Shoeprint evidence

These are all the files related to the shoeprints found at the crime scene. Most were apparent but one trace was revealed by luminol. Most of the shoeprints analyzed were bloodstained, but some dusty shoeprints in papers and card were also analyzed. All shoeprints were partial.

The shoeprints at the crime scene were:
1) dusty shoeprints on papers and card in Meredith's and Romanelli's room. 
2) bloody shoeprints on the floor and pillow in Meredith's room. On the pillow where male and female sized shoeprints.
3) bloody shoeprints on the floor in the corridor and kitchen.
4) one luminol revealed bloody shoeprint in the corridor.

Early in the police investigation, Perugia police and Scentific Police in Foligno concluded that Sollecito's sneakers could have made the bloody shoeprints found at the crime scene. Rome Scientific Police consultants Rinaldi and Boemia would later establish in a much more detailed analysis that the shoeprints were made by Guede's sneakers, which were a few European sizes larger. It remains an interesting coincidence that Guede and Sollecito wore the same type of sneaker. With the female sized bloody shoeprint on the pillow, it seems there was a third person with the same type of sneaker the night of the murder (assuming Rinaldi and Boemia are correct in their analysis).

Documents by the Scientific Police

Crime scene surveys related to the shoeprints, both apparent and one print subsequently revealed by luminol during the December 18, 2007, crime scene survey. No video exists showing the luminol testing. Additional shoes were sequestered in May 2008 to try and match the shoeprints on the papers and cards on the floor.

Reports and presentations. The November 2007 shoeprint reports determined a probable match between Sollecito's sneaker and the bloody shoeprints at the cottage. This was later found to be incorrect. Rinald and Boemia of the Rome Scientific police and specialists in this area, found that the bloody shoeprints were actually made Guede's sneaker. They also determined a smaller shoeprint (same model shoe) on the pillowcase found under Meredith was likely made by a female sized sneaker.

Rinaldi and Boemia also found serious errors in Dr. Vinci's presentation regarding the shoeprints.

Files by others

Defense consultant report and presentations. As with the footprints, it seems Dr. Vinci's reports and presentations tried 'too hard' to cast doubt on the evidence as finally determined by Rinaldi and Boemia. The problem is that the Rinaldi and Boemia presentation from September 18, 2009, (see above) shows Dr. Vinci used various slights-of-hand, or made outright errors in his slides, casting serious doubt over much of his own work.

Court testimony

The testimony here is of the Scientific Police team that analyzed both the shoeprints and footprints, as well as Dr. Vinci's testimony.

Other files

Zip files containing images pertinent to the shoeprints. There are images of the various rooms where shoeprints were found.

Relevant links
Files by Subject