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DNA cold case solved after 30 years | Jeanie Childs murder solved with forensic genealogy | Jerry Westrom convicted with DNA napkin | 1993 brutal stabbing solved decades later | Forensic genetic genealogy solves murder | True crime solved by DNA evidence | Bloody footprints tie killer | Napkin DNA leads to arrest | Cold case DNA breakthrough | Minneapolis murder solved with modern tech
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00:00Welcome, everyone, to The Dark Stories.
00:03Tonight, we delve into a case that haunted Minneapolis for decades,
00:07the brutal slaying of genie childs in the summer of 1993.
00:12A case that went cold, buried under the weight of unanswered questions,
00:16only to be resurrected by the relentless march of science
00:20and the unwavering pursuit of justice.
00:23This is the story of a life tragically cut short,
00:25a killer who walked free for years,
00:28and the silent witnesses, the DNA and a bloody footprint
00:32that finally spoke the truth.
00:35The date was July 8, 1993.
00:39The Minneapolis summer air hung heavy and humid.
00:43Inside her apartment at 2832 Cedar Avenue South,
00:4835-year-old genie childs, a vibrant and independent woman, lay dead.
00:53She had been savagely attacked, stabbed an astonishing 65 times.
00:59The scene was horrific, a stark testament to a rage that seemed incomprehensible.
01:04The initial investigation was intense.
01:07Detectives meticulously combed the apartment, searching for any clue,
01:11any sliver of evidence that could lead them to the perpetrator.
01:15They interviewed neighbors, friends, and acquaintances.
01:18One of the first people they spoke with was genie's boyfriend, Art.
01:22He had a solid alibi, and his footprint, crucially,
01:26did not match a bloody print found at the scene,
01:29a print that would later become a silent yet powerful witness.
01:33Investigators collected DNA samples,
01:36a relatively new but promising tool in forensic science.
01:40They spoke with genie's clients.
01:42She worked as a massage therapist,
01:43hoping to uncover any disgruntled individuals or potential threats.
01:48Despite their efforts, the leads dried up.
01:51Weeks turned into months, and months bled into years.
01:55The vibrant life of genie childs became a cold case file,
01:59another tragic story seemingly destined for the dusty shelves of unsolved mysteries.
02:05Fast forward to 2015.
02:07In Minneapolis, a renewed initiative was underway to revisit long-dormant cold cases,
02:12particularly those where advancements in forensic technology,
02:16especially DNA analysis,
02:18held the promise of finally revealing the truth.
02:21The sheer brutality of genie childs' murder,
02:24the high number of stab wounds suggesting a close-quarters attack
02:27and a significant likelihood of DNA transfer,
02:31made it a prime candidate for re-examination.
02:34For the investigators tasked with breathing life back into this decades-old case,
02:38the passage of time presented a formidable challenge.
02:41Your witnesses' memories fade,
02:43some move away,
02:44others are no longer alive.
02:46Physical evidence,
02:47if not properly preserved,
02:49can degrade.
02:50Yet,
02:51the one silent witness from that horrific night in 1993,
02:55the biological evidence,
02:57held the potential to cut through the years of uncertainty.
03:00DNA,
03:01the unique blueprint within each of us,
03:03had become an increasingly sophisticated tool in the pursuit of justice.
03:07Even minute traces,
03:10skin cells,
03:11saliva,
03:12semen,
03:12could now be analysed to create a genetic profile,
03:15a digital fingerprint unique to an individual.
03:19The investigators focused on the evidence collected from genie's apartment in 1993,
03:25hoping that the advancements in DNA technology since then
03:28could yield a profile that was previously undetectable.
03:32They also considered the potential of the Combined DNA Index System,
03:37or CODIS.
03:40This national database housed DNA profiles of convicted offenders
03:45and DNA recovered from crime scenes.
03:48Could genie's killer have been entered into the system for a subsequent crime?
03:53The hope, however faint,
03:54was there.
03:55As the cold case team meticulously reviewed the original files,
03:59they also began to explore a relatively new investigative avenue,
04:04Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy.
04:07This technique combines DNA analysis with public genealogy databases.
04:12By comparing the crime scene DNA to the vast family trees available online,
04:18investigators can identify potential relatives of the unknown suspect,
04:21building a genealogical map that might eventually lead them to the perpetrator.
04:27It was a long shot,
04:28a complex puzzle involving genetic links and historical records,
04:32but in the absence of a direct CODIS hit,
04:35it offered a glimmer of possibility.
04:37And then a name emerged.
04:40Jerry Westham.
04:42What drew investigators to Jerry Westham?
04:45He had been living in the vicinity of Cedar Avenue South in 1993.
04:49Furthermore, his past included arrest for prostitution-related offences,
04:55a detail that,
04:56while not directly linked to the violent nature of genie's murder,
04:59warranted further scrutiny in the context of an unsolved sexual assault and homicide.
05:04But how could they definitively link him to a crime committed two decades prior?
05:09They needed his DNA.
05:11Obtaining a direct sample without his knowledge or consent
05:14required careful planning and adherence to legal protocols.
05:18In a remarkable display of investigative ingenuity,
05:22the team learned that Jerry Westham frequented hockey games.
05:26On a seemingly ordinary night,
05:28investigators discreetly followed him.
05:31As the game concluded and Westham discarded a used hot dog napkin into a trash can,
05:36they seized the opportunity.
05:38That discarded napkin,
05:40seemingly insignificant,
05:41held the key.
05:43Saliva,
05:44a rich source of DNA,
05:46clung to its surface.
05:47Back at the lab,
05:48the DNA extracted from the napkin was analysed
05:51and compared to the DNA profile recovered from the semen found on the comforter
05:56and a towel in Jeannie Childs' apartment,
05:59evidence meticulously preserved from that horrific night in 1993.
06:04The match was undeniable.
06:07The DNA from the discarded napkin
06:09belonged to the same individual whose semen was found at the crime scene.
06:13After 22 long years,
06:15the silent witness had finally spoken with absolute certainty.
06:20Jerry Westham was the prime suspect in the murder of Jeannie Childs.
06:25Armed with this irrefutable DNA evidence,
06:28investigators moved swiftly.
06:30Jerry Westham was arrested.
06:32A known DNA sample was obtained from him,
06:34further confirming the match.
06:36During his interrogation,
06:38Westham appeared nervous
06:39and vehemently denied ever being inside Jeannie Childs' apartment.
06:44In the face of the scientific certainty of the DNA evidence,
06:48his denials rang hollow.
06:50But the DNA wasn't the only silent witness from that fateful night.
06:55Remember the bloody footprint that didn't match Jeannie's boyfriend?
06:58That piece of evidence,
07:00carefully preserved all those years,
07:02was now re-examined.
07:03Investigators obtained footprint impressions from Jerry Westham.
07:08The meticulous comparison revealed a match.
07:11A bloody footprint at the scene belonged to Jerry Westham,
07:14placing him inside Jeannie's apartment after the brutal attack.
07:18The prosecution built a compelling case,
07:21weaving together the irrefutable DNA evidence
07:23and the damning footprint analysis.
07:26While the murder weapon was never found,
07:28and there were no living eyewitnesses to the crime itself,
07:31the scientific evidence painted a clear and damning picture.
07:36The trial began in 2017.
07:38The defence argued that the DNA could have been transferred through other means,
07:42that its mere presence didn't prove guilt.
07:45But the prosecution countered with the overwhelming statistical probability
07:49of a random DNA match
07:51and the corroborating footprint evidence
07:53placing Westham squarely at the scene of the crime.
07:57The jury deliberated.
07:59The weight of two decades of unanswered questions hung in the air.
08:03Finally, the verdict came in.
08:05Guilty.
08:07Jerry Westham was convicted of the first-degree murder of Jeannie Childs.
08:11For Jeannie's family,
08:12the verdict brought a measure of closure,
08:15a long-awaited answer to the questions that had haunted them for so long.
08:19Yet,
08:19as the Footprint to Murder documentary poignantly illustrates,
08:23a conviction cannot erase the pain of loss,
08:27the years of grief,
08:28the life that was so brutally stolen.
08:31The Jeannie Childs case serves as a powerful testament
08:34to the enduring power of forensic science,
08:38particularly DNA technology,
08:40in bringing justice to cold cases.
08:42It underscores the importance of meticulous evidence collection and preservation,
08:47even when the technology to fully analyse it doesn't yet exist.
08:51It highlights the dedication of investigators
08:54who refuse to let go of unsolved crimes,
08:57who continue to pursue justice for victims and their families,
09:01no matter how much time has passed.
09:04It also touches upon the sensitive issue of victim-blaming.
09:08Some initial discussions surrounding Jeannie's lifestyle
09:11attempted to suggest she was somehow responsible for her own tragic fate.
09:15But the truth remains stark and undeniable.
09:19Jeannie Childs was the victim of a violent crime,
09:23and nothing justifies the brutality she endured.
09:27The advancements in DNA analysis
09:29and the innovative use of investigative genetic genealogy
09:32are revolutionising cold case investigations.
09:36Cases that once seemed impossible to solve
09:39are now being cracked open,
09:41bringing long-awaited answers
09:42and a sense of justice to victims and their loved ones.
09:45The silent witnesses,
09:48the microscopic traces of DNA,
09:50the impressions left behind
09:52are finally having their day in court.
09:55Thank you for joining us tonight on The Dark Stories.
09:58The case of Jeannie Childs reminds us
10:01that even the coldest of cases
10:03can be thawed by the relentless pursuit of truth
10:06and the unwavering power of science.
10:09If you found this story gripping,
10:11please like this video
10:12and subscribe to The Dark Stories
10:14for more tales of mystery and the pursuit of justice.
10:18Share your thoughts in the comments below.
10:20Until next time, remember that even in the darkest of stories,
10:24the truth often leaves an indelible trace.
10:28Welcome to The Deep Dive.
10:30Today we're plunging into the fascinating,
10:34sometimes pretty somber,
10:35world of cold case investigations.
10:37Yeah.
10:38You've given us some really compelling stuff.
10:40Practical guides for investigators,
10:42bits on crime scene psychology,
10:44the details of DNA tech,
10:46even remote sensing,
10:48which is kind of surprising.
10:49Right.
10:49How you can find things hidden underground.
10:51Exactly.
10:52And we've also got this gripping news story
10:54about a case finally cracked using DNA evidence.
10:57It's a field that really highlights,
10:59you know,
10:59the lasting impact of violent crime,
11:01but also the sheer persistence of people seeking justice,
11:05often against,
11:06well,
11:07incredible odds.
11:08For the families,
11:09these cases,
11:10they never really go away,
11:12do they?
11:12It's always this search for answers.
11:15Absolutely.
11:16And our goal here,
11:16I think,
11:17is to really get a handle on the different ways
11:19investigators approach these,
11:21these really tough cases
11:23and how technology is helping breathe new life into them.
11:26So they piece together the past,
11:27basically.
11:28Precisely.
11:28How do you find the truth after so much time?
11:31Okay,
11:31so let's start with the term itself,
11:33cold case.
11:35Sounds simple,
11:36but one of your sources says
11:37there isn't even like a single definition everyone uses.
11:40That's a really key point right off the bat.
11:43It's pretty much up to the individual law enforcement agency.
11:47So it varies.
11:48Oh,
11:48definitely.
11:48For one department,
11:50a case might go cold
11:51when the main investigator gets reassigned
11:53and nobody's actively working it.
11:55Another might just use a time frame,
11:57say,
11:58any suspicious death still unsolved after a year.
12:01Or maybe it's specifically cases handed over
12:04to a dedicated cold case unit.
12:07Or,
12:07simpler still,
12:08just cases with no leads or activity
12:10for a year or more.
12:12It's interesting though,
12:12the label itself,
12:14cold case,
12:14you can see how that might land badly with families.
12:16Absolutely.
12:17It can feel dismissive.
12:19Like their loved one's case is just forgotten
12:21or seen as unsolvable.
12:23Exactly.
12:23While it's a practical term for managing caseloads,
12:26we have to remember the human cost.
12:28Hope doesn't just fade for those families
12:30and that label can feel like,
12:32well,
12:32another blow.
12:33So whether it's a fresh case
12:34or one that's decades old,
12:36there's some basic questions
12:38investigators always have to tackle,
12:39aren't there?
12:40Like the absolute fundamentals.
12:42Precisely.
12:43The core questions don't change.
12:44What actually happened?
12:46Why was this person killed?
12:47Who could have done it?
12:48Who had the opportunity?
12:49How did they do it?
12:50And where?
12:51That's the bedrock.
12:52It really is.
12:52Doesn't matter how old the case file is.
12:54And then you get into that classic framework.
12:57Motive opportunity means MOM, right?
13:00Yep.
13:00MOM.
13:01How does that apply
13:02when you're looking back years later?
13:04Do motives get reevaluated?
13:06Well,
13:06the potential motives are still broad,
13:08but time can bring new perspectives.
13:11Your sources list things like murder, suicide,
13:13thrill kills,
13:14self-defense claims,
13:16random violence,
13:17sex crimes,
13:18sadism,
13:19love triangles,
13:20jealousy,
13:20drug connections,
13:21gang stuff.
13:23Revisiting these,
13:24but maybe with new witness info
13:25or evidence that didn't make sense before,
13:27that's key.
13:28It sounds like the whole approach
13:29has really shifted.
13:30It's not just,
13:30like you said,
13:31pulling dusty boxes off a shelf.
13:32That's a good way to put it.
13:34There's no single magic bullet
13:35for solving these.
13:36Every case is its own puzzle.
13:39Modern cold case work
13:40is really this blend
13:41of old school police work
13:43and cutting edge forensic science
13:46and tech.
13:48And it seems to hinge on two main things
13:50that can suddenly make a cold case
13:51solvable again.
13:52Right.
13:52Your sources point to two primary drivers,
13:55changes in technology
13:56and changes in relationships.
13:58Okay.
13:58Technology makes sense.
14:00DNA,
14:00better forensics,
14:02but relationships.
14:03Think about it.
14:04Time passes.
14:05Loyalty shift.
14:06People who were maybe scared
14:07to talk before
14:08or were protecting someone,
14:09well,
14:10maybe they aren't anymore.
14:11Guilt can build up.
14:12Ah.
14:13So someone might finally
14:14come forward after years.
14:15Exactly.
14:16We see it happen.
14:17An old accomplice,
14:17maybe,
14:18finally decides they need
14:19to clear their conscience.
14:20Time changes people
14:21and their connections.
14:22The sources also mention
14:23something about police training
14:24itself improving over time.
14:26Like,
14:27standards for detectives
14:28are higher now.
14:29Generally,
14:29yes.
14:30Selection processes,
14:31training protocols,
14:32they've evolved.
14:33So,
14:34a fresh look
14:35at an old file
14:36by a modern investigator
14:37might spot things.
14:39Avenues that were missed
14:40back then,
14:41maybe just because
14:41the approach
14:42to the training
14:42was different.
14:43Like a more experienced
14:44eye on the same puzzle?
14:45That's a great analogy.
14:47What wasn't obvious then
14:48might jump out now.
14:50But then there are
14:50those factors
14:51that are just
14:51beyond anyone's control,
14:54right?
14:55Cases with zero
14:56physical evidence,
14:57maybe no witnesses
14:58or witnesses who won't talk.
15:00Absolutely.
15:00Or you can't even
15:01identify the victim sometimes.
15:02That's a huge hurdle.
15:03Yeah.
15:04Add in things like
15:05an unknown weapon
15:06or the silence
15:07around gang
15:08or drug crimes
15:09or the crime scene itself.
15:11Was it public,
15:11private?
15:12Did that affect
15:12evidence preservation?
15:14And the tech available
15:15at the time
15:15might just not have
15:16been good enough
15:17for the evidence
15:17they did collect.
15:18Precisely.
15:19Which brings us neatly
15:20to the big one.
15:22DNA.
15:23DNA.
15:23Deoxyribonucleic acid.
15:25It really has been
15:26a game changer.
15:26It's kind of mind-blowing
15:27how far it's come.
15:29It truly is.
15:29It's the blueprint
15:30for an organism, right?
15:31Right.
15:32And crucially,
15:32it's the same
15:33in almost every cell
15:34in your body
15:35and it stays the same
15:36your whole life.
15:37So even a tiny trace
15:38left behind.
15:39It can potentially
15:40be matched, yeah,
15:41to a suspect,
15:42a victim,
15:43using reference samples.
15:44And the key is
15:45those STRs,
15:46short tandem repeats.
15:48Exactly,
15:48short tandem repeats.
15:49Think of them
15:50like specific spots
15:51in your DNA
15:52where short patterns
15:53repeat over and over.
15:55The number of repeats
15:56varies a lot
15:56between people.
15:57So it's like
15:58a genetic fingerprint.
15:59Kind of, yeah.
16:00Forensic profiling
16:01analyzes how many repeats
16:03you have at several
16:04different STR locations.
16:05It creates a unique profile
16:07like a barcode.
16:08And there's
16:08mitochondrial DNA too.
16:10Right.
16:10That's found
16:10outside the cell nucleus.
16:12It's often useful
16:13for older
16:13or more degraded samples
16:15like getting echoes
16:16from the past.
16:17It's inherited differently
16:18just from the mother.
16:19Okay, so getting that profile,
16:21it sounds like
16:22a pretty detailed process.
16:23It is.
16:24Multistage.
16:25First, careful collection,
16:26any potential biological stuff
16:28from the scene
16:28or people involved.
16:29Then, you extract the DNA,
16:32purify it.
16:32Then, quantify it,
16:34measure how much you have.
16:35Then, you target
16:36those specific STR regions
16:38and amplify them.
16:39Make millions of copies
16:40using PCR.
16:42PCR?
16:42Polymerous chain reaction.
16:44That name keeps coming up.
16:45Because it's so important.
16:47Then, you separate
16:47those amplify fragments
16:48by size
16:49and the resulting pattern
16:50is your DNA profile
16:51which you compare to others.
16:53But it's not foolproof.
16:55Your sources mention
16:56potential problems
16:57like mix-ups
16:57or contamination.
16:58Oh, absolutely critical
17:00things to consider.
17:01Mistakes can happen.
17:02Samples get mislabeled.
17:04Contamination can creep in
17:05during extraction in the lab.
17:07It's rare with good protocols
17:08but possible.
17:10And old samples
17:11might be tricky anyway.
17:12Definitely.
17:13You might have DNA
17:14from multiple people
17:15mixed together.
17:16Or the DNA itself
17:17might be degraded,
17:18broken down over time.
17:19That's why how you collect
17:21and store evidence
17:21is so vital.
17:22Right.
17:23Things like superglue,
17:24fuming for prints,
17:25and touch DNA.
17:26Yeah.
17:26Sinoacrylate fuming.
17:28It helps preserve
17:28delicate traces.
17:30And properly drying
17:31biological fluids,
17:32packaging them
17:33in breathable paper bags
17:34or boxes,
17:35not plastic that stops
17:36moisture buildup
17:37and further degradation.
17:38Okay, and then there's
17:39CODES.
17:40The big database?
17:41The Combined DNA Index System.
17:43Yeah, it's huge.
17:44It lets agencies compare
17:46crime scene DNA profiles
17:47against convicted offenders
17:49nationwide.
17:50So it links cases.
17:51Yes, links serial crimes
17:52that seemed unrelated.
17:53It can point to suspects
17:54you didn't know existed.
17:56It even helps identify
17:57missing persons
17:58by matching unidentified remains
18:00to relative samples.
18:01It's incredibly powerful.
18:02And the amazing thing is
18:04evidence stored properly,
18:05even for decades,
18:07can still yield a profile.
18:09It really can.
18:10Which is exactly why
18:11re-evaluating old cases
18:12is so worthwhile.
18:14That evidence might hold
18:15the key now,
18:16even if it didn't back then.
18:17And that PCR technique
18:18you mentioned,
18:19that's key for these
18:20tinier degraded samples.
18:22You said it makes copies.
18:23Millions of copies
18:24from just a tiny starting amount.
18:25It's like taking
18:26a microscopic speck
18:27and making it shout
18:27its story decades later.
18:29It's almost science fiction
18:30turned reality, honestly.
18:32Wow.
18:32So investigators really need
18:34to stay plugged in
18:35with the crime labs, right?
18:36To know what's possible now.
18:38Constant communication
18:39is essential.
18:40Labs know the latest
18:41on STR analysis,
18:43mitochondrial DNA,
18:45Y chromosome analysis
18:46for male lineage.
18:47They can advise
18:48on the best of pulch,
18:49the costs,
18:50the logistics
18:50of retesting old stuff.
18:52And those exclusion cases
18:53where DNA cleared
18:55the original suspect.
18:56Those need revisiting too.
18:58That unknown profile
18:59that cleared the first guy
19:00might now match
19:01someone else in CODIS.
19:02The database
19:03is always growing.
19:04And this idea
19:05of a John Doe warrant.
19:06Yeah.
19:07Based just on a DNA profile.
19:08It's a clever legal tool.
19:10If you have a solid
19:11DNA profile from a scene
19:12but no name
19:13to attach to it,
19:14you can get a warrant
19:15issued for John Doe
19:16identified by that
19:17specific genetic code.
19:19So it keeps the case
19:20legally alive.
19:21Stops the clock
19:22on the statute of limitations.
19:23Essentially, yes.
19:24Until you get a match.
19:25Maybe years later.
19:26Okay, let's shift gears a bit.
19:27The human side.
19:29Psychological autopsies.
19:31Trying to figure out
19:31someone's state of mind
19:32before they died.
19:33Yeah, it can be
19:33really valuable
19:34especially if the manner
19:35of death is ambiguous.
19:36Was it suicide,
19:37accident, homicide?
19:38You gather everything
19:39you can about their life,
19:40behavior, relationships,
19:42stresses.
19:42To build a picture
19:43of their mental state.
19:44Exactly.
19:46Trying to reconstruct
19:46their psychological world
19:48to find clues
19:49the physical evidence
19:50might miss.
19:50And then,
19:51crime scene staging.
19:53That sounds complicated.
19:54Why would someone do that?
19:55It's all about deception.
19:56Making a homicide
19:57look like a suicide
19:58or an accident
19:59may be to hide
20:00the real crime,
20:01protect their identity,
20:02or point the finger elsewhere.
20:04And spotting that
20:04in a cold case
20:05must be tough.
20:06Especially if the original scene
20:07was misinterpreted as,
20:09say,
20:10a natural death
20:11or an accident.
20:12You're looking for
20:12inconsistencies years later.
20:14The sources mentioned
20:15firearms were common
20:16in staged homicides.
20:18Is that significant?
20:19It's a data point
20:20investigators might note,
20:21yeah.
20:22But the sources also cautioned
20:23that trying to create
20:24neat categories
20:25or typologies
20:26for staging
20:27built on behavior,
20:29well, it's tricky.
20:30Because the patterns
20:31overlap too much.
20:32Right.
20:33There's not enough
20:33solid empirical support yet
20:35to say,
20:36okay, this specific setup
20:37means this type
20:39of offender or motive.
20:40It's more about
20:41looking for inconsistencies
20:42within that specific scene.
20:44Does the physical evidence
20:46match the story
20:47the scene seems to be telling?
20:48Does it match
20:49the victim's known personality?
20:51We have that
20:51really tragic example
20:52though,
20:53the 1937 Noakes family deaths
20:55where behavioral analysis
20:57was used.
20:57That's a deeply disturbing case.
20:59Three young girls smothered.
21:00Then the father
21:01and his niece
21:02found dead
21:02in an apparent suicide pact
21:04miles away.
21:05A real puzzle.
21:06And behavioral analysis
21:07helped piece together
21:08a likely timeline,
21:09explore motives,
21:10financial desperation,
21:12complex family stuff,
21:13the father's known
21:14anger issues.
21:15It helped rule out
21:16things like accidental death.
21:18But there were still
21:18mysteries, right?
21:19Like why they went
21:20to Philadelphia.
21:21Why didn't he sell things
21:22if they needed money?
21:23Exactly.
21:23It doesn't solve everything,
21:24but it provides a framework,
21:26a way to understand
21:27the likely sequence
21:28of events
21:29and the father's
21:30probable mindset
21:30even without definitive
21:32physical proof
21:33for every step.
21:34It shows you can learn
21:35a lot by looking beyond
21:36just the physical clues.
21:38Chilling.
21:39Okay.
21:40Completely different angle now.
21:41remote sensing.
21:44Using geophysics.
21:45Like for finding
21:46buried things.
21:47Yeah, techniques like
21:48ground penetrating radar,
21:49magnetometry,
21:50electrical resistivity.
21:52They can help locate
21:53clandestine graves
21:54or hidden evidence
21:55without having to dig up
21:56huge areas.
21:57It's non-invasive.
21:58Sounds like something
21:59out of archaeology,
22:00but for crime scenes.
22:01It has similarities.
22:03And just like archaeology,
22:04planning is crucial.
22:06You need to know
22:06what you're looking for.
22:07Definitely.
22:08What's the target size?
22:09How deep might it be?
22:11What methods are best
22:12for this specific site?
22:14What are the soil conditions?
22:15Are there power lines
22:16or metal junk
22:17that could interfere?
22:18Who owns the land?
22:20Has anyone searched
22:21here before?
22:21There's even a questionnaire.
22:23The NecroSearch one.
22:24Yes, to gather
22:25all that critical info
22:25before you start scaring.
22:27And the actual search
22:27involves grids
22:28and calibration.
22:30Yep.
22:31Systematic grids
22:32ensure you cover
22:32the area thoroughly.
22:34And doing test scans
22:35over something known,
22:36like a simulated grave,
22:37helps you understand
22:38how the equipment reacts
22:39in those specific conditions
22:40and fine-tune the settings.
22:42It's not just about
22:43the tech, though.
22:44Mapping the site itself
22:45sounds important, too.
22:46Absolutely.
22:47A detailed map
22:48showing surface features,
22:49buildings, fences,
22:50trees, scrap metal,
22:52even changes in soil
22:53or plants is vital
22:54for interpreting
22:54the geophysical data later.
22:57Anomalies might be caused
22:58by known surface features,
23:00not necessarily
23:00what you're looking for.
23:02And you need experts
23:03for this, right?
23:03People who actually
23:04understand geophysics.
23:05You definitely need
23:06qualified geophysicists
23:08to run the equipment
23:09and, crucially,
23:10interpret the data.
23:11It's complex.
23:12Some states even require
23:13them to be licensed.
23:14And it all gets written
23:15up in a report.
23:16Yes.
23:16A full report
23:17with the data maps,
23:19site description,
23:19methods used,
23:20and a clear interpretation
23:21of what the anomalies
23:22might mean.
23:23That guides the next steps,
23:25maybe targeted digging.
23:26Okay, let's bring it
23:27all together with that
23:28solves case example.
23:29Jean Ann Childs
23:30in Minneapolis,
23:31murdered in 1993.
23:33A really powerful story
23:34of persistence.
23:35That case went cold
23:36for, what,
23:3725 years?
23:38Yeah, until 2018.
23:40And the breakthrough
23:41came from DNA again.
23:43DNA again.
23:44Specifically,
23:45blood evidence
23:46from the scene,
23:46which was preserved well,
23:48was finally analyzed
23:49using commercial
23:50genealogy websites.
23:51So, like,
23:52those ancestry sites
23:53people use.
23:54Similar databases, yeah.
23:56That process generated
23:57a lead pointing
23:58towards Jerry Westrom,
23:59who had links
24:00to the area
24:00and some past offenses.
24:02So they surveilled him.
24:03They did.
24:03And in 2019,
24:04they managed to get
24:05his DNA indirectly
24:07from a napkin
24:07he threw away
24:08at a hockey game.
24:09Seriously?
24:10A napkin?
24:10A napkin.
24:11And the lab confirmed.
24:13The DNA from the napkin
24:14matched the DNA
24:15from the blood
24:16and semen found
24:17at the 1993 crime scene.
24:18Wow.
24:19And there was
24:20other evidence too.
24:21Oh yeah.
24:21His DNA was on
24:22a bloody towel,
24:23a washcloth,
24:24a victim's t-shirt,
24:25in the sink,
24:26his semen on her comforter.
24:28And they even found
24:29his footprint
24:29in her blood
24:30on the floor.
24:31Pretty overwhelming.
24:31Absolutely.
24:32It led to his conviction
24:34in 2022.
24:35Justice finally,
24:36after almost 30 years,
24:38thanks to that combination
24:39of preserved evidence
24:40and new DNA technology.
24:42It's a great outcome
24:42for that case,
24:43but the stats
24:43your sources mention
24:44are pretty sobering.
24:45Only about half of murders
24:46get solved with an arrest.
24:47Around that, yeah.
24:48And the clearance rate
24:49is often worse, sadly,
24:51when the victim is Black
24:52or African American.
24:53Why is that?
24:54It's complex.
24:56Factors include
24:56witness reluctance,
24:58maybe fear of retaliation,
24:59maybe distrust
25:00of law enforcement
25:01in some communities,
25:02and just the grim reality
25:04that the longer
25:05a case goes unsolved,
25:06especially past
25:07that first year,
25:08the harder it becomes.
25:09The impact on families,
25:11communities,
25:12it's devastating
25:14when there are no answers.
25:15That lack of closure
25:16is immense,
25:17which is why
25:18that collaboration
25:19we talked about,
25:20police, labs,
25:21prosecutors,
25:21working together
25:22on these old cases
25:23is so incredibly important.
25:24And always keeping
25:25the victim
25:26and their family
25:26front and center.
25:28Always.
25:28We also can't ignore
25:29the practical issues
25:30like DNA backlogs.
25:32Yes, backlogs
25:33for processing
25:34offender samples
25:34for CODIS
25:35and for analyzing
25:36evidence from
25:37active and cold cases.
25:38It's a persistent challenge.
25:40Resources are always stretched.
25:42And dealing with
25:42old evidence packaging.
25:44Things degrading.
25:45Investigators need
25:46to be ready for that.
25:47Consulting the lab
25:48on how to handle
25:48potentially fragile
25:50or improperly stored evidence,
25:52maybe repackaging it
25:53correctly,
25:53is key.
25:54And that chain of custody.
25:56Absolutely critical.
25:57You have to track
25:57it's every move.
25:58Every single step
25:59documented perfectly.
26:01Or the evidence
26:02might be useless in court.
26:03Even statutes
26:04of limitations.
26:06They might not
26:06be a dead end.
26:07There can be exceptions,
26:08especially for serious crimes
26:10like murder
26:11or if new evidence
26:12like DNA emerges.
26:13That's why talking
26:14to prosecutors
26:15early in a cold case review
26:16is vital
26:17to understand
26:18the legal landscape.
26:19And deciding
26:20which cases
26:20to even look at.
26:21Prioritizing
26:22sounds important.
26:23You have to be strategic.
26:24Maybe focus on cases
26:25with untested
26:26sexual assault kits
26:27or cases
26:28where biological evidence
26:29exists that could benefit
26:30from new DNA techniques.
26:32You categorize
26:33based on solvability factor.
26:35Where do you even
26:35find these cases
26:36to review?
26:37Old logbooks?
26:38All sorts of places.
26:39Logbooks,
26:40talking to retired investigators
26:41who might remember details,
26:42searching old databases,
26:44sometimes victims' families
26:45or witnesses
26:46come forward years later.
26:47You have to cast
26:48a wide net.
26:49And always remember
26:50to run new profiles
26:51through CODIS.
26:52Absolutely.
26:53Proactively ask
26:54the CODIS administrators
26:55to search new profiles
26:57against local,
26:57state,
26:58and national databases.
26:59Maximize the chances
27:00of a hit.
27:01So,
27:02wrapping this up.
27:03It's clear
27:04cold case work
27:05is incredibly tough.
27:06It leans so heavily now
27:07on forensic tech,
27:08especially DNA,
27:09but also on
27:10new ways of investigating
27:12and just sheer persistence.
27:14Definitely.
27:14But you also highlighted
27:15that human element
27:16changing relationships,
27:18psychological insights,
27:19they're just as crucial.
27:21It's a real mix.
27:22Our mission was to
27:23get a better handle
27:25on how these seemingly
27:26impossible cases get solved,
27:28the methods,
27:29the challenges.
27:29I think we've really
27:30dug into that.
27:31We've covered a lot of ground,
27:32yeah,
27:32from the definition
27:33to DNA to geophysics
27:35and back to the human stories.
27:36So here's a final thought
27:37for you listening.
27:39With forensic science
27:40evolving so fast
27:41and our understanding
27:42of people always deepening,
27:44what answers
27:45might still be hiding
27:46in cases we think
27:47are totally cold?
27:48And as technology
27:49lets us look back
27:50with such powerful new tools,
27:52what ethical questions
27:53does that raise?
27:55It really makes you think
27:55about the resources,
27:56the complexity
27:57and the drive needed
27:58to find justice
27:59sometimes decades later
28:00and why we need
28:01to keep pushing innovation
28:02in this area.
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