The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science
Forensic scientists work with a variety of methods (i.e. computer technology, anthropology, entomology) to solve crimes which would otherwise remain unsolved, through finding seemingly obscure clues such as tire tracks, bullet fragments and hair samples and then putting the pieces together. Interviews with forensic pathologists, cold case detectives and victims families show the process entailed in each case. Three separate cases are spotlighted in each episode of this series.
- 1996-2005
- 9 seasons
- FilmRise
- Documentary, Suspense
- TV-PG
Forensic scientists work with a variety of methods (i.e. computer technology, anthropology, entomology) to solve crimes which would otherwise remain unsolved, through finding seemingly obscure clues such as tire tracks, bullet fragments and hair samples and then putting the pieces together. Interviews with forensic pathologists, cold case detectives and victims families show the process entailed in each case. Three separate cases are spotlighted in each episode of this series.
Season 8 Episode Guide
18 Episodes 2002 - 2003
Episode 1
Murder for Hire
Thu, Sep 26, 2002 50 mins
For some killers, murder can be a lucrative business. When a victim has been targeted for death, investigators must dig deep and go beyond the obvious to uncover a murder for hire.
Episode 2
Toxic Death
Wed, Oct 9, 2002 50 mins
Sometimes, the cause of death does coincide with the scene of the crime. When an untraceable poison is used as a murder weapon, investigators rely on forensic toxicologists to follow a killer's tracks and expose a toxic death.
Episode 3
Material Witness
Wed, Nov 27, 2002 50 mins
The cases of 32-year-old Shirley A. Duguay, who disappeared on Prince Edward Island, Canada in 1994; 44 year old Noreen Boyle, who was reported missing in Mansfield, Ohio in 1990; and Al Pinegar, who was killed with a shotgun in Harrison County, Missouri in 1995.
Episode 4
Betrayed
Fri, Dec 13, 2002 49 mins
The cases of the Row Family, who were murdered by arson in Boise, Idaho in 1992; and 18 year old Nicholas Howard, who was strangled to death in Yolo County, California in 1997.
Episode 5
Elements of Murder
Tue, Dec 17, 2002 50 mins
The cases of Susan Galloway, who was murdered in Montana in 1982; Lenora Robinson, who died in Nashville, Tennessee in 1997; and Jennifer McCready, who was murdered in Belpre, Ohio in 1996.
Episode 6
Random Targets
Thu, Jan 9, 2003 50 mins
Most victims are meticulously chosen by their murderer because of a connection or because they match an intricate set of criteria. The most terrifying cases of murder occur when the killer appears to choose victims at random, seemingly without an apparent connection or reason.
Episode 7
Grave Secrets
Thu, Feb 6, 2003 50 mins
Killers often will try to cover up their crime by hiding the remains of their victims. Sometimes, bodies may lay hidden for years before they are discovered. That's when forensic scientists are called upon to reveal buried clues that can lead investigators to the killers.
Episode 8
At Close Range
Fri, Mar 7, 2003 50 mins
When a victim is gunned down at point-=blank range, police often assume that an acquaintance is to blame, since it's less-likely for a stranger to commit an assault at close range. However, experience shows the most obvious suspect is not always guilty.
Episode 9
Lethal Encounter
Wed, Mar 19, 2003 50 mins
In most cases, the killer and victim share a personal history. But when a victim is caught in a stranger's deadly grasp, a crime may go unsolved for years. It takes an arsenal of forensic tools to expose the killer behind a Lethal Encounter.
Episode 10
Crimes of Passion
Thu, Apr 17, 2003 49 mins
When Mark Bosom goes missing June 6, 1995, in Lansing, Michigan, police suspect murder. Thomas Lee Harte is the last one to see Bosom alive and also the number one suspect. However the police cannot locate Mark Bosom either dead or alive. It takes more than a year for a man walking his dog to find his body,
Episode 11
Absent Witness
Thu, May 1, 2003 50 mins
When murderers hide or destroy the remains of their victims, forensic scientists must reconstruct the scenes and prove murder for an absent witness.
Episode 12
Marked for Death
Thu, May 22, 2003 50 mins
Plastic, industrial tie-wraps lead police to a killer.
Episode 13
Fatal Abductions
Thu, Jun 5, 2003 50 mins
A woman is mysteriously abducted in Colorado, and it's not long before the police are investigating her murder.
Episode 14
Medical Examiner's Casebook
Fri, Jun 27, 2003 50 mins
Some killers choose to hide their victims and investigators must then rely on forensic examiners to uncover proof of murder. From identifying remains to uncovering post-mortem clues, these medical examiners are integral in solving some of the most brutal crimes.
Episode 15
Trial by Fire
Thu, Jul 24, 2003 50 mins
A charred corpse is found at the site of a house fire. When investigators determine arson caused the fire but not the death, detectives are set on a hot pursuit to catch a cold-heated killer.
Episode 16
Undaunted
Wed, Jul 2, 2003 50 mins
Solving crimes may begin with intuition but advanced science provides investigators with irrefutable proof to uncover murder masked as an accident. When criminals go to great lengths to hide their crimes, skeptical investigators must step up the challenge and remain undaunted.
Episode 17
Forsaken Trust
Thu, Jul 31, 2003 50 mins
When victims of murder know their killers, they are often caught off guard. The killers rely on their intimate knowledge to pull off the perfect crime. But even the best-laid plans leave traces of the forsaken trust.
Episode 18
Coroner Investigator
Wed, Sep 3, 2003 50 mins
Coroners play a vital role in piecing together the final moments of someone's life. Los Angeles County coroner Julie Wilson provides an in-depth look into the science of death, as well as the techniques and methodology used by coroner investigators.