Imagine digging up crimes from the past. That's what happened when DNA testing finally caught up with Kurt Alan Rillema, a Michigan business owner. Police found that Rillema, 51, was the FBI behind two sexual assault cases way back in 1999 and 2000—at golf courses in Oakland County and Penn State Un
In a New Jersey murder trial, a software called STRmix is under scrutiny. This software helps analyze complex DNA samples that used to be considered unusable. Defense lawyers for Paul Caneiro, accused of killing four family members, argue the software isn't reliable enough for court. They say it was
In an incredible turn of events, a jury convicted a 67-year-old man last week for a 1994 kidnapping at the Oakridge Mall, thanks to a cold-case investigation that relied on DNA evidence. Thomas John Loguidice was found guilty of felony kidnapping with the intent to rob, after he was linked to the cr
In a shocking turn of events, suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann has been charged with a seventh murder. This time, it's the murder of Valerie Mack, whose remains were discovered in New York several years ago. How did investigators link Heuermann to this latest crime? Through DNA analysis and som
In a twist that’s stranger than fiction, a beer can has helped investigators solve a murder that was initially mistaken for a bear attack. The gruesome killing occurred in October 2024, when 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem was found dead in his tent near Big Sky, Montana. Initially, it seemed like a wild
Detective Cliff Shepard was the lead investigator in the Rasmussen case, but he struggled to find evidence. He discovered that a crucial bite swab had gone missing. With help from Jennifer Francis, a criminalist at LAPD's Scientific Investigation Division, they located the swab at the Medical Examin
The case of Carmen Van Huss' murder had gone cold, but 31 years later, DNA technology brought it back to life. In March 1993, Van Huss' father found her lifeless body in her Indianapolis apartment, raped and stabbed 61 times. The crime scene was replete with DNA evidence, which was submitted to a sp
As the trial of Bryan Kohberger, accused of murdering four University of Idaho students, approaches, the question on everyone's mind is: can justice be served in a fair and unbiased manner? The answer lies in the complex web of pretrial publicity, jury selection, and the unforeseen consequences of a
