The Anatomy of a Crime Story

ALISON HEAD
Santa Rosa Press Democrat Library Director

News research plays a crucial role in adding an edge to journalism. Under deadline pressure, news researchers must be experts at developing research strategies and searching a variety of online and offline sources. Researchers work closely with reporters to add pertinent context to stories and to enable reporters to ask more informed questions when putting together stories. Below is an annotated version of a breaking news story at The Press Democrat that shows the origins and results of news research efforts in one afternoon.

The following paragraphs give biographical information about the other individuals who worked on this story.

Albert Sears was a News Researcher at The Press Democrat from 1990 - 1996. He was on the team that launched the paper's first web site, a research site for working journalists. He is a recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists' James Madison Award (1994), for investigative news research on a gambling casino and its promoter. Albert is now enrolled in a Ph.D. program in English at Lehigh University in PA.




Vonnie Matthews is a News Researcher who has worked at The Press Democrat for18 years. Along with Albert, she is a recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists' James Madison Award (1994), for investigative news research on a gambling casino and its promoter.




Tom Chorneau is a Staff Reporter covering breaking news and county government for the The Press Democrat. He has worked at the paper since 1992. He is a recipient of the New York Times Chairman's Award in 1996 for his coverage of the Russian River floods.

 
 
Editor's Note: The following is a two column markup of the March 31st story appearing in The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California). The text appearing in italics in the far left and right columns shows the resources that were used to find the elements of the story noted in bold in the center two columns.

Sonoma Suspect's 40 Years of Crime

The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California)
March 31, 1995
Page A1
By Tom Chorneau
Research Director: Alison Head
Researchers: Vonnie Matthews and Albert Sears

The gunman who killed a guard Tuesday while trying to steal $225,000 from an armored car in Sonoma had a 40-year criminal career during which he robbed numerous armored cars and banks, often after serving only short sentences for armed robberies.
Information from Press Democrat clip files: "Suspect in Santa Rosa robbery escapes" (7/10/69) and "Man acquitted of bank robbery resentenced" (2/3/80). Also Sonoma County Superior Court records through CDB Infotek Investigative.  Among William Fillmore Crouch's criminal escapades was a dramatic 1969 holdup in which he and an accomplice cut an alarm system linking two downtown Santa Rosa banks to the city's old police station, then robbed both banks simultaneously.

Suspect's criminal history


"This was a very bad bird. I don't understand how exactly he got back on the streets this last time."


BOB WARD
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY

San Jose Mercury News clip files faxed in via cooperating press agreement: "2 SJ robbery suspects nabbed in shootout" (10/15/69); "Shootout captures robbery suspects" (10/16/69); and "2 indicted in $42,289 robbery" (2/19/70). Although Crouch was well-known to law enforcement throughout Northern California as a dangerous criminal who more than once chose to shoot it out with police when cornered, parole officials repeatedly returned him to the streets.
 In 1986, for example, Crouch was paroled from Terminal Island federal penitentiary in Los Angeles after serving only four years of a 25-year sentence for a Sunnyvale bank robbery.
   "This was a very bad bird," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Ward, who prosecuted Crouch for the 1979 Sunnyvale robbery. "I don't understand how exactly he got back on the streets this last time. I remember that we took him very seriously, we considered him a shooter, someone who was very dangerous. This is where the system fails."
  Crouch died in a hail of bullets Tuesday when he and an accomplice, Joan LaRae Carrafa, ambushed Loomis armored-car couriers in downtown Sonoma. Police believe Crouch killed guard Rick Price during the shootout.
  Sonoma police Capt. Robert Wedell said Thursday the slaying of Price appeared to be an ambush, with the guard shot at close range with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
   "I would say it was a very cold-blooded killing," Police Chief John Gurney said.
  Carrafa was taken into custody and arraigned Thursday on charges of robbery and first-degree murder with special circumstances, which makes her eligible for the death penalty if convicted.
  Documents filed in connection with the arraignment indicated a canvas bag stolen from the armored car and carried by Carrafa contained $225,000 in cash.
  While the unsuccessful holdup appeared initially to be badly planned, court records and news accounts show Crouch had a long history of hitting banks and armored cars using the element of surprise and heavy weapons.
San Jose Mercury News clip files: "Bank heist suspect held" (8/16/69).  As long ago as 1968, authorities suspected Crouch and a partner robbed a credit union in Sunnyvale only seconds after a delivery by an armored car.
Brazen Santa Rosa Holdups
  Only a few months later, Crouch and two other men pulled one of the most brazen robberies in Santa Rosa history. The gang first cut the wires to the alarm system at the police station and then simultaneously hit the downtown branches of the Exchange Bank and Lincoln National Bank, netting about $50,000.
  One of the robbers was caught at the scene, and Crouch later was taken into custody in Contra Costa County. But before he could stand trial for the Santa Rosa robbery, he escaped.
Press Democrat clip files: "Suspect in Santa Rosa robbery escapes" (7/10/69).
  On July 22, 1969, Crouch and a partner surprised another Loomis armored-car driver in San Jose. After pistol whipping the guard, the robbers took three bags of cash estimated to contain $40,000. Shots were fired during the incident, sending hundreds of nearby office workers scrambling.

Seattle officer wounded
  After fleeing to Seattle in a stolen car, Crouch was spotted by a police officer who gave chase. Crouch fired several shots, one wounding the officer in the face.

Stockton Record clip files: "Gun links trio to bank robbery" (8/15/79).
  Seattle police closed in on Crouch days later outside a Seattle bar. A shootout ensued and Crouch was hit 11 times before being captured. Once back in California, he stood trial for the Santa Rosa robbery and related counts. He was convicted in federal court and sentenced to 20 years.
  He served just eight years at Leavenworth federal penitentiary in Kansas before being paroled back to Northern California in February 1979, said John Sicoli of the U.S. Parole Commission.
San Jose Mercury News clip files: "2 SJ robbery suspects nabbed in shootout" (10/15/69) and "Shootout captures robbery suspects" (10/16/69).
  Just two months later, Crouch jumped a Sunnyvale bank manager shortly after a Loomis armored-car delivery and got away with several bags of cash. In June 1982, Crouch was convicted of the Sunnyvale robbery and sentenced again to 25 years in federal prison.Stockton Record clip files: "Gun links trio to bank robbery" (8/15/79).
  He was paroled just four years later, in August 1986.
  Sicoli said federal law allows little latitude on parole matters. "There are strict guidelines," he said. "Either an inmate meets them or they don't."
  Mike Reynolds, architect of the state's "Three Stirkes, You're Out" law, said this type of crime is what the legislation -- politically attacked for leading to long prison terms for relatively minor offenses -- is designed to quash.
   "We could have caught him with just possession of a gun or caught him in a low level felony and saved a man's life," he said of Crouch. "This is the reason three strikes is designed in such a way that whenever possible we can take a man in on his third strike without bloodshed."

Woman faces murder charge
  Sonoma County District Attorney J. Michael Mullins filed a charge of first-degree murder with special circumstances against Joan Carrafa when she appeared for arraignment before Municipal Court Judge Knoel Owen on Thursday afternoon.
  Mullins said the charge makes Carrafa eligible for the death penalty if convicted, but he has not decided whether he will seek it.
  He said a decision won't be made until after his office completes an investigation into her background.
  Mullins also filed one count of robbery against Carrafa, who is being held in the Sonoma County Jail without bail.
  Carrafa, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights, still has not made a statement to authorities, police said.
  Police Chief Gurney said it's clear the crime was not spontaneous because of the two cars involved and Joan Carrafa's disguise -- a wig, described as blond or reddish blond and an outer layer of clothing she shed in a nearby field. Wedell said it didn't appear the dead suspect was wearing a disguise.
   "I don't think it was well planned. But it was obviously planned," Gurney said of the daylight robbery.
  A spokesman for Loomis said Price had gotten out of the armored car and was reaching into the back for a bag of money to take into the bank when shot. He hadn't yet removed the bag, however. Price was wearing a bulletproof vest, but he was shot in the head.

US Parole Commission Records.
Staff Writers Meg McConahey and Bony Saludes and library researchers Vonnie Matthews and Albert Sears contributed to this report. Tagline for news team's contribution.
Online files searched but with no relevant records for this particular story:
PAPERSCA (Dialog)
Sacramento Bee (Dialog)
San Francisco Chronicle (Dialog)
San Francisco Examiner (Dialog)
San Jose Mercury News (Dialog)
San Jose Superior Court Records (CDB Infotek)
Contra Costa Superior Court Records (CDB Infotek)
Property records for Sonoma County (Dataquick)
California Driving Record (CDB Infotek)

Infobox:
History of crimes
A partial criminal history of William F. Crouch
1955 -- Convicted of robbery in Jackson County, Miss.US Parole Commission Records
1961 -- Convicted of robbery in Kern County.US Parole Commission Records
Oct. 21, 1968 -- Crouch and an accomplice rob the Lockheed Employees Federal Credit Union in Sunnyvale.San Jose Mercury News: "2 SJ robbery suspects nabbed in shootout" (10/15/69) and "Shootout captures robbery suspects" (10/16/69)
Feb. 28, 1969 -- Crouch and two accomplices cut the wires to an alarm system connecting two downtown Santa Rosa banks with the old city police station, then rob Exchange Bank and Lincoln National Bank simultaneously. The stickups net about $50,000, but a Crouch accomplice is caught at the scene. The Press Democrat: "Suspect in Santa Rosa robbery escapes" (7/10/69)
April, 1969 -- Crouch, identified as the robber of Lincoln Bank, is arrested and jailed. One month later he escapes from the Contra Costa County Jail.
July 22, 1969 -- Crouch and an accomplice surprise a Loomis armored-car driver in San Jose, pistol whip him and take three bags of cash containing an estimated $40,000. Three shots are fired, sending 300 office workers scrambling.Stockton Record: "Gun links trio to bank robbery" (8/15/79)
Oct. 7, 1969 -- Crouch is spotted by Seattle police in a stolen car. According to news reports, Crouch shoots a police officer in the face and flees. The officer survives.San Jose Mercury News: "2 SJ robbery suspects nabbed in shootout" (10/15/69); "Shootout captures robbery suspects" (10/16/69); and "2 indicted in $42,289 robbery" (2/19/70)
Oct. 10, 1969 -- Crouch is cornered by police outside a Seattle bar. During a violent shootout, Crouch is shot 11 times by police, captured and sent back to California to stand trial.San Jose Mercury News: "2 SJ robbery suspects nabbed in shootout" (10/15/69); "Shootout captures robbery suspects" (10/16/69); and "2 indicted in $42,289 robbery" (2/19/70)
1970 -- Crouch is convicted of the Santa Rosa robbery in federal court and sentenced to 20 years in the penitentiary. He serves eight years at the Leavenworth Federal Prison in Kansas.
February 1979 -- Crouch is paroled from federal prison to Northern California.US Parole Commission
April 5, 1979 -- Crouch surprises a Sunnyvale bank manager just after a Loomis armored-car driver makes a delivery at the Crocker National Bank, grabbing the bags of cash off the floor of the bank. Stockton Record: "Gun links trio to bank rob bery" (8/15/79)
Aug. 15, 1979 -- Crouch and Victor Carrafa arrested at a Concord residence. Crouch is charged with Sunnyvale robbery. A gun is found that was used in a robbery of an armored car in Stockton two weeks earlier. Crouch is returned to prison awaiting trial on the Sunnyvale heist.Stockton Record: "Gun links trio to bank robbery" (8/15/79)
June, 1982 -- Crouch is convicted of Sunnyvale robbery and sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.US Parole Commission
August, 1986 -- Crouch paroled again to Northern California.US Parole Commission
July, 1991 -- Convicted in state court of drug possession, Coruch is sent to state prison. He then serves additional time in federal prison for violating parole.Infotek Sonoma County Courts
August, 1994 -- Crouch paroled again to Northern California.US Parole Commission
March 28, 1995 -- Crouch killed by a Loomis guard during an attempted holdup in Sonoma.The Press Democrat current online record
Source: U.S. Parole Commission and news reports.

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