Forensic Tales
248 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 hours ago - ★★★★ - 301 ratingsNot all stories have happy endings... A weekly true crime podcast with a forensic twist. Each episode features real stories highlighting how forensic science was used. From fingerprinting to criminal profiling to familial DNA, we have every investigative angle covered.
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Episodes
Murder on Board PSA Flight 1771
September 21, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes#038 - On December 7, 1987, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771, carrying 38 passengers and 5 crew members, departed from Los Angeles for what should have been a short flight to San Francisco. Moments after reaching the standard cruising altitude of 22,000 feet, the pilots inside the aircraft signaled distress, telling air traffic controllers that shots had been fired. The airplane was sent falling down to the ground almost breaking the speed of sound. All 43 people on board Flight 1771 we...
Disappearance of Yingying Zhang
September 14, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes#037 - In June 2017, a young Chinese scholar, Yingying Zhang, was abducted in broad daylight while she waited at a bus stop near the University of Illinois campus. The entire encounter was caught on nearby surveillance cameras.With no body, could forensic science and good old fashioned detective work put a wannabe serial killer behind bars?Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family a...
Girl Scout Murders
September 07, 2020 07:00 - 46 minutes#036 - In the summer of 1977, over 140 young girls attended Girl Scout Camp in the remote woods of Oklahoma. Lori Farmer, Michelle Guse, and Denise Milner were among the girls who attended camp that summer.On the morning of June 13,1977, only the second day of the 2-week long camp, the bodies of 3 young girls were discovered brutally murdered, sexually assaulted, and stuffed inside their sleeping bags. The murders left everyone wondering what kind of person could do something so terrible to g...
Florida Lotto Murder
August 31, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes#035 - In November 2006, assistant truck driver and 2-time felon, Abraham Shakespeare turned $2 into over $30 million by winning a Mega Millions Jackpot. The money didn’t just have a profound impact on his life, and the lives of his family and friends. But, did becoming a Mega Millions jackpot winner also cost him his life? Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends a...
The Old Lady Killer
August 24, 2020 07:00 - 40 minutes#034 - During the early 2000’s, Mexico City was terrorized by a serial killer targeting elderly, single women. From 2002 until 2006, almost 50 elderly women had been brutally murdered inside their very own homes.But, what was even more terrifying than a serial killer on the loose, was that police started to suspect that the killer they were hunting, was a female herself. Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review...
The Harvard Murder
August 17, 2020 07:00 - 51 minutes#033 - In January 1969, 23-year old Harvard graduate student, Jane Britton failed to show up to take an important exam. Her boyfriend and friends were immediately alarmed because this was completely out of character for the high performing student.Jane's body was discovered later that afternoon. She had been brutally raped and savagely beaten to death inside her own Boston apartment, just blocks away from campus.It would take almost 5 decades, 50 long years, for advancements in DNA testing to...
Noura Jackson
August 10, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutes#032 - In 2005, 18-year old Noura Jackson was arrested and charged with stabbing her mother, Jennifer Jackson, over 50 times. Jennifer was found inside her Memphis, Tennessee home brutally murdered. Although there was no forensic evidence linking Noura to her mother's murder, she did have a large cut on her hand on the night of the murder. Is Noura Jackson a wrongfully accused teenager, charged with killing her own mother? Or is she a cold, blooded killer, guilty of committing one of the most...
The Parachute Murder Plot
August 03, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes#031 - On April 5, 2015, experienced free-fall instructor Victoria Cilliers, was set to complete her 2,650th jump. The jump was a gift from her husband, Emile, to celebrate the birth of their 2nd child. At 4,000 feet, both her main chute and reserve failed. Sending her falling to the ground over 100 miles per hour, without a working parachute. Miraculously, she survived. Was this some freak accident? Or was there someone behind the cut wires of her parachute? Support My WorkIf you love the sh...
Darlie Routier
July 27, 2020 07:00 - 56 minutes#030 - In 2020 there are only 53 women on Death Row in the United States. Darlie Routier from Rowlett, Texas is one of those women.In 1997, she was convicted of murdering her 2 sons, Devon and Damon and sentenced to death. Devon and Damon were stabbed to death with a kitchen knife while Darlie sustained stab wounds on her arms and across her throat.Darlie said it was an intruder who broke into the house, killed her boys and stabbed her. But, the prosecution said she's a stone-cold killer. Sup...
The Darlie Routier Story
July 27, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MB#030 - In 2020 there are only 53 women on Death Row in the United States. Darlie Routier from Rowlett, Texas is one of those women. In 1997, she was convicted of murdering her 2 sons, Devon and Damon and sentenced to death. Devon and Damon were stabbed to death with a kitchen knife while Darlie sustained stab wounds on her arms and across her throat. Darlie said it was an intruder who broke into the house, killed her boys and stabbed her. But, the prosecution said she's a stone-cold killer...
The Disappearance of Sneha Philip
July 20, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes#029 - September 11, 2001 is a day all Americans will forever remember. But the 9/11 terrorist attacks weren't the only thing that happened. While the world watched the World Trade Center buildings crumble to pieces, the family of missing 31-year old Sneha Philip were busy searching for her. The missing doctor hadn't been seen or heard from since the day before the attacks, September 10, 2001. Was she one of the thousands of victims to lose their lives that day? Or as Sneha watched the towers...
Blade Runner: Oscar Pistorius
July 13, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutes#028 - Oscar Pistorius, also known as "Blade Runner", is a South African former professional sprinter who competed in 3 Paralympic Games and the 2012 Olympics as a double amputee. He was celebrated as the first amputee runner to ever compete at an Olympics Games. But, blade runner won’t just be remembered for his athletic achievements. He will also be remembered as a murderer.In 2015, he was found guilty for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day 2013. He claimed he though...
The BTK Strangler
July 06, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour#027 - The man simply known as B.T.K, Bind Torture and Kill, has become known as one of America’s most notorious serial killers. From 1974 until 1991, BTK was responsible for murdering 10 people in the Wichita, Kansas metro area. Including 4 members of the same family. After selecting and killing his victims, he taunted the police by sending letters and poems, detailing the events of the murders. After remaining silent for nearly a decade, BTK resurfaced again in 2004, and this time, he want...
Lindbergh Kidnapping
June 29, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutes#026 - On March 1, 1932, the 20-month old son of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh went missing from his bedroom. The kidnapper or kidnappers left behind a ransom note demanding money for the return of the Lindbergh baby.The missing baby and the hunt for his kidnapper became the biggest story since the Resurrection. How could forensic evidence help investigators finally get a conviction in the case?Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to s...
Staircase Murder: Part 2
June 22, 2020 07:00 - 55 minutes#025 - This is Part 2 of the Staircase Murder.On December 9, 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase inside her home in Durham, North Carolina. Her husband, Michael Peterson, discovers the body and was thought to be a tragic accident.But, as the forensic evidence evolved in the case, the incident started to look less like an accident. And more like a homicide.Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rat...
Staircase Murder: Part 1
June 15, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutes#024 - On December 9, 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase inside her home in Durham, North Carolina. Her husband, Michael Peterson, discovers the body and was thought to be a tragic accident.But, as the forensic evidence evolved in the case, the incident started to look less like an accident. And more like a homicide.Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell yo...
Dr. Anthony Pignataro
June 08, 2020 07:00 - 40 minutes#023 - In the late 1990's, a young wife and mother goes in for a routine plastic surgery procedure, but doesn't survive. Shortly after the patient's tragic death, the wife of the surgeon in charge of the procedure falls ill with what appears to be intentional poisoning. Was this revenge for the botched cosmetic surgery that cost an innocent woman her life? Or, was this something else entirely?Only the forensic evidence could decide. This is the complete story of Dr. Anthony Pignataro. Support...
Murder of Yara Gambirasio
June 01, 2020 07:00 - 32 minutes#022 - The disappearance of 13-year old Yara Gambirasio became known as the murder that obsessed Italy for years. Her killer left behind DNA on her clothing, but Italian police could only identify him as "Unknown 1". But, the police didn't know who "Unknown 1" was. His DNA didn't match any sample in local or national DNA databases. It was as if their suspect didn't even exist. How could police and forensic scientists use genealogy, DNA testing, and old-fashion detective work to finally track ...
A Cereal Killer
May 25, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes#021 - In early 1999, the small lake town of Newman Lake, Washington, experienced a string of crimes that almost seemed more fiction than reality. They involved murder, arson, fraud and embezzlement, and... it involved suicide. How might the popular choice of breakfast, cereal, help forensic scientists bring a cold blooded killer to justice? Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your famil...
Jodi Arias: Murder of Travis Alexander
May 18, 2020 07:00 - 45 minutes#020 - What happens when you mix religion, with sex, with jealousy, with lies. You get the perfect combination that leads to not only murder, but one of the most highly followed criminal trials in history. It's a case that instantly became a media sensation. Millions tuned in daily to watch live courtroom footage of the trial, the testimonies, and the stories. This is the complete story of Jodi Ann Arias and the murder of Travis Victor Alexander and the forensic science that helped solved the...
Case of Dr. John Schneeberger
May 11, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes#019 - A well respected Canadian doctor is accused by one of his patients of rape in October 1992. The only problem is, the patient doesn't remember anything the night of the assault. The doctor voluntarily takes 3 separate DNA blood samples, each time proving his innocence. His DNA did not match the rape kit.Years would go by without an update, until one day, a shocking admission would force the police to reopen the case. Was it possible that the forensic evidence was wrong?Support My WorkIf...
The Delphi Murders
May 04, 2020 07:00 - 51 minutes#018 - Best friends Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" Rose Lynn German were murdered while hiking near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi, Indiana in February 2017. Before their murders, Libby secretly recorded the killer on her cell phone. Police have the suspect's voice, photo, and even have him on video. But as of today, the murders of Abby Williams and Libby German remain unsolved. Can forensic evidence finally bring a killer to justice?This week we cover the Delphi Murders.Support...
The Suitcase Murder
April 27, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes#017 - Three suitcases are discovered floating in the Chesapeake Bay in May 2004. The first suitcase contained 2 human legs that were severed from the rest of the body. The second contained the torso. And the third suitcase held the rest of the body.The discovery of the suitcases take police investigators on a wild ride. From gambling addictions, to a steamy love affair with a coworker. But the story of the suitcase murder doesn't stop there. Forensic experts used the discovery of human sawdu...
The Rogers Family Murders
April 20, 2020 07:00 - 38 minutes#016 - A family from Ohio goes missing after taking a sunset boat cruise in Tampa Bay, Florida while on vacation. A few days later, the bodies of 3 women are discovered floating in the bay, their bodies attached to 30-pound concrete blocks. They are half naked, mouths gagged, and their eyes left wide open. Police have several suspects in the murders. Was is the husband and father who stayed behind? Was it a local guy with a lengthy criminal history? Or was it someone else?It will take the use...
Suicide or Homicide: Death of Rebecca Zahau
April 13, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes#015 - This week on Forensic Tales, I tell you the complete story, the facts, the theories and the forensic science of the case. And YOU decide what you think really happened.Rebecca Zahau was found hanging from a second floor balcony in an apparent suicide in 2011. She was completely nude, her wrists and ankles bound, and her mouth gagged. This all happened after her boyfriend's son, Max, was in a tragic accident while Rebecca was supposed to be babysitting him. Here the story, learn the fac...
Murder of Karina Vetrano
April 06, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes#014 - Karina Vetrano went missing on August 2, 2016 after leaving the house to go out jogging in Spring Creek Park, New York. Her brutally murdered body was discovered along the running path a few hours later.The NYPD and the Vetrano family are desperate to find the person responsible for murdering the beautiful, smart, 30-year old Karina. Medical examiners recovered a DNA profile underneath Karina's fingernails, on her back, and on her cell phone. But the DNA profile doesn't lead to an imme...
Murder of Shari Smith
March 30, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes#013 - Sharon "Shari" Faye Smith was abducted from her own driveway in May 1985. For days, her abductor tortured her family by making phone calls promising she was alive and well. He tells Shari's parents that they will receive a letter in the mail with details regarding their daughter. On one of these phone calls between the abductor and Shari's parents, the caller provided directions that led police to her dead body. Forensic scientists were able to examine the letter using Electrostatics D...
Christopher Porco
March 23, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutes#012 - Peter and Joan Porco were brutally attacked inside their Albany, New York home with a 3 foot axe in November 2004. Joan survives the savage attack, but her husband, Peter, does not. Immediately after the attack, Joan identified their attacker as their son, Christopher Porco.Christopher denied involvement in the attack on his parents. But DNA evidence and surveillance footage tell an entirely different story. Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is b...
The Black Dahlia
March 16, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes#011 - The Black Dahlia is one of the most infamous unsolved cases in America's history. In January 1947, the body of a young woman was found on a Los Angeles sidewalk. Her body had been completely cut in half and drained of all her blood.Her killer sent anonymous letters to the media but has never been identified or arrested. Who killed Elizabeth Short, and why? We may never get an answer.Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive ra...
Cold Case: Murder of Missy Bevers
March 09, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.9 MB#010 - Missy Bevers was a beautiful, 45-year-old fitness instructor, wife, and mother of three. She was brutally murdered in April 2016 while preparing for an early morning boot camp class at a local church. Her killer was caught on surveillance video breaking into the church shortly before Missy arrived. The mystery person is dressed head-to-toe in SWAT police gear. There's been no arrests made in the case and Missy's killer is still out there. Will forensic science be able to finally cra...
Missy Bevers
March 09, 2020 07:00 - 33 minutes#010 - Missy Bevers was a beautiful, 45-year-old fitness instructor, wife, and mother of three. She was brutally murdered in April 2016 while preparing for an early morning boot camp class at a local church. Her killer was caught on surveillance video breaking into the church shortly before Missy arrived. The mystery person is dressed head-to-toe in SWAT police gear. There's been no arrests made in the case and Missy's killer is still out there. Will forensic science be able to finally crack ...
Murder of Leanne Tiernan
March 02, 2020 08:00 - 36 minutes#009 - The body of 16-year old school girl Leanne Tiernan was discovered on August 20, 2001. At her autopsy, valuable forensic evidence was collected from her body, including several dog hairs.The murder of Leanne Tiernan became known as the first British murder investigation that used dog DNA profiling to catch a savage killer. How were police able to link dog hairs found on Leanne's body to her killer? Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving u...
The Hillside Strangler
February 24, 2020 08:00 - 35 minutes# 008 - The Hillside Strangler terrorized the city of Los Angeles between October 1977 and February 1978, killing 12 innocent women throughout the sunny California south land. Police quickly realized they might not just be searching for one serial killer, but two killers working together. Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales. Patreon - If you wo...
The Soham Murders
February 17, 2020 08:00 - 37 minutes#007 - Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were best friends from a small town in England. They went missing from a family barbecue on August 4, 2002 and were never seen alive again. A forensic botanist was called in to examine the crime scene and the prime suspect's car. Who murdered Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, two young girls who had their entire lives ahead of them, and how could investigators use plants to solve the case?Support My WorkIf you love the show, the easiest way to show your s...
The Murder of Krystal Baslanowitch
February 10, 2020 08:00 - 48 minutes#006 - In December 1995, a bloodied and broken body of a teenage girl was found along Utah's Provo River. Completely naked. Her body was so badly beaten by the river’s sharp rocks that investigators almost couldn’t make out her face. At the same time this teenager’s life was cut so short, her killer would go on for years completely undetected by police. And after 18 excruciating years… it seemed like the murder of 17-year old Krystal Beslanowitch would forever remain a cold case. Could poli...
DNA: The Murder of Krystal Baslanowitch
February 10, 2020 08:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MB#006 - Krystal Beslanowitch went missing in December 1995 when she was only 17-years old. Police had 2 main suspects: Her boyfriend, Chris, and a local taxi driver who was in love with Krystal, Herb Fry. DNA evidence ruled out both suspects. It took police 17 years, 9 months, and 2 days after her murder to finally make an arrest in the case. And it involved my least favorite household item, a vacuum. For more information about the List Family murders, show notes, and a complete list of s...
The List Family Murders
February 03, 2020 08:00 - 40 minutes#005 - The List Family consisted of John Emil List, his wife Helen and their 3 young children: Patricia, John List Jr., and Frederick. John's mother, Alma, shared the List family's 19-room Victorian mansion in Westfield, New Jersey.On November 9, 1971 John List murdered his wife, mother, and 3 children. It wasn't until one month later that their bodies were discovered in the ballroom of the mansion. John List remained on the run for over 18 years until he was finally apprehended after his fac...
Forensic Art: The List Murders
February 03, 2020 08:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MB#005 - The List Family consisted of John Emil List, his wife Helen and their 3 young children: Patricia, John List Jr., and Frederick. John's mother, Alma, shared the List family's 19-room Victorian mansion in Westfield, New Jersey. On November 9, 1971 John List murdered his wife, mother, and 3 children. It wasn't until one month later that their bodies were discovered in the ballroom of the mansion. John List remained on the run for over 18 years until he was finally apprehended after hi...
Jeffrey MacDonald
January 27, 2020 05:00 - 46 minutes#004 - Jeffrey MacDonald was a decorated U.S. Army Officer and Physician. He lived the All American Dream by all accounts. He had a beautiful wife, Colette and two daughters, Kimberely and Kristen. Jeffrey's life was turned completely upside one early February 1970 morning. His wife and two daughters were brutally murdered inside their very own home. Jeffrey told police 4 intruders attacked him and killed his entire family. The word "PIG" was written in blood in the MacDonald's master bedroom...
Not Another Manson Murder
January 27, 2020 05:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MB#004 - Jeffrey MacDonald was a decorated U.S. Army Officer and Physician. He lived the All American Dream by all accounts. He had a beautiful wife, Colette and two daughters, Kimberely and Kristen. Jeffrey's life was turned completely upside one early February 1970 morning. His wife and two daughters were brutally murdered inside their very own home. Jeffrey told police 4 intruders attacked him and killed his entire family. The word "PIG" was written in blood in the MacDonald's master bedr...
Ted Bundy Catches a Killer!
January 16, 2020 02:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MB#003 - Gary Leon Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer confessed to killing 71 girls and women throughout the state of Washington. He evaded police capture for nearly two decades while he continued to live his life as a father and husband. It wasn't until the notorious Ted Bundy sat down with police investigators to provide his personal opinion of who he thought the killer would be. It turns out that one serial killer can lead police to catch another one. If you'd like to suppor...
Green River Killer
January 16, 2020 02:00 - 45 minutes#003 - Gary Leon Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer confessed to killing 71 girls and women throughout the state of Washington. He evaded police capture for nearly two decades while he continued to live his life as a father and husband. It wasn't until the notorious Ted Bundy sat down with police investigators to provide his personal opinion of who he thought the killer would be. It turns out that one serial killer can lead police to catch another one.If you'd like to support the...
You're 3% Italian and Dad's 100% a Serial Killer
January 16, 2020 01:00 - 45 minutes - 31.6 MB#002 - The Golden State Killer is one of the nation's most notorious serial rapist and killer who evaded police capture for over 40 years. He is accused of killing 13 innocent people and raping over 50 women across the entire state of California. He's been called the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker, the Visalia Ransacker, and most recently, the Golden State Killer. Today, the world knows him as 74-year old Joseph James DeAngelo. How was this killer finally caught? It's all than...
Ted Bundy Catches a Killer
January 16, 2020 01:00 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MB#003 - Gary Leon Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer has confessed to killing 71 girls and women in the state of Washington. He was able to evade police capture for nearly two decades, just living his life as a father, and as a husband. It wasn't until the notorious Ted Bundy sat down with police investigators to provide his personal opinion of who he thought the killer would be. It turns out that one serial killer can lead police to catch another one. For more information about...
Golden State Killer
January 16, 2020 01:00 - 51 minutes#002 - The Golden State Killer is one of the nation's most notorious serial rapist and killer who evaded police capture for over 40 years. He is accused of killing 13 innocent people and raping over 50 women across the entire state of California. He's been called the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker, the Visalia Ransacker, and most recently, the Golden State Killer.Today, the world knows him as 74-year old Joseph James DeAngelo. How was this killer finally caught? It's all thanks ...
Your 3% Italian and Dads 100% a Serial Killer
January 16, 2020 01:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MB#002 - The Golden State Killer is one of the nation's most notorious serial rapist and killer who evaded police capture for over 40 years. He is accused of killing 13 innocent people and raping over 50 women across the entire state of California. He's been called the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker, the Visalia Ransacker, and most recently, the Golden State Killer. Today, the world knows him as 74-year old Joseph James DeAngelo. How was this killer finally caught? It's all than...
D.C. Mansion Murders
January 01, 2020 23:00 - 36 minutes#001 - In May 2015, Savvas Savopolous finally realized his lifelong dream. He lived a life that can only be described as perfect. Husband to a wife dedicated to fighting brain trauma. Father to three outstanding children. And CEO of his own, successful company. But life is never perfect. A house fire exploded in an upscale Washington D.C. suburb. The Woodley Park Mansion engulfed in flames. Terror struck. Thousands of dollars, 22 horrifying hours, four dead family members, one fire, and zero...
Pizza Crust Murders
January 01, 2020 23:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MB#001 - The Savopolous Family was an upper-class family from an upscale neighborhood of Washington D.C. They were beautiful, they lived in an incredible mansion, and were well connected in society. This all changed over the course of 22-terrifying hours in May 2015. Investigators search for a suspect they believe is responsible for a quadruple homicide and found their key piece of evidence from an unlikely source: a pizza crust. Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show...