RCFL: Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory

July 13, 2009 - Former Musician Found Guilty of Murder

Although no physical evidence was presented during the trial of Steven L. Zirko, a jury found him guilty in less than six hours for the murders of Mary Lacey, 38, and her mother, Margaret Ballog, 60. Zirko murdered the two women on December, 13, 2004. Nearly five years later, he was brought to trial where prosecutors mainly presented circumstantial evidence including cell phone records which placed him within two miles of the crime scene according to the Cook County Assistant Attorney. The Chicago RCFL provided critical digital forensics support during the investigation phase and an Examiner testified about his findings for three hours during the 10-day trial which began on June 4, 2009.

Chicago RCFL staff examined Zirko's, his girlfriend's, and Ms. Lacey's computers. The requested Internet history for Zirko and his girlfriend's computers showed searches for "GHB" also known as the date rape drug, and other search terms including "hire a mercenary" and "hire a hitman." The Examiner's findings also showed that Zirko checked the school schedule for Ms. Lacey's children—presumably checking on their whereabouts during the day. Other searches included Mapquest directions from his home to the victim's and from his girlfriend's home to Ms. Lacey's residence.

The Chicago RCFL staff—along with their counterparts assigned to RCFLs nationwide— are FBI-certified as computer forensics Examiners, and must strictly adhere to standardized operating procedures and institutionalized peer review measures to provide consistent, accurate, repeatable and verifiable results.

Prosecutors believe that Zirko killed Ms. Lacey to obtain $500,000 from a life insurance policy, and that her mother simply was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The former cruise ship piano player faces sentencing on July 21, 2009—prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

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