Louis R. Vitullo
Encyclopedia
Louis R. Vitullo was a Chicago
police sergeant
and later became chief microanalyst at the city's crime lab. He is best known as the first person to standardize evidence collection in cases of sexual assault
, which until then was not done in a systematic fashion. The resulting evidence kits were initially called Vitullo kits and continued to be known as such even after his name was officially removed from them. They are now more commonly known as sexual assault evidence kit
s (SAEK) or rape kits for short.
on January 3, 2006 after he collapsed at his home in Cary
. He was survived by his wife Betty, his children Robert and Joanne, and granddaughter Tristin.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
police sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
and later became chief microanalyst at the city's crime lab. He is best known as the first person to standardize evidence collection in cases of sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
, which until then was not done in a systematic fashion. The resulting evidence kits were initially called Vitullo kits and continued to be known as such even after his name was officially removed from them. They are now more commonly known as sexual assault evidence kit
Sexual assault kit
A sexual assault evidence collection kit, sexual assault forensic evidence kit, Sexual offense evidence collection kit or Physical Evidence Recovery Kit kit, is a set of items used by medical personnel for gathering and preserving physical evidence following an allegation of sexual assault which...
s (SAEK) or rape kits for short.
Death
Vitullo died at Good Shepherd Hospital in BarringtonBarrington, Illinois
Barrington is a suburban village in Cook County, Illinois and Lake County, Illinois. The population was 10,327 at the 2010 census. Located approximately northwest of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks and horse trails in a country-suburban setting...
on January 3, 2006 after he collapsed at his home in Cary
Cary, Illinois
Cary is a village located in Algonquin Township, McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,531 at the 2000 census. A 2003 special census put the village's population at 17,827.-Geography:Cary is located at ....
. He was survived by his wife Betty, his children Robert and Joanne, and granddaughter Tristin.