Forensic Tales

#299 - In June 1983, 37-year-old Noelle Russo was found beaten to death and left naked in a patch of weeds behind a real estate office in Rohnert Park, California. For decades, her case went cold—suspects were interviewed, rumors circulated, but without forensic evidence, detectives had nowhere to go. Nearly forty years later, modern DNA testing finally identified a suspect: a man who had been on...

In 2014, Florida State law professor Dan Markel was shot in his driveway in what prosecutors called a calculated murder-for-hire plot. Over the years, three people—including Donna Adelson’s son, Charlie—were convicted for their roles. But investigators always believed the real mastermind was Donna herself. In September 2025, after nearly a decade of speculation, Donna Adelson finally stood trial....

In February 1996, 36-year-old Jasmine “Jazzie” Porter was found dead in her Bronx apartment while her five-year-old son was left to survive alone for days. For more than two decades, her case went unsolved—until a cold case detective uncovered long-preserved evidence that changed everything. A DNA match pointed to a man with a violent past, already convicted of killing another woman years earlier....

In July 2002, the body of 15-year-old Katie Hamlin was discovered in a remote area of Cherokee County, Georgia. She had been brutally murdered, and her killer attempted to erase every trace of evidence by setting her on fire. What followed was a years-long investigation that left a quiet community shaken. Police quickly focused on two suspects who pointed fingers at each other, but with crucial fo...

#295 - In December 1988, a road crew in rural Ware County, Georgia, discovered an abandoned television console on the side of Duncan Bridge Road. Inside was a black suitcase. Inside that suitcase, a duffel bag. And inside the bag — the body of a little girl. For decades, no one knew her name. She was remembered only as “Christmas Doe.” Thirty-four years later, advances in forensic genealogy finall...

#294 - In 1989, 37-year-old Patricia Meehan crashed head-on into another car on a Montana highway. She calmly stepped out, stared at the other driver—and walked away into the night. She was never seen again… or was she? Over the years, thousands claimed to spot her across the country, yet not a single sighting was confirmed. Was it amnesia, a planned disappearance, death in the wilderness, or some...

#293 - In the early 1970s, two young women from Stanford University—Leslie Perlov and Janet Taylor—were strangled and left in remote areas just miles apart. Despite extensive investigations, both cases remained unsolved for decades. Nearly 50 years later, a stunning breakthrough in forensic genealogy revealed their killer: John Getreu, a seemingly ordinary man with a violent past. Hidden behind th...

#292 - In 1974, 19-year-old Arlis Perry was brutally murdered inside Stanford University’s Memorial Church. Her body was discovered posed in a ritualistic manner, surrounded by religious objects—fueling decades of rumors about satanic cults and ritual sacrifice. Despite the collection of physical evidence, the case would remain unsolved for over 40 years. Arlis’s murder became one of Northern Cali...

#291 - In 2005, chemist Geetha Angara vanished during her shift at a New Jersey water treatment plant. A day later, her body was found floating inside one of the facility’s massive water tanks—along with more questions than answers. Was it a tragic accident? Or a calculated murder perfectly concealed by the very environment she worked to protect?   Support If you love the show, the easiest way to...

#290 - On a cold December night in 2014, first responders in Courtland, Mississippi, arrived at the scene of a car fire—only to discover something far more horrifying. Nineteen-year-old Jessica Chambers was found walking down a rural road, covered in burns and barely clinging to life. Before succumbing to her injuries, she tried to name her attacker. But what exactly did she say? And why has her c...

#289 - Torrey Pines State Beach in California is a place where many come to find peace. But for two young women, it became the backdrop of unspeakable tragedy. In August 1978, police officers responded to the beach, where they found the body of 15-year-old Barbara Nantais lying on the sand. She had been strangled and beaten to death, and one of her breasts had been severed. Her boyfriend was also...

#288 - It was Valentine’s Day, 1988, in Wales. While couples exchanged roses and love notes, in a small flat above a betting shop, a young woman lay brutally murdered. Her name was Lynette White. She was just 20 years old. What followed her death wasn’t just a murder investigation—it was a legal and forensic nightmare. Five innocent men were accused, imprisoned, and publicly vilified for a crime t...

#287 - Imagine waking up to find your entire world shattered—and being told you’re the one who destroyed it. In 1997, Phoenix, Arizona, was rocked by a gruesome and baffling crime. Yarmila Falater, a devoted wife and mother, was found stabbed over 40 times and drowned in her own backyard pool. The suspect? Her husband, Scott Falater—a devout Mormon with no history of violence, who claimed he had n...

#286 - In January 2022, Boston police officer John O’Keefe was found dead in the snow outside the home of another police officer. The case quickly captured national attention—not just because of the tragedy itself, but because of the woman accused of killing him: Karen Read. If you’ve been following Forensic Tales, you might remember that we covered the full story of this case in a previous episod...

#285 - It was supposed to be a fun night. A group of moms—neighbors and friends—gathered for an adult slumber party. Alcohol, games, laughter… the kind of night where you let loose, take off your responsibilities, and just be yourself. But by the next morning, one of them was dead. Her name was Tamla Horsford . A 40-year-old mother of five. She was found face down in the backyard of the home where...

In the heat of Maryland summer in 1979, a young woman’s life was brutally cut short — and for over four decades, the case went cold. Vicki Lynn Belk was just 28 years old when she vanished, her vibrant future stolen in an instant. For years, investigators pored over evidence, haunted by the lack of answers. But it wasn’t until the power of modern forensic science — DNA technology that didn’t even...

It was a July morning on Wimbledon Common when Rachel Nickell took her usual walk with her two-year-old son. What happened next would send shockwaves through the UK and spark one of the most controversial investigations in modern British history. A young woman brutally murdered in broad daylight. A toddler left clinging to her lifeless body. And a police force so desperate for answers that they fo...

February 26, 1984. East Windsor, New Jersey. Nineteen-year-old Donna Macho disappears from her family home without a trace. Her car is found abandoned near a sewer plant, and her skeletal remains are discovered 11 years later in a wooded area near a farm. At the time of her disappearance, the police had a promising suspect, but given the limitations of forensic testing in 1984, the case went unres...

#281 - In December 2017, first responders arrived at a sprawling mansion in one of Toronto’s wealthiest neighborhoods. What they found inside would shock the nation. Barry Sherman, a billionaire pharmaceutical tycoon, and his wife, Honey, were found dead at the edge of their indoor pool. No signs of forced entry. No note. Just two lifeless bodies and a scene that felt… staged. At first, the author...

#280 - This week, we're revisiting a case that captured national attention and shattered a small Tennessee community—the abduction and murder of 20-year-old nursing student Holly Bobo. It’s been over a decade since Holly disappeared from her home, sparking the largest search effort in state history. And while her remains were eventually found and a conviction secured, questions have lingered, and...

#279 - She was young, bright, and full of promise. Angela Samota was a 20-year-old college student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She had a tight-knit circle of friends, a good boyfriend, and a future that seemed limitless. But on one October night in 1984, everything changed. After a night out with friends, Angela returned to her apartment, and by morning, she was gone. Brutal...

#278 - December 12, 1985. St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. A quiet morning was shattered by gunfire. Forty-five-year-old mother of four, Yvonne Menke, was found shot to death outside her apartment—one bullet to the neck, two to the back of the head. The killer vanished, leaving behind only footprints in the snow and a trail of unanswered questions. For decades, the case went cold. No arrests. No justic...

#277 - In August 1975, 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington left her parent’s house in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, heading to summer vacation Bible school class. The church was less than a mile up the road, and she had walked it many times in the past, but something about this morning was different. Gretchen never made it. Two months later, her remains were found by a jogger in Ridley Creek State Par...

#276 - In October 1981, a 30-year-old single mother living in Carmel, California, was brutally murdered in her own home. She was found strangled to death, and the case shocked the quiet, upscale community of Carmel. For many years, there were few leads, and the case went cold. But in 2020, thanks to advancements in DNA technology, investigators were able to link DNA from the scene to a promising s...

#275 - Throughout the early 1990s, Phoenix, Arizona, was terrorized by a series of violent crimes, including the murders of two young women. The crimes went unsolved for decades, and the man responsible remained unidentified. By the time the police caught up to him, he had a new persona and was hiding in plain sight. But besides the two victims he would eventually be charged with murdering, are th...