Forensic Files Unsealed

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office recently announced the resolution of a 1987 cold case involving the murder of 30-year-old Rhonda Marie Fisher. Modern DNA analysis conducted by the Cold Case Unit successfully linked her death to Vincent Darrell Groves, a notorious serial killer who targeted women in Colorado between the 1970s and 1980s. Though Groves died in prison in 1996, forensic evidence fo...

Detective Matt Hutchison has gained recognition for utilizing modern DNA technology and genealogical research to solve decades-old murders in California. One major breakthrough involved identifying Gary Ramirez as the killer of fifteen-year-old Karen Stitt, a case that remained a mystery for thirty-five years until a match was found using a relative's discarded trash. Hutchison also successfully l...

Advancements in forensic genetic genealogy have recently enabled authorities to resolve two New York cold cases dating back to the 1970s. By collaborating with the private laboratory Othram, investigators successfully identified Thomas Generazio as the suspect in the 1974 murder of Barbara Waldman. Additionally, the same DNA technology allowed officials to finally identify a decapitated victim fro...

The episode details the resolution of a violent crime in Thukkuguda, where local authorities apprehended a 34-year-old bike mechanic for the assault and killing of a young nurse. Through the use of forensic evidence and site investigation, police were able to identify the suspect, Md Sanaullah, within 30 hours of the discovery of the victim's body. The narrative explains how the perpetrator monito...

This episode details how a cold case program at Western Michigan University helped authorities identify the killer of Sheri Jo Elliott, a teenager murdered in 1983. By organizing and digitizing decades of files, students enabled investigators to locate untested biological evidence that yielded a DNA profile. The suspect, a local musician named Roni Collins, committed suicide in 2026 just as the po...

The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences currently leads the United States in DNA matches, a feat that has allowed investigators to resolve hundreds of cold cases annually. By utilizing advanced technology capable of analyzing microscopic biological samples, the lab has successfully processed a significant backlog of sexual assault kits, identifying over 700 suspects. State laws requiring DNA c...

The episode details a mysterious death investigation involving Katie Garcia, a Kansas City woman discovered dying outside her home under suspicious circumstances. Found partially unclothed and with an extraordinarily high blood alcohol level, Garcia spent nearly a month in the hospital before passing away. While her family and friends raise questions about potential sexual assault or foul play, lo...

This episode details the recent breakthrough in the 1982 homicide and sexual assault of Roxanne Sharp, a teenager from Louisiana. After remaining unsolved for over forty years, the investigation was revitalized through a collaborative effort between state police and a local true-crime podcast. The audio series generated fresh leads and witness cooperation that, when paired with modern DNA testing,...

After fourteen years, Texas authorities have finally apprehended a suspect in the brutal 2012 cold case involving the death of Irasema Chavez. Law enforcement officials utilized advanced genetic genealogy to identify the victim's close friend, Mayra Velasquez, as the individual allegedly responsible for the fatal stabbing. Although investigators found a foreign blood sample at the original crime s...

After thirty-six years, investigators have finally identified the remains of a woman previously known only as "Penny Doe." Found by children in a Pennsylvania tunnel in 1990, the victim has been confirmed through advanced DNA testing as Windy Buchanan. Her identity was discovered by matching genetic material with her sister, ending decades of uncertainty for her family. While her name is now known...

After decades of remaining unsolved, two cold-case murders from the 1980s were finally resolved using innovative DNA collection methods. Authorities in Washington state utilized a "gum ruse," where undercover detectives posing as market researchers persuaded the suspect, Mitchell Gaff, to provide a saliva sample via chewing gum. This forensic evidence linked Gaff to the strangulation and sexual as...

Law enforcement in Virginia recently announced the arrest of a Connecticut man for a brutal crime committed four decades ago. The suspect, Charles Randell Berry, faces charges for the 1986 sexual assault and stabbing death of Roberta Walls. Although previous leads resulted in dead ends, modern forensic genealogy and grant funding allowed investigators to finally identify a match. While Berry was s...

This episode details the investigation into the 1981 murder of Linda Slaton, a Florida mother who was strangled in her home while her two sons slept. For nearly four decades, the case remained unsolved, leaving her children haunted by the trauma and the police with no significant leads. The mystery was eventually unraveled through investigative genetic genealogy, a modern scientific method that al...

This episode details the 1980 cold case of Michelle Wyatt, a young woman who was sexually assaulted and strangled in her Santee, California, apartment. For decades, the investigation stalled because the killer, John Patrick Hogan, was not in any criminal databases and had used items from within the home to commit the crime. Investigators eventually utilized forensic genetic genealogy to build fami...

A fitness influencer named Briana Ortega has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Riverside County and former deputy Eric Piscatella, alleging a harrowing campaign of stalking and harassment. According to the legal complaint, Piscatella exploited his official law enforcement authority and accessed restricted databases to obtain Ortega's private contact information and home address. The for...

The episode chronicles the unresolved 1992 homicide of 21-year-old college student Tammy Zywicki, who vanished after her vehicle stalled on an Illinois interstate. Her body was later discovered in Missouri, revealing she had been sexually assaulted and fatally stabbed before being abandoned on the roadside. Decades later, the FBI and state police continue to investigate the case, focusing on a sus...

In Robinson, Texas, authorities discovered a badly burned female body after responding to a brush fire during a heavy thunderstorm. The primary breakthrough in the case came from a white poodle named Titan found at the scene, whose microchip identified the victim as Mandy Reynolds. Investigations revealed that the victim’s cousin, Derek Dagnold, had murdered her, stolen her vehicle, and attempted...

After more than three decades, investigators have finally identified the last unknown victim of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson. Formerly known only as "Claudia," the deceased woman was confirmed to be Lydia Jane Wade McWhorter, a 26-year-old who went missing from Texas in the early 1990s. This breakthrough was made possible through advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy, which successful...

This episode details the successful resolution of a cold case involving the 1998 murder of Linda Rutledge in Lexington, Kentucky. After nearly three decades of investigation, authorities utilized advanced ballistic testing and DNA analysis to link the crime to a deceased suspect named Robert Eugene Brashers. The evidence connects Rutledge's death to the notorious "Yogurt Shop Murders" that occurre...

The episode details the legal resolution of a 1989 cold case in Grand Traverse County through an interview with journalist Mardi Link. It explains how mitochondrial DNA, a maternal genetic marker, was used decades later to link Steven Gary Koon to the murder of Linda Meteer. Although Koon was a long-time person of interest, investigators originally lacked the forensic capabilities to prove she had...

This episode explores the 1972 unsolved death of sixteen-year-old Jeannette DePalma, whose remains were discovered in a New Jersey wooded area. The discovery ignited a local Satanic panic, as the girl’s body was found surrounded by occult symbols and makeshift crosses near a site known as the Devil's Teeth. Though investigators looked into several potential suspects, including local drifters and a...

This episode features a news report regarding the resolution of a cold case in Arlington, Texas, through the use of modern forensic science. By utilizing advanced DNA technology, investigators were finally able to identify a suspect in a homicide that had remained a mystery for fourteen years. The article is hosted by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, a local media outlet that provides coverage on criminal...

The Western Michigan University Cold Case Program recently assisted the Michigan State Police in resolving the 2003 murder and sexual assault of Jeanette Wilton. By utilizing advanced forensic-grade genome sequencing and grant funding, investigators identified Jason Robert Cabello as the suspect through reanalyzed DNA evidence. Cabello was sentenced in June 2026 to at least twenty-three years in p...

This episode explores the critical role of digital evidence in the ongoing murder trial of Lindsay Clancy. Much of the discussion focuses on inconsistencies found within her Apple Watch data, specifically a heart rate reading of 57 beats per minute recorded shortly before the children were killed. Legal experts and forensic analysts debate whether this low heart rate suggests a calculated state of...

The episode chronicles the nearly four-decade investigation into the disappearance and death of Bryant Keith Bates, a young man who vanished in 1988. Although his skeletal remains were discovered in a rental property crawl space in 2004, the case remained unsolved for years due to a lack of identifying leads. Significant breakthroughs finally occurred when investigators utilized Forensic Genetic G...