Laura Amico, who founded the website Homicide Watch DC with her husband, Chris, in September 2010, is heading to Cambridge for a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard. She won one of the first two fellowships
awarded by Harvard and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
“I proposed building an online guide for crime reporters,” Amico says. “Tips, tricks, tools as a guide to working with police
departments, judges, and attorneys.”
Amico, 30, was profiled in the February 2012
issue of The Washingtonian. Her website chronicles murder in
DC, from the initial crime through the legal process. With photos of
victims and their
stories, Amico brought to life the tragic stories of the dead.
Family members and friends flocked to Homicide Watch to honor
victims and share their grief–and anger.
In the past month, Amico says the site drew record page views of 20,000 page views a day. She and Chris broke new ground in
using social media to report and write.
“I hope to explore best practices in tweeting from trials,” she says, “finding witnesses to the crimes on Facebook and using
graphics to cover crimes.”
Whither Homicide Watch?
“We are talking to a couple of potential partners,”
she says. “We are focusing on universities. The students who have
volunteered
for us have been terrific. It would be a great fit for a
journalism program.”
Homicide Watch DC Founder Receives Harvard Fellowship
Laura Amico, whose website tracks DC homicides, is looking to create an online guide for crime reporters.
Laura Amico, who founded the website Homicide Watch DC with her husband,
Chris, in September 2010, is heading to Cambridge for a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard. She won one of the first two fellowships
awarded by Harvard and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
“I proposed building an online guide for crime reporters,” Amico says. “Tips, tricks, tools as a guide to working with police
departments, judges, and attorneys.”
Amico, 30, was profiled in the February 2012
issue of
The Washingtonian. Her website chronicles murder in
DC, from the initial crime through the legal process. With photos of
victims and their
stories, Amico brought to life the tragic stories of the dead.
Family members and friends flocked to Homicide Watch to honor
victims and share their grief–and anger.
In the past month, Amico says the site drew record page views of 20,000 page views a day. She and Chris broke new ground in
using social media to report and write.
“I hope to explore best practices in tweeting from trials,” she says, “finding witnesses to the crimes on Facebook and using
graphics to cover crimes.”
Whither Homicide Watch?
“We are talking to a couple of potential partners,”
she says. “We are focusing on universities. The students who have
volunteered
for us have been terrific. It would be a great fit for a
journalism program.”
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
Meet the 2023 Washingtonians of the Year
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
Former Fiola GM Convicted of Murder Is Now in a Netflix Docuseries
These 5 DC Traffic Cams Are Issuing the Most Tickets Right Now
Farewell to Crystal City Underground, the DC Area’s Strangest Mall
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
Inside the Urgent Effort to Preserve Black Newspapers
Maryland Has Renamed an Invasive Fish. Will It Matter?
Meet the 2024 Washington Women in Journalism Award Winners
In the Doghouse: Kristi Noem and 5 Other Canine Political Scandals