156: Forensic Breakthrough: Colin Pitchfork - DNA Fingerprinting

The crux of modern forensics is DNA. DNA has been around for a long time. But how did it find its place in solving crimes? It started with two rapes and murders of teenage girls along footpaths in England. Authorities thought they found their man, but a Geneticist named Alec Jeffreys showed them this was not the case. Today's story is the first time mass DNA screening was used, someone was convicted due to DNA evidence, and someone was exonerated due to DNA evidence... all in the same case.

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Music by:
Kai Engel
"Daemones"
Blooper music by:
Art of Escapism
"Coal Miners"
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Sources:
Pitchfork, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 963 (14 May 2009) (bailii.org)
DNA fingerprinting | Definition, Examples, & Facts | Britannica
Killer breakthrough – the day DNA evidence first nailed a murderer | Crime | The Guardian
No parole for Colin Pitchfork: First killer caught by DNA - BBC News
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Leicestershire | Anger over child killer's artwork
Colin Pitchfork: First killer caught by DNA "should move to open prison" - BBC News
Colin Pitchfork | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers
Double child killer Colin Pitchfork allowed to go shopping | | Express Digest
Killer Colin Pitchfork seen shopping on day release from prison - Hinckley Times
Forensic Files Season 1 Episode 4 - “The Footpath Murders” - https://youtu.be/8wMzNinS2oY
Book - The Blooding: The Dramatic True Story of the first Murder Case Solved by Genetic Fingerprinting - Joseph Wambaugh