www.RobertExter.com

Welcome to RobertExter.com, a resume for a special type of artist. This talent is not restricted to paintings, drawings, or illustration, but also capabilities to capture with a pen, pencil, or brush, a visual memory from a witness. 

Experience attained through work with law enforcement agencies has been very educational, helping to developed an interview process where a witness anywhere in the world, can be used to create a useful visual description and to document how the portrait was put together, which can eliminate the need for a professional witness testimony. See letter of recommendation  

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Experience attained through collaboration with pathologist Dr. Papworth re: the Green River murder case, has helped in the development of a skeletal identity process that thru a multi drawing process, can make identification simpler. Where-as with a plasticine build up, which has usually only one possible likeness comprised of skin thickness and hair, provides only one facial possibility.   

Please visit the forensic results where by using multiple illustrated ideas of skin thickness, hair styles, and facial hair, are presented in a lineup, on line, making it more possible to approach the real visual identity of a subject. example

Contact:  robertexter@gmail.com

*Continue to ROBERT EXTER - ARTIST                   

 

In 1987 Exter was commissioned by the UNABOM Task Force to create the first national composite release. The bomber Ted Kaczynski, after being seen by two women as he placed a bomb underneath a car parked in a computer store's secluded rear parking area in Salt Lake City, noticed one of the women looking straight at him through the blinds of the store's rear window. Ted Kaczynski never again personally placed a bomb.

Whether it was the likeness in the composite, or just being seen placing the bomb, Ted decided to wait over 6 years before attempting another bombing, thus his last few bombs were all mailed. The watercolor composite provided by Exter was very accurate in what is referred to as the 'Facial Recognition Area'. The witness had a hard time with the chin and hair. To explain why Ted might see himself in the composite, if you talk to someone you know, you mainly concentrate on the ‘facial recognition area’, and Ted must have also noticed the accuracy of the composite.

In 1994, a second composite was released. Ted had spent his absence perfecting bombs that could be mailed. Not long after the second composite release, Mr. Exter’s mother called him because of what she saw in a second composite release by a re-organized, mainly FBI UNABOM task force. Exter's mother said the composite looked a lot him, which is much different than the first composite release.

In the 5th episode in the documentary, “Manhunt Unabomber”, you will hear that the FBI, at first, told Ted’s brother, David Kaczynski, that a letter suspected as the bomber’s was typed on a different typewriter than other letters they had received, and for that reason they had concluded that this letter wasn’t  the bombers. However, Agent Fitzgerald was convinced that the forensics in the composition of words and spellings was that of the bombers. Agent Fitzgerald apparently used Exter’s composite to re convince David to re-assert that his brother was the bomber.

In actuality, Agent Fitzgerald didn’t visit with David. The meeting was with two other agents, but for the same purpose, to show composites and evidence to, and interview David Kaczynski.

In actuality there were two composites of Exter’s. There was also a composite Exter produced in 1994 with the bomber's Rayban aviator sunglasses removed. Exter’s concept of the bomber’s eyes was uncanny.

Interestingly, Exter’s first composite of the bomber was actually a close resemblance to the actor playing Ted Kaczynski. There were many changes from what actually happened and happens in investigation procedures to add entertaining content to the documentary. Also, the Manhunt Unabomber series was very accurate in the way the FBI treats their agents.

The American Journal reported my findings and caused a stir nation wide.

 

A clip from the Manhunt series: For theatrical reasons this scene never happened as presented, but what was portrayed  in the scene, was a true happening in the investigation.

 

 

For theatrical reasons this scene never happened, but what was said in the scene was true.

Agent Fitzgerald stated wrongly in his book that Jeanne Boylan made the 1987 composite in Salt Lake City, but she didn't work with the FBI until 1994. She produced the second national composite release from the witness's memory of the sighting, six years in the past, and putting close resemblance to Exter’s face on the Newsweek cover. Agent Fitzgerald has promised to set the record straight in his next audible book publication.
 

Late in 2002 the TV show "Worst Case Scenario" hired Exter to appear in a segment "Eye Witness" involving  a test of human memory. Four people were used to see how much they could remember of a ten second moment. In reality a single composite can take hours. However In this segment, Exter had to interview two witnesses within three hours. Exter ask the director to be sure and have the subject to be identified do something unusual, so to stimulate a memory. This wasn't initially planned but in reality it takes something like a scary moment to stimulate and create a good memory. So the dropping of sunglasses and a forceful voice was added to the subject's acting roll.

*ABOUT THE VIDEO: Please note that Exter, dressed in black, was not identified with a subtitle name in the video, but you can see that it was Exter who drew the identifying sketch. In real police work, witnesses do not view suspects in group sessions. Witnesses are not allowed to guess. Exter has been successful on a high percentage of cases, but has always been his own free agent and has never been hired as a police officer.
 

The “Eye Witness” segment of “Worst Case Scenario” series was meant to test eye witness credibility. Exter told the head investigator that the female witness had observed the subject with interest and that she would be his pick to identify the suspect. Exter also told the investigator that a second male witness he interviewed observed the backpack and would only be good for clothing.

In most cases, robbers do not wear disguises. All of the men in the line-up had no facial hair. Also, Exter was responsible for the suggestion of voice identification with the composite.

Composites are not tangible evidence; in court they are used to give supportive evidence to  eye witness credibility.

Lastly; Exter had to wait three months to find out that he had helped the witness pick the right subject.

 
 
EXTER'S POLICE ART RESUME

 

FACTS - EVENTS OUTLINED BELOW 
  • EXTER HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL PORTRAIT ARTIST FOR OVER FORTY YEARS
  • EXTER HAS MADE MOST OF HIS INCOME ON FAMILY PORTRAIT WORK AND HAS NOT EVER BEEN AN EMPLOYEE OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
  • SINCE EXTER'S FIRST WITNESS INTERVIEW 44 YEARS AGO, EXTER HAS DONE LESS THAN 50 COMPOSITES, BUT HAS A HIGH SUCCESS RATE.
  • EXTER WAS USED BY SACRAMENTO BETWEEN THE SUMMER OF 1977 TO THE SUMMER OF 1979 AND CREATED ENOUGH RESULTS TO BECOME NEWS WORTHY. SEE SACRAMENTO REFERENCE LETTER
  • EXTER'S CREDIT FOR HIS SUCCESS WAS DENIED FOR POLITICAL REASONS AS HE WAS NOT A SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE; AND AFTER THE SACRAMENTO UNION NEWSPAPER RELEASED A STORY ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF LOCAL COMPOSITE RELEASES BUT GIVING NO CREDIT TO EXTER, EXTER THEN MOVED TO CANADA TO LIVE AND BE NEAR HIS BROTHER.
  • EXTER OFFERS HIS SERVICES TO THE RCMP AND IS VERBALLY PROMISED TO BE USED WHEN THEIR ARTIST IS WORKING INTERIOR JOBS. ALSO EXTER'S SACRAMENTO WORK IS PRAISED BY THE TOP CANADIAN ARTIST AT THE RCMP HEADQUARTERS IN OTTAWA. SEE LETTER OF REFERENCE
  • EXTER IS NEVER USED BY THE RCMP - RCMP CONSTABLES WHO WISHED TO USE EXTER SAY THAT THE RCMP IDENTIFICATION HEADQUARTERS WAS EMBARRASSED AND DOESN'T WANT A COMPARISON OF EXTER'S ABILITY TO THE RCMP ARTIST'S.
  • IN NOVEMBER OF 1982, THREE YEARS AFTER MOVING TO CANADA, EXTER IS CALLED BY SACRAMENTO DETECTIVES AND ASKED TO ASSIST THEM IN A TOP PRIORITY RAPE CASE. EXTER SOLVED THE CASE.
  • AFTER SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFYING THE RAPIST, DUE TO UNRELEASED AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE RAPIST'S PARENTS AND THE SACRAMENTO DISTRICT ATTORNEY EXTER IS AGAIN DENIED PUBLIC CREDIT FOR HIS SUCCESSFUL POLICE ARTWORK.
  • EXTER IS USED FOR SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE CASES FROM NOVEMBER OF 1983 TO 1988 WHICH INCLUDES THE GREEN RIVER MURDER CASE, THE I-5 MURDER CASE, AND THE 1987 RELEASE OF THE UNABOMBER COMPOSITE. MOST ARE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
  • EXTER IS USED BY BELLINGHAM WASHINGTON FBI TO IDENTIFY BANK ROBBERS. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL. SEE LETTER
  • IN 1990 EXTER HAS TO TESTIFY AGAINST DEFENSE IN THE I-5 MURDER CASE. ALTHOUGH EXTER IS SUCCESSFUL, THIS FIRST TIME ON THE STAND SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT A REPORT WOULD BE IN COURT. NO REPORTS WERE EVER REQUIRED BY ANY AGENCY THAT USED EXTER.
  • EXTER IS NOT USED BY SACRAMENTO AFTER 1990 BECAUSE RAY BIONDI RETIRES.
  • IN 1995 EXTER IS USED BY ABBOTSFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REDO RCMP ARTIST. EXTER PROVES HIS CONFIDENCE ABILITY. MURDERER IDENTIFIED BY VOICE RECOGNITION. WITNESS WAS NOT ACCURATE BUT EXTER DID NOT TALK TO REPORTERS AND THEREFORE DID NOT DAMAGE THE WITNESS FURTHER. RCMP ARTIST DID TALK TO REPORTERS DAMAGING THE WITNESS.
  • IN 2002 EXTER IS USE IN THE TELEVISION SERIES "WORST CASE SCENARIO". SEE VIDEO   

IN THE TIMELINE ABOVE YOU CAN SEE THAT EXTER HAS BEEN USED VERY LITTLE BUT HAS HAD A GREAT DEAL OF SUCCESS (CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE EXAMPLES, AND THERE ARE MORE THAN SHOWN) YES, EXTER HAS BEEN AROUND FOR AWHILE, BUT NOT INVOLVED IN MUCH POLICE WORK. A POLICE ARTIST THAT HAS CRITICIZED EXTER FOR CLAIMING A WITNESS CONFUSED HIS FACE WITH THE PERPETRATOR, HAS CLAIMED TO HAVE WORKED ON THOUSANDS OF CASES. WHAT IS BETTER: AN ARTIST WITH MANY CASES AND NOT MUCH RESULTS, OR AN ARTIST WITH A HANDFUL OF EFFECTIVE POLICE ART? IF YOU HAVE A DISPUTE WITH ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE, PLEASE CONTACT ROBERT EXTER: email: robertexter@gmail.com or phone: (530) 221-4462   

 
 
SACRAMENTO REFERENCE LETTER
RCMP REFERENCE LETTER
FBI REFERENCE LETTER