New technology helps police in search for killer of Canadian couple

David Pichosky, Rochelle Wise found dead in Hallandale Beach condo in 2013

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Police unveiled a new sketch Thursday of a woman whom they believe to be responsible for the deaths of a Canadian couple whose bodies were found in a Hallandale Beach condominium in 2013 -- and DNA evidence found at the crime scene played a role.

Hallandale Beach Police Chief Dwayne Flournoy said new technology known as phenotyping helped generate the new sketch in the search for the killer of David Pichosky, 72, and Rochelle Wise, 66, who were found dead of asphyxiation inside their condominium on Jan. 10, 2013.

Police believe that two women were involved in the couple's deaths, but they have not had a lead in more than a year.

Only seven law enforcement agencies in the United States have used phenotyping to generate sketches.

The sample DNA that police retrieved from the crime scene does not show up in U.S. or Canadian databases, so police believe that the person responsible hasn't been arrested.

Based on phenotyping, police believe that the killer is a woman with light olive skin, brown or hazel eyes and brown or black hair, of eastern European ancestry.

"I think it's a tool that law enforcement can use to begin to narrow the field, because now we know that we're not dealing with an African-American female," Flournoy said. "So we can exclude those if any potential leads come in."


About the Authors:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.