Forensic Files
Upcoming episodes
Jun 5th
1100a
Elephant Tracks
An elderly couple was bludgeoned to death in their home, but the crime went unsolved. Two years later, the owner of a pawn shop was looking through a stack of old newspapers and came across an article about the murders. There was a photograph of the victims, and the woman pictured was wearing an unusual elephant pendant necklace – a necklace which the owner realized was in her shop. Not only that, she still had the pawn ticket, identifying who had sold the jewelry.
Jun 5th
1130a
A Bag of Evidence
When nine-year-old Jessica Knott disappeared from her home and was later found murdered, all of the tools in the arsenal of forensic scientists were brought to bear. Painstaking analysis of hairs, tiny fibers, and the plastic garbage covering her body lead police to a suspect – who turned out to be the same person who made what he thought was an anonymous 911-call, reporting where Jessica’s body could be found.
Jun 5th
1200p
Tooth or Consequences
The investigation of the disappearance of a young woman leads police to a suspect with a history of sexual assault, rape, and kidnapping. But police could not find the victim’s body, making it more difficult to connect their suspect to the crime. Finally, police discover the remains of a charred tooth. Superimposed images and an analysis of the elements of a dental filling give investigators the proof they need to bring the perpetrator to justice.
Jun 5th
1230p
Sniffing Revenge
A wealthy, middle-aged woman dies suddenly and unexpectedly at home. An autopsy finds no signs of foul play and investigators are unable to determine the cause of death until they receive a call from the ex-wife of the dead woman’s husband. Her claims initiate an investigation, during which the sensitive nose of a toxicologist sniffs out murder.
Jun 8th
1100a
Sleight of Hand
A rich elderly woman is murdered and her home ransacked. A trail of blood was visible down one side of the stairs. Though investigators were able to lift prints from the crime scene, they failed to find a match and the crime went unsolved. Sixteen years later, advances in the science of fingerprint identification, and the development of DNA profiling, enable police to identify the print – and the killer.
Jun 8th
1130a
Scratching the Surface
In Miami, Florida, a sniper opened fire from the rooftop of a manufacturing plant, killing one employee and injuring two others in the parking lot below. Police discovered spent shell casings on the roof, and the gun was found in the yard of a nearby home. The shooter had scratched the serial number off of the gun, hoping to make it untraceable. But forensic scientists had a way to make the number reappear.
Jun 8th
1200p
Fire Proof
In 1992, residents in and around Seattle were terrified that their home -- or business -- or church -- would be the next target of a serial arsonist. More than 100 fires had been set, all apparently by the same person. This was the biggest arson case in American history, and it was solved with the help of behavioral profiling, hypnosis, and a skillful sketch artist.
Jun 8th
1230p
"X" Marks the Spot
The St. Louis police and the FBI didn’t need bloodhounds, lab tests, fingerprints or other standard tools of criminal investigation to help them track down a serial killer. To put an end to the string of murders, police needed only a computer – and the knowledge of how it worked.
Jun 9th
1100a
All Charged Up
The city of Philadelphia was being plagued by a serial rapist, and then the crimes stopped. They started again -- this time, in Fort Collins, Colorado. Colorado police had fingerprints and a DNA profile, but neither matched those in their databanks. They also had a list of close to 900 names; 83 names had come from Philadelphia police, along with a composite drawing of the rapist. What they didn’t have was a suspect – until they received a tip from woman who recognized the man in drawing.
Jun 9th
1130a
Breaking the Mold
When a healthy three-year-old boy suddenly developed respiratory and neurological problems, doctors couldn’t explain why. Then his father began to exhibit signs of Alzheimer’s Disease. His mother became ill while traveling in an airplane; fortunately, the passenger seated next to her made his living by removing toxic mold from buildings. When she told him about her family’s health problems, he suspected their home might be making them sick.