Forensic Files
Season 11
TV-MA
Police increasingly utilize scientific laboratory analysis to solve crimes. This program reviews and re-enacts dramatic cases from around the world in which forensic scientists find and examine previously undetectable evidence. Through their hard work, criminals are brought to justice and the innocent are set free.
42 Episodes
- Just Desserts
E3Just DessertsThe prime suspect had a criminal record, and his driver's license was found at the scene of a brutal, double homicide. That physical evidence seemed damning, but it wasn't the only evidence. DNA extracted from a discarded spoon would point investigators in a different direction. - Sunday's Wake
E4Sunday's WakeWhen a little girl got sick and died, investigators were stumped. Was it an accident, an unexplained illness, or murder? Scientists would travel halfway around the world before finding the answer in two unlikely places: a shredded legal document and her mother's signature. - Shattered Dreams
E5Shattered DreamsA car was found in a drainage ditch and the bodies of a man and woman were inside; both had been shot to death. The car windows were broken and shattered glass should have been everywhere, but it wasn't. A fingertip torn from a latex glove would point investigators to both the crime scene and the killer. - Murder, She Wrote
E7Murder, She WroteA woman who was known to have suffered from depression apparently took her own life. But her sister told police that, a year before her death, she said if anything were to happen to her, there was a note in the china cabinet. Investigators found the note and the killer. - Key Evidence
E9Key EvidenceIn 2001, Kevin Rice, 38, had stopped his car in a Rockford, IL residential area. The husband, father and policeman is shot to death inside the car. There are some clues left behind, including an asthma inhaler, hoodie, and keys. Forensic Science coupled with old-fashioned detective work must now be used in tandem in order to track down his killer(s). - Weakest Link
E11Weakest LinkThe body of a young girl was discovered on isolated farmland near Delano, California. She had no ID, but police found mailbox and house keys in the pocket of her jeans. With no other clues, they checked the mailboxes of every apartment building in Delano and their persistence paid off. - Capitol Crimes
E12Capitol CrimesThe driver said he couldn't have hit and killed a pedestrian on a Harrisburg street. The Jeep Grand Cherokee he was leasing around that time had been sold months ago to a buyer in another state. Police were able to find the vehicle. They impounded it, took it apart, and discovered evidence, which would tell them what really happened that night. - Dark Waters
E14Dark WatersWhen a hit-and-run boating accident caused the death of a popular young man, investigators faced the daunting task of searching for one boat among 1200 others. They asked anyone who had seen the accident to come forward. The man who responded did much more than witness the crash; he was a passenger in that other boat. - Nice Threads
E15Nice ThreadsA woman was found dead on the bedroom floor of her apartment. The crime scene yielded little of value, and investigators wondered if they would find enough evidence to make a case, much less catch a killer. But a bloodstained sheet and a breakthrough forensic technique enabled them to identify the murderer, and convince the jury of his guilt. - A Case of the Flue
E18A Case of the FlueIn 1993, 82-year-old Kathryn Bishop was found dead in her Pennsylvania home. The evidence at the scene indicated that the perpetrator had been running out of the house, not breaking into it. Tiny clues on the victim's body would tell police what happened that night, and who was responsible. - No Safe Place
E19No Safe PlaceA wealthy man and his wife were attacked by three men outside their luxurious Louisiana home. He was shot dead and she was forced to open their hidden safe. The woman could not describe the men because they wore masks. To solve the case, police would have to find out who knew about the concealed safe, and who would benefit from the crime. - Van-ished
E21Van-ishedA twelve-year-old girl claimed she had been abducted and sexually assaulted. She recounted what happened in such a flat, unemotional voice that police found it difficult to believe her. Fibers on her clothing would prove she was telling the truth, and help police to find her attacker. - A Novel Idea
E22A Novel IdeaIn 2001, paramedics in Durham, NC received a frantic call from Michael Peterson who said his wife Kathleen had fallen down the stairs and that she was unconscious, but still breathing. When paramedics arrived, they could do little more than pronounce the woman dead. The number and volume of bloodstains at the scene was greater than usual and it was up to forensic scientists to find out why. - Chief Suspect
E23Chief SuspectThe wife of a respected police officer was murdered in her own home. The crime went unsolved for more than a decade, and then a newly formed Cold Case Unit took a fresh look at the evidence. A few seconds of a 911 call enabled them to determine not only who was responsible for the victim's death, but also the motive for her murder. - Killer Impression
E27Killer ImpressionIn 1987, the death of Crystal Purcell was considered an accident. Then in 2001, Barbara Purcell called police to suggest that her estranged husband Willard had killed Crystal, who was her husband at the time of her death. Before that investigation could begin, Barbara was found dead in much the same manner as Crystal. Was this an unfortunate coincidence or the M.O. of a serial killer? - If I Were You
E28If I Were YouIn 1994, Paul Gruber's daughter suspected something was wrong when she received birthday cards addressed from Gruber, on which the handwriting wasn't Gruber's. When she then learned virtually everything had been removed from her father's Sandpoint, ID home, she was sure of it. Even though she lived almost a thousand miles away, she took it upon herself to find out what happened and who was responsible. - A Tight Leash
E30A Tight LeashHow did a stalker obtain the security system code for his victim's home? How did he steal her personal photographs? Police needed answers, and they found them in the most unlikely of places: the letters he wrote to frighten the victim and taunt those trying to protect her. - Muffled Cries
E31Muffled CriesAfter inspecting storm damage to a home in Tampa, FL, the insurance assessor simply disappeared. Thirty hours later, her body was found in a nearby river. But the killer had been careless, using a murder weapon so unique and leaving behind clues so blatant that police would have no trouble tracking him down. - Critical Maneuver
E32Critical ManeuverWhen a hit-and-run accident claimed the life of a high school athlete, everyone in town mourned his passing. Finding the killer was a long shot at best, but investigators hoped tiny paint chips and pieces of plastic found at the scene would lead them to the person who was behind the wheel. - Skirting the Evidence
E33Skirting the EvidenceIn 1996, Shannon Sanderson goes the casino without her husband Robert and wins $5,000 at the Blackjack tables. Three hours later, she is abducted by a man driving a Chevy Beretta and a month later, she was found dead. The trail turned cold, until police got a call from a woman who suspected her husband, who had a criminal past. - Small Town Terror
E34Small Town TerrorIn 1991, Grand Junction, Colorado is on edge after a series of deadly bombings which has killed 2 and injured one more and police race to find the culprit before he strikes again. Ultimately, it was the bombs themselves, along with the tools used to make them, which led investigators to the perpetrator. - Ticker Tape
E36Ticker TapeA lifelong resident of the tiny town of Lefroy, Tasmania was murdered outside his own home. Robbery appeared to be the motive, but with no suspects, the investigation came to a halt. Then the victim's autopsy turned the investigation into a landmark forensics case: the device intended to save his life proved to be the only witness to his death. - Blanket of Evidence
E38Blanket of EvidenceIn 1997, Kelly Eckart's car was found with her belongings still in it, after working the late shift in Franklin, Indiana. Days later, her body was found in an isolated ravine. Tiny clues told police a great deal about the killer: he would own a car with olive-colored carpeting, a white blanket and distinctive bullets made from wax, not lead.
