WQOW.com reports:
Officer Hearing: Questions about Unsolved Murder
Eau Claire
May 15, 2006An unsolved murder in Eau Claire County could affect one man’s job.
Todd Trapp is an Eau Claire police officer who’s accused of giving sloppy polygraph tests during several investigations. It appears one of those cases in question is the investigation into Angelina Wall’s death.
Wall was strangled and left along County Road J near Fall Creek five years ago. Her killer has never been caught. In a hearing about Trapp’s future with the police department, the city went through a series of questions that Trapp asked a murder suspect during a polygraph test. One of those questions was, “Did you kill her and leave her body by the road?” Another question referred to the year 2001. That was the year Wall was killed. Trapp is accused of saying the suspect was being truthful when the results show that person was lying. Eau Claire Police Chief Jerry Matysik would not confirm that Trapp conducted a lie detector test in the Wall case. He said that revealing more information about those cases right now could compromise the case against Trapp.
Several polygraph exams that Trapp conducted are being questioned. One of his former instructors testified on Monday. He says the way Trapp scored polygraphs is inconsistent with his training.
Trapp’s attorney says Todd’s work performance has been affected by sleep apnea and Attention Deficit Disorder. He says Trapp has been treated for both.
Chief Matysik is asking that Trapp be fired. The hearing about that will continue on Tuesday. The Police and Fire Commission could make a decision about Trapp’s future after the hearing is finished.
It is ironic that Trapp is being accused of administering “sloppy” polygrap examinations. Polygraph “testing” is an inherently sloppy procedure, as it lacks standardization and control. In fact, it has no scientific basis whatsoever. “Failing” the polygraph is no evidence of guilt. Conversely, no one should ever be excluded as a suspect merely for having “passed” this invalid test.
Yeah…he wrecked my life. no one cares about all the other cases he was “sloppy” on though. Well mine was one of them. I was the victim of a sexual assault case and was asked to take part in a polygragh test to prove my case and to also have the offenders bail request denied…i agreed to the test..well I was informed that i had failed…case closed…charges dismissed, years go by and wouldnt you know, Todd Trap is in the news for “sloppy” test conduct. I was curious as to if my case was one of the ones to be reviewed for re-opening, since i knew i was telling the truth, and i suspected todd trapp of being dirty from the get. so I called the number i was provided(police dept) and explained my concern…the man I spoke to, gathered my file and explained he was confused…he said that Todd trapp wrote in the polygraph documents that i was truthful and had passed…I was blown away…why did he say i failed in the beginning? an then go back after the case as closed and fix it? well I can only believe he somehow benefited from the life damaging decision he made. sincerely, damaged.
@Desiree Phillips have you spoken to a reporter about Trapp?
What’s really scary is that he wasn’t even fired for the quality of his work; he was fired for union activities.
@Desiree Phillips
oh my god, the same thing happened to me. he said i had failed the test, was extremely rude to me, told me I was a darned liar, and said he was going to press charges and gave me an obstructing an officer charge which was lowered to a disorderly conduct by the DA. a ticket I never paid. I come to find out that the guy ( who had broken into my house) had done it again to someone else! years ago(about 3) I get a call asking me about my ordeal and saying the polygraph was cleared and they gave me a long apology and asked what I wanted done about it. I wanted Trapp fired. This did ruine my life. I dropped out of college, have lost self esteem, I am afraid of a lot of things I wasn’t before. this has been a nightmare. on top of that, my recored still shows those charges even though they were dropped, so i have to explain them every time i get a job and they do a background check, and it is very detrimental, being a teacher. i hate that bastard, and why do they use these tests when they are not accurate and are not admissable in court!!!!????
Hi @Jen, have you spoken to reporters about your story?
Angelina Wall was my daughter. And i think that Trapp should let the people he hurt most, Have a say, Into what really happends to him. And i think all thoes cases he screwed up should be allowed to be retested. Some things in life are not fair and then there are there thoes who just get there hand slapped.I also hate that son of a bitch.. Wish there was something we could do……
@Lori
I agree Lori. He has ruined many lives.
so what is the truth here? Was he dishonest? Or did he not know how to do his job? Did he get fired? Was he ousted by the community? did he lose his family? This seems crazy? My sister in law ran into him through the polygraph system some years ago- she thought he seemed fair and was a good person.
@Lori
Dear Lori
about 5 years back i went to the police department and gave the detective that i talked to a viable suspect in your daughters murder. I was wondering if they ever looked into it, as i never heard anything from them again. i pray that they find her killer, and that the police are actively looking for him.
Nothing has ever been done to this scum bag. he actually went on to live a good life in a career of coaching a local football team. and to Olivia…I cannot speak for anyone else but I DO KNOW that he failed me and then after my case was closed,went back and changed the answer. Eau Claire REALLY DROPPED THE BALL ON THIS…AND A BIG PART IF NOT VITAL PART HAS TO DO WITH RICH BITCH WHITE. Im so happy he is not the DA anymore. I wish some hot shot lawyer could just come here an whip some ass!
its been 12 years that i have not seen my daughter angelina wall, and i think its so unfair that someone could kill her and get away with it, meanwhile her killer gets to spend every holiday and birthdays and births of grandkids. well good for them i dont get to see what my daughter anymore its so sad and i miss her
in jan 6th it will be 13 years i have been without my daughter angelina. another christmas another birthday without her. and yet no one has been caught in her murder. she is so loved and mised by all who knew her. in a murder case as with my daughter we cant find out any info on what happend to her, its sad and her family would love for her killer to be caught, so any info you got please help us i need to find out before i die, sign her mom
It’s been many many years since this filthy pig ruined so many victims lives. I am one of the people the was victimized by Todd Trapp and was told in the beginning, that my case would reopen since my test results were PROVEN to be tampered with by Todd Trapp.
Rich White had the responsibility to reopen the cases that were tampered with.. He declined to reopen my case, ignoring all the pleading from myself as well as the Assistant District attorney working my case through those years. She knew from the BEGINNING I was honest. Had she been head District attorney, I would’ve received justice. Todd Trapp and Richard White are two of the most disgusting humans I’ve ever had the
Displeasure of meeting.
Anastasia- pleaser contact me through my author page.
https://m.facebook.com/RobertMDudleyAuthor/
Hi Lori,
I know who killed your daughter and so does the Eau Claire police department. They should be solving this case soon and it should be solved before you die. I’m terribly sorry that you lost your daughter this way, nobody deserves that. Unfortunately the man who killed your daughter is now deceased but I hope you can gain closure from knowing what happened and I hope the police will be contacting you soon. Best of wishes!