Virdin v. State

VEASEY, Chief Justice:

This appeal of a life sentence without probation or parole entered on a first degree murder conviction presents several issues, two of which are of particular importance in our jurisprudence.

One issue is the question of when a search by private parties becomes a police search, thus invoking the constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures by state agents. In this case we agree with the trial court’s determination that the search was primarily instigated and conducted by the victim’s mother (albeit with police assisting) of her missing daughter…