Page 18 - Prescription for Crime Drug Testing

The

Investigation

ine days ago, during the night of a sudden be reached and was found to be missing, he
summer thunderstorm, the Mondelo became a possible suspect, and the wreckage
Nfamily car went over the side of Backbone was thoroughly processed. The scene was
Mountain and caught fire on impact. Three bodies substantially disturbed and some evidence was
were found in the wreckage; an adult woman, a undoubtedly lost however, upon retracing the
teenage male, and a female child. All were burned path of the vehicle, investigators found several
beyond recognition. The three victims were pieces of broken glass lying in the roadway.
identified as Louise Mondelo and her children, Wally Becoming increasingly more suspicious of foul-
and Jan, by personal effects that survived the fire. play, the broken glass fragments were packaged
and retained. In addition, investigators cut and
Pictures of the scene were recorded but, due to removed a section of charred carpet from the
the rainstorm, the crash was initially believed to vehicle for further laboratory analysis. The bodies,
be simply a tragic accident and was not treated as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, were
as a crime scene. When Lyle Mondelo could not kept in the county morgue.

18 THE MYSTERY OF LYLE AND LOUISE