Forensic Files

Season 7

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

  • The Cheater
    E1
    The CheaterExploring how an American hit single from 1966 -- the cheater by Bob Kuban And The In-man -- foreshadowed the demise of the group's lead singer, Walter Scott (Walter Notheis Jr.), who disappeared in 1983.
  • Forever Hold Your Peace
    E2
    Forever Hold Your PeaceIn Texas 1988, Nancy DePriest was raped and murdered while working at Pizza Hut. After a suspect confessed and implicated another, they were both imprisoned; the case was considered closed. Eight years later, another man claims that he committed the crime, and investigators must use forensic evidence to determine the true killer.
  • Reel Danger
    E3
    Reel DangerThe investigation into a brutal attack on two boys near a pond relies on evidence fished out of the murky water. It was the first case where Diatom evidence was used to place a suspect at the scene of the crime. The evidence helped in the conviction Christopher Green and Brian Davis. Originally aired as Season 7, Episode 3.
  • Who's Your Daddy
    E4
    Who's Your DaddyIn 1988, when a young prostitute's body turns up in an Ohio waterway under ice, authorities have one tiny clue which could point to her killer, but face huge challenges due to her policemen clients and DNA evidence being washed away.
  • The Alibi
    E5
    The AlibiIn a small South Carolina town in 1991, 17-year-old Crystal Faye Todd, a popular high school student, is raped, murdered and dumped in a deserted field, after attending a party. With few leads, authorities test the DNA of several friends and one match shocks everyone.
  • A Bite Out of Crime
    E6
    A Bite Out of CrimeIn 1997, two years after a series of unsolved kidnappings and sexual assaults in California. One of the victims suddenly recalled an important detail of the crime which she had not told police. She left some forensic evidence in the assailant's vehicle, evidence that left quite an impression.
  • Purr-fect Match
    E7
    Purr-fect MatchIn 1994, on Canada's Prince Edward Island, the body of Douglas Beamish's estranged wife, Shirley Duguay, was discovered. In a groundbreaking case using animal dna, investigators use forensic testing on a cat to help them solve the case.
  • Bio-Attack
    E8
    Bio-AttackA look into the 1984 Oregon food poisonings, we're detectives track down the outbreak to a cult which aims to use germ warfare to take down the government. [also marked as S7:E16]
  • A Shot in the Dark
    E9
    A Shot in the DarkA woman is found dead from a gunshot wound and police suspect her husband; however, forensic teams prove what really happened and the truth is stranger than fiction. [also marked as S7:E17]
  • Without a Prayer
    E10
    Without a PrayerIn 1995, Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the founder of American Atheists, disappears along with one of her sons, her granddaughter, and $500,000 in gold coins. The discovery of a mutilated body helps police catch the culprit.
  • A Clutch of Witnesses
    E11
    A Clutch of WitnessesIn January 2001, in Duluth, MN, two people witness a truck driving over an unconscious man twice, and they flee into a nearby bar. When the police turn up, the truck, the victim and the witnesses are gone. The eyewitnesses may hold the key to the death of motorcycle gang member, Erik Schrieffer.
  • Scout's Honor
    E12
    Scout's HonorIn Pennsylvania 1984, a passer-by finds the torso of a woman in a cardboard box. Investigators rely on insect activity analysis by a forensic entomologist to determine when the murder victim was killed. She remained unknown until a year later, when her sister called to report her missing. Eventually she was identified and a man was convicted of her murder, but would further forensic entomology change the outcome?
  • A Touching Recollection
    E13
    A Touching RecollectionAn 18-year-old Ohio woman, who is abducted and then released soon afterwards, uses her knowledge of forensics to lead police to the kidnapper.
  • A Leg to Stand On
    E14
    A Leg to Stand OnThe police investigate when a severed leg is discovered in the garbage. Conventional means of identifying the victim are impossible, leading investigators to rely on DNA, forensic anthropology and toxicology to identify the victim. The victim was identified as Norman Klaas and, through forensic investigation of his home, investigators follow the trail of evidence to his killer.
  • Partners in Crime
    E15
    Partners in CrimeA man well-loved in the community is brutally stabbed to death and cash and valuables are missing. Detectives are stymied until one neighbor begins to show a peculiar obsessive interest. Finally a confession that seems half true.
  • Within a Hair
    E16
    Within a HairA look back at the case of the River Park Rapist, who sexually assaulted four women in South Bend, IN, during 1996. Law enforcement officers arrested Richard Alexander, who was convicted in 1998 and sentenced to 70 years in prison. In 2001, Michael Murphy confessed to one of the two rapes of which Alexander had been convicted and forensic developments reveal new facts about the case.
  • Chief Evidence
    E17
    Chief EvidenceThe murder of couple Raquel Rivera & Jay Johnson was first believed to be the result of a drug deal gone bad. However, no drugs are found in the house and the victims' blood isn't present on the clothing of the suspects. Evidence from the couple's dog eventually ties one of the murderers to the scene. This is one of the first cases where dog DNA was used. Originally aired as Season 7, Episode 17.
  • A Bitter Pill to Swallow
    E18
    A Bitter Pill to SwallowFirefighter Michelle Baker became pregnant by her lover, Dr. Maynard Muntzing. After this news, she was ill whenever they were together. The coincidences led her to suspect that he was doing her harm, so she set out to prove it.
  • Sip of Sins
    E19
    Sip of SinsA look back at a trio of unsolved murders that occurred in Wichita Falls, Texas during the 1980s, details how a fourth murder from the same time period provided the police with more than they realized. John Little, an investigator for the DA's office, picked up the cold cases years later and made a connection to the other murders.
  • Telltale Tracks
    E20
    Telltale TracksThe disappearance of Philadelphia college athlete Aimee Willard is investigated after her car was found, still running on the roadside. When her body is found, the police find unusual marks on her body and DNA evidence that eventually lead to her killer.
  • Ghost in the Machine
    E21
    Ghost in the MachineThe investigation into the apparent overdose suicide of Reverend Bill Guthrie's wife Sharon. Detectives suspect foul play after they recover incriminating files from Bill's computer and learn of his infidelity.
  • Frozen in Time
    E22
    Frozen in TimeThe 1991 disappearance of Newport Beach, CA, resident Denise Huber stumps investigators. Three years later, Arizona residents call police to report John Famalaro, who has kept a Ryder rental truck in his driveway, which they suspect is stolen. Upon further investigation, police find a body within a freezer inside the truck, which they conclude is Denise Huber.
  • Cold Storage
    E23
    Cold StorageThe 1987 disappearance of Houston resident Tracy Jo Shine is recalled. The investigation went cold until 2000, when a "cold case squad" learned that the woman's ex-boyfriend Michael Neal had bragged about killing her.
  • The Metal Business
    E24
    The Metal BusinessWhen a 62-year-old man opens a car restoration business and becomes seriously ill, his doctors cannot find the cause, but forensics can; identification of a highly toxic metal in the victim's blood leads to his poisoner.
  • Dressed to Kill
    E25
    Dressed to KillThe disappearance of 6-year-old Michelle Lee Dorr is detailed. Although her father confessed to murdering her, the police soon poked holes in his story, leaving the case unsolved for 14 years. New suspect Hadden Clark was heard talking to himself, which gave investigators a clue where Michelle was killed.
  • Palm Print Conviction
    E26
    Palm Print ConvictionThe 1996 investigation into 48-year-old Martha Hansen's murder in Anchorage is helped by a legal requirement that bars have video cameras installed on the premises. Using video, hair and blood evidence, investigators determine who her murderer was.
  • A Vow of Silence
    E27
    A Vow of Silencen 1994, friends reported that Jack Reeves' mail-order bride Emelita Villa had disappeared. The police centered their suspicions on Reeves and, while pursuing leads, uncovered information linking him to the deaths of two former wives.
  • Elephant Tracks
    E28
    Elephant TracksThe murders of an elderly couple, Edward Kowalzck and Gertrude Thompson, leave detectives stumped until, two years later, they receive a major break. A jeweler looking through old newspaper clippings recognizes a necklace the female victim wore as having been pawned in her own shop. [also marked as S7:E14]
  • A Bag of Evidence
    E29
    A Bag of EvidenceThe tragic murder of 9-year-old Jessica Knott is investigated; a garbage bag leads investigators to her killer. [also marked as S7:E34]
  • Tooth or Consequences
    E30
    Tooth or ConsequencesAn investigation into the disappearance of Katie Poirier is stymied, but they find a few charred remains including a tooth. The unique properties of the filling in the tooth helps investigators identify her remains.
  • The Sniffing Revenge
    E31
    The Sniffing RevengeThe investigation into a suspicious death hits a dead end when the autopsy indicates that no foul play was involved. But a telephone tip and the sensitive nose of a forensic examiner indicate otherwise. [also marked as S7:E38]
  • Sleight of Hand
    E32
    Sleight of HandOn March 13, 1981, 86-year-old Enid Whittlesey is found murdered in her Los Angeles home. The suspect eludes arrest for 16 years but that changes; however, when investigators learn the culprit is left-handed, putting a new spin on old facts. [also marked as S7:E39]
  • Scratching the Surface
    E33
    Scratching the SurfaceForensic scientists work with the only clue recovered from a multiple-victim shooting: a 12-gauge shotgun. Scientists use unique methods to lift the serial number from the weapon in order to trace it to its owner. [also marked as S7:E40]
  • Fire Proof
    E34
    Fire ProofA serial arsonist is responsible for numerous fires that caused millions of dollars worth of property damage and the deaths of three people - described as the worst arson spree in US history. More than 75 Seattle-area arsons are probed before he was discovered, partly through the use of forensic hypnosis.
  • X Marks the Spot
    E35
    X Marks the SpotThe use of the computers by law enforcement is detailed in this look at a series of crimes in St. Louis that stumped the local police and the FBI. (also marked as S7:E44)
  • All Charged Up
    E36
    All Charged UpUsing an anonymous letter and geographic profiling, investigators in Philadelphia close in on a serial rapist who attacks victims who live on upper floors of apartment buildings. When they hear of similar cases in Colorado, a cleverly obtained DNA sample confirms their suspicions. [also marked as S7:E18]
  • Breaking the Mold
    E37
    Breaking the MoldIn Dripping Springs, TX, March 1999, a 3-year-old boy develops serious respiratory problems and then his father later shows signs of early Alzheimer's disease. A chance encounter with a stranger kicks off an investigation into the cause. [also marked as S7:E19]
  • House Call
    E38
    House CallA murder investigation in St. Petersburg, Florida, crosses jurisdictions from New York to Jamaica. The police use cell phone mapping, wiretapping and a host of forensic evidence to find a surgeon's killer. [also marked as S7:E47]
  • Marathon Man
    E39
    Marathon ManAfter a man's body is discovered a few miles from his home, authorities trace the crime back to his house and question his wife. (also shown as S7:E48)
  • The Sniper's Trail
    E40
    The Sniper's TrailDetails the case of the Beltway sniper attacks, a 3-week shooting spree which left 10 people dead in the Washington, D.C. area.
  • Plastic Fire
    E41
    Plastic FireGeorgia resident Sheila Bryan, who was convicted of killing her mother in a car fire, is granted a new trial. An expert fire witness shares an opinion on how the fire ignited which differs from the prosecution's theory and, if verified, would clear Bryan of any culpability. [also marked as S7:E50]
  • Last Will
    E42
    Last WillAuthorities are able to apprehend a kidnapper because he allowed his victim, 17-year-old Shari Smith, to write a will on a telltale pad of paper. [also marked as S7:E52]

Cast of Season 7

  • Peter ThomasSelf - Narrator (voice)
  • Paul DowlingProducer

 

  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   

Take Plex everywhere

Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices