement park where she flagged down a construction worker. The construction worker stated that Mrs. McConnell-Hancock was crying and asked him to call 911.
When being questioned back in Toledo by police, Mrs. McConnell-Hancock stuck to her story of being kidnapped by three individuals at gunpoint in downtown Toledo. About halfway through the interrogation Mrs. McConnell-Hancock was offered a CVSA exam and she agreed to take it. The CVSA exam, conducted by Detective John Gast, showed clear deception and after being confronted with the charts, she subsequently confessed that she had fabricated the story because she was “tired and needed to get away.” Stated Toledo Police Chief Navarre “That test showed deception.”
This scenario is quietly being repeated day-after-day throughout the US in law enforcement National Institute For Truth Verificationagencies as small agencies as the Noesho P.D. (MO) and as large as the California Highway Patrol and the FBI in cases involving murder, rape, child molestation, thefts and employment screening. The Computer Voice Stress Analyzer™ (CVSA®) is a voice-based investigative truth verification tool which is now used by more than 1,700 law enforcement agencies. Even though more than 1,700 law enforcement agencies utilize the system, including most major metropolitan agencies and the US military’s Special Operations Forces; the CVSA is not well known outside of the law enforcement community. Like the polygraph, results of the CVSA are not normally used in court, but rather as a guide to help eliminate individuals as suspects. A recent Department of Defense survey of law enforcement users of the CVSA reported that 86% found the CVSA to be either “very” or “extremely” accurate. The DoD survey also found that 75% of deceptive results were validated by obtaining a confession with “a very small error rate” utilizing the CVSA.
The US Patent Office recently awarded Charles Humble, the founder of the National Institute for Truth Verification (NITV), which manufactures the CVSA, a patent on a prior automated scoring algorithm for use on the CVSA. Humble was the first to quantify voice patterns and also discovered delayed stress CVSAeaction in voice stress analysis. The CVSA II’s current scoring algorithm, known as the Final Analysis Confirmation Tool® (FACT®), which has a patent pending, uses advanced mathematical algorithms and a built-in learning feature to recognize, evaluate, categorize and quantify the output from the CVSA. The widely acclaimed CVSA II accurately scores each voice pattern for stress levels and then evaluates the entire examination to render a ‘No Deception Indicated’ or ‘Deception Indicated’ result, eliminating possible bias from the exam. Since the release of the CVSA II in early 2007, over 650 CVSA II’s have been delivered. “From the Atlanta P.D. to the Nashville P.D. to the St. Louis P.D., this is an investigative tool that has proven itself as invaluable in the field” stated John Slater, a former Captain with the White Co. Sheriff’s Dept. (AR) and current Coordinator of Law Enforcement and Training for the NITV. Once restricted for sale only to law enforcement, the CVSA is now available for some commercial applications. br />
Although widely acclaimed in the law enforcement community, the CVSA is regarded as a threat by the entrenched polygraph establishment as it displaces both them and their technology. Despite this heavy resistance, the CVSA has built an impressive 20-year track record as an investigative tool helping to solve tens of thousands of crimes and helping many innocent people along the way. To see more cases like the Rowan Ford case, go to NITV1.com and click on Real Cases Solved.
The NITV, established in 1988, is located in West Palm Beach, FL, and is the acknowledged world-leader in truth verification technologies and training.
If you would like more information on the NITV, the CVSA II or the NITV’s widely acclaimed training program, call 561-798-6280, go to NITV1.com, or email to nitv@cvsa1.com.
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Additional Information - Case Studies and Image Downloads
Ohio, Fostoria P.D. - Analyst/Det. Phil Kleman reports that as an analyst with another department, he was asked by the Fostoria P.D. to test an individual who was suspected of murder. The suspect had just taken a polygraph examination from an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations polygraph examiner who reported the results of the polygraph examination to be inconclusive bordering on truthful. The subject denied any involvement in or knowledge of the murder and agreed to take the CVSA, just as he had agreed to take the polygraph. The CVSA showed very clearly that the subject had committed the murder and when confronted with his deceptive charts, gave a full confession. The Fostoria P.D. has now purchased their own CVSA and trained several detectives as examiners.
New York, Livingston Co. Sheriff's Department - Analyst/D/Sgt. Marty Herkimer reports that he was asked by detectives at a nearby agency if he would be able to conduct an examination on an individual suspected of child molestation that utilized a "voice box" to speak with. The NITV advised D/Sgt Herkimer to conduct the exam and fax the charts in for review as to their viability. The suspect's charts clearly contained the basic components of the micro-tremor and deception was very evident. D/Sgt. Herkimer confronted the suspect with the deceptive charts and, after considerable interrogation, the suspect gave a full confession.
California, Roseville P.D. - Analyst/Det. Charlie Veilleux reports that his first use of the CVSA following his graduation from the Certified Examiners Course conducted by the NITV was to reopen a five-year-old homicide that had been classified as a Cold Case. A young woman had been brutally murdered and a viable suspect was quickly developed. He denied any involvement and passed a polygraph exam and was dropped as a suspect. Since the subject had suffered an aneurysm and two brain surgeries in the five years since his last polygraph, another polygraph was not considered. The subject was offered a CVSA exam and agreed to take the test. The exam indicated that he was the killer and using the interrogation techniques taught by the NITV, detectives obtained a full confession with details that only the killer would know.
Florida, West Palm Beach P.D. - During a Certified Examiners Course being hosted by the West Palm Beach P.D., a detective requested that he be shown how to conduct a covert interview as he was preparing to interview a woman concerning a car-jacking incident. The woman and her husband had reported that they had taken a Mercedes Benz out for a test drive and were approached by two men wearing ski masks at an intersection. They stated that the men forced them from the car, robbed them, and then drove off in the Mercedes. The detective conducted a covert (structured) interview, tape recorded it and returned to have it analyzed. The high level of background noise made it very difficult to analyze, however, the class agreed that from the woman's responses, she and her husband were not robbed and that the car had not been car-jacked by two men in ski masks. Unfortunately, because the covert CVSA charts were the only indication of a false crime (both subjects later refused to take a CVSA exam), no action could be taken. Several months later, the husband was stopped on a routine traffic violation and it was discovered that he was driving the Mercedes that he and his wife had reported stolen. The husband was arrested for auto theft and the wife was arrested for conspiracy. This case, including the charts and tape recording are now used in the NITV's Certified Examiners Course.
Ohio, Springfield Township. - P.D. Analyst/Det. Pat Kemper reports that he recently was asked to conduct a CVSA examination on two parents and a baby-sitter concerning a six-month-old child that had been seriously abused. Both parents passed the CVSA, however, the babysitter's attorney arranged for her to take a polygraph examination. The polygraph examiner was a well-known polygraph examiner and a retired police officer. The babysitter passed the polygraph. However, the prosecutor in the case informed the defense attorney that they would require the babysitter to take the CVSA to receive any consideration. Following three deceptive charts, the babysitter admitted that she had caused the serious injuries to the baby. She plead guilty as charged and was sentenced to serve time in prison. Det. Kemper states that he has found many cases where the polygraph and CVSA have disagreed, all ending with the CVSA having the correct charts and the correct analysis.
Georgia, Glynn Co. P.D. - Analyst/D/Cpl. J.W. Wiggins reports that patrol officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance with shots fired. Upon their arrival, officers were confronted with an apparently grieving husband who told them that during an argument that his wife had pulled out a pistol and shot herself in the head. The facts of the investigation indicated that the wife had probably shot herself, however, the investigating detectives requested that D/Cpl. Wiggins conduct a CVSA exam. The subject agreed and promptly failed the CVSA. The subject requested a second CVSA which he again failed. D/Cpl. Wiggins then began additional Defense Barrier Removal™ as taught by the NITV and the subject finally admitted that he had shot his wife and that the CVSA had been correct all along. D/Cpl. Wiggins states that “I believe that my use of the DBR™ and confronting the subject with his charts added greatly to the successful prosecution of this case.”
West Virginia, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department - Analyst/Det. Ron Booker reports that an individual was brought into the station suspected of murdering his brother. Following an interview, Det. Booker states that he was convinced that, based upon his many years as an interviewer and the facts of the case, the subject was innocent. However, following four Deception Indicated (DI) charts utilizing the CVSA, he decided to fax the charts to the NITV for a ‘Cold Call’ as the subject was extremely convincing, consistent, and very well rehearsed. Without any details of the case, the NITV confirmed that the charts were deceptive. Det. Booker then interrogated the subject for three hours and the case ended with a full confession by the subject that he did, in fact, murder his brother. Det. Booker states that even though he has vast experience as an interrogator, he was fooled by this individual until the NITV and the CVSA saved him.
Missouri, Missouri Department of Public Safety - Arson Squad: - Analyst/Deputy Chief James Wilson reports that the Tri-County Major Case Squad requested their assistance after a polygraph examiner refused to test an individual who claimed that he was a paranoid schizophrenic. The subject was suspected of a brutal murder and there was very little evidence to go on. One of the arson squad's CVSA examiners, Dwayne Lasiter, who had recently graduated from the Certified Examiners Course, conducted three exams on the suspect and he failed all three. After being confronted with the deceptive charts and informed of the results, the suspect confessed and gave the detectives information that only the killer could have known. After the examiner left the room to confer with the other detectives, the subject tore the patterns to question # 6 (Did You Kill Mary?) from each of the charts and ate them, all on video tape. The Missouri Department of Public Safety now has 52 CVSA's and 110 trained examiners.
Florida, Palm Bay P.D. - Analyst/Det. David Fowler reports that he was recently contacted by Columbus, GA, Police 'Cold Case' detectives while they were interviewing a witness to a 14 year old homicide that was being held by the Palm Bay P.D. on unrelated charges. The subject was believed to have witnessed a murder that occurred 14 years ago and was the key alibi witness for the main suspect in the murder. After six hours of the subject maintaining her original story, the Columbus Police detectives requested that Det. Fowler conduct a CVSA exam on the witness to determine her truthfulness concerning her version of the story which provided the alibi for the main suspect. The subject failed the exam and after being confronted with the deceptive charts, admitted that she had lied and had provided a false alibi for the main suspect. Columbus Police Detective Robert Jackson confirmed that the Grand Jury has returned an indictment against the main suspect for first degree murder.
Washington, D.C., Washington Metropolitan P.D. - Analyst/Det. Tim Doughty reports that a man and woman were found shot to death in their apartment in Southeast Washington, D.C. A witness told police that she saw two men flee from the house at the time of the shooting and suspected that one of the individuals was the victims’ nephew. The witness flatly refused to positively identify the nephew and then became reluctant to cooperate further, although she did agree to a CVSA exam. The CVSA exam clearly indicated that she had actually seen the nephew flee the scene of the murders and that he was one of the killers. When confronted with the charts, the witness admitted that she had lied and she then made a positive identification of the nephew as one of the killers. A second suspect was also identified and when confronted, both he and the nephew accused the other of committing both murders. A CVSA exam was conducted on the second suspect and the subject displayed deception concerning his killing both victims. Det. Doughty reports that when he confronted the second suspect with the deceptive charts, and, utilizing the interrogation techniques taught by the NITV, he obtained a confession to both murders which the subject repeated on video tape. The nephew was allowed to plea-bargain and testified against the second suspect. The video taped confession was admitted at the trial and the subject was convicted on two counts of murder. The WMPD now has 18 CVSA's and 67 trained examiners.
