Handwriting Analysis Famous Cases

Kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. 

On March 1, 1932, the son of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped. A handwritten ransom note was left demanding a ransom of $50,000. After an extensive investigation and the discovery of Lindbergh, Jr.'s dead body, the police were led to a suspect named Bruno Richard Hauptmann. After searching Hauptmann's house, police found designs for a makeshift ladder similar to the one used to access the room in which the baby was kidnapped. In addition, the wood from the ladder was an exact match to a piece of wood found in Hauptmann's attic. This evidence led to the indictment of Bruno
Hauptmann.






Handwriting Experts
At trial, handwriting experts testified to point out the similarities between the handwriting on the ransom notes and Hauptmann's handwriting. The positive handwriting identification on the ransom notes was the nail in the coffin for Hauptmann. He was convicted of extortion and murder and sentenced to death. Hauptmann was electrocuted on April 3, 1936.