Smoking Gun

If you've ever had to wear glasses, you'll never forget the first time you gave contact lenses a try. Suddenly the whole world feels a little clearer, a little easier to understand. Since their invention in the nineteenth century, hundreds of millions of people have had their lives improved by contact lenses. Janet Abaroa was one of them. The twenty-five year old resident of Durham, North Carolina wore disposable lenses, ones that she took out every night before going to bed. This was part of a night time routine that she always followed to the letter. When Janet was tragically stabbed to death in April 2005, the identity of her killer remained a mystery for years…Until one day, when the lead investigator suddenly saw clearly and realised the answers he was looking for, lay in Janet's contact lenses.If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wetsuits. We all know how they work in theory. By trapping a thin layer of water between the suit and the wearer's skin, it allows you to stay warm underwater. But get too many holes in them and they'll start to leak…sometimes more than just water. One wetsuit owner was left metaphorically high and dry by his swimwear when it proved to be the smoking gun that connected him with the murder of his fourth wife. In July 1991, Cynthia Baumgartner died during a family trip to Lake Sammamish in King County, Washington. Her husband said she drowned in a tragic accident…one he couldn't prevent because he wasn't a strong enough swimmer. Today he's in prison…brought down by a neoprene suit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to law enforcement and animals, most of us immediately think of dogs. They can sniff out bombs, find narcotics and they can even tackle bad guys. Then there's horses for the mounted divisions and now even eagles are getting in on the action, being trained by police to take out criminal's drones. But spare a thought for the humble maggot. When the body of missing twelve year old Lynne Harper was discovered on a tractor trail outside the air base in Ontario Canada which she and 3,500 others called home, it wasn't the canine unit that cracked the case but rather a plucky entomologist, whose years spent studying bugs, helped to bring a killer to justice. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2008, the community of Orleans in Ottawa, Canada, became the target of a serial burglar. But it wasn't money, jewellery or even high end electronics that this thief had their eye on. They spent their five-finger discount on women's underwear…hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of it. All pulled straight from the launderette drawers of women all across the suburb. Eventually, these cheap thrills weren't enough and this petty thief graduated to assault and murder. The circumstances which ended their reign of terror and the revelation of their identity, a prominent, respected figure in a military community, have to be heard to be believed. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flowers. Whether it's birthdays, anniversaries or weddings, they have a way of making a special day all the more special. When 35 year old Lita McLinton opened the front door of her home in Atlanta, Georgia and was greeted by the sight of a delivery man, bouquet of roses in hand, she didn't know what the occasion was…Then she looked a little closer and saw the 9mm in his other hand. Lita's murder sparked an enormous investigation, one that involved contract killers, acrimonious divorce and even hate crimes, all of which culminated in the trail of the decade and a smoking gun a lot more colourful and fragrant than what we're used to. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode - Tracy interviews Dr Karl Harrison, Forensic Specialist Advisor for the National Crime Agency. Together they discuss his role in supporting police forces across the country, specialism including forensic archaeology and entomology, and investigations into illegal wildlife crime.This episode is only available to subscribers of What's The Story Crime. Signing up is really easy, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts just search for What's The Story Crime, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app. If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIME With a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform. In addition to our bonus series 'Under The Microscope', you'll also be able to access the whole series of Smoking Gun and all previous episodes completely ad-free. And you'll find a collection of other shows made by the same team. Under The Microscope is produced by What's The Story Sounds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are toothbrushes good for? Primarily…fighting tooth decay, though they can also help to clean awkwardly shaped items like jewellery or…in a pinch… to get crumbs out of the toaster. But what about solving a murder? When Francisca Perea Dominguez, 42, was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Aurora, Colorado, all they had to go on initially was that the last man to see her alive was wearing a white cowboy hat. Ultimately it wasn't the murder weapon, or an eyewitness that placed the murderer at the scene of the crime but instead, an item we all (hopefully) use twice a day,everyday. The humble toothbrush.If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the twenty-first century and we can track absolutely anything we want. These days, we've got wearables and apps that monitor our calories…our steps…even our ennui. So why not murder? If your apple watch can tell you you're going up a hill can your Garmin let you know when you're being stabbed? In December 2015, 39 year old Connecticut resident Connie Dabate was found dead in the basement of her own home. Her husband told the police that he and his wife had been the victim of a home invasion that had escalated to a violent conclusion. Her FitBit on the other hand, told an altogether different story. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series. This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Smoking as we all know…has many harmful side effects. Cancer, heart disease, even diabetes. But were you aware that cigarettes can also get you convicted of murder? After renowned American TV director and formidable bridge player Barry Crane was found dead by his housekeeper in his LA apartment, his murder baffled the authorities for years. Until one day, almost three decades later, when a discarded butt, binned during a routine smoke break, finally put the killer behind bars. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series. This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under The Microscope is our series of bonus episodes - revealing more about the world of forensic science and the experts who use it to hep serve justice.In episode one, Tracy is joined by Dr Fiona Jane Wilcox, HM Senior Coroner for Inner West London. Together they discuss the role of the coroner and where they fit in the scene of crime hierarchy. They discuss several of Fiona's high-profile cases, including her work on the site of the 2017 Westminster Bridge terrorist attack and her efforts to identify victims in the aftermath of the notorious Grenfell Tower fire. Plus, we'll hear about Fiona's unusual career path and some of the most common misconceptions the general public have about the work a coroner does. The remaining episodes of Under The Microscope will only be available to subscribers of What's The Story Crime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode brings us to India, to the Mumbai home of a well heeled family of four and a botched kidnapping attempt that resulted in the death of a thirteen year old boy. Jitendra, the patriarch, worked in the diamond trade and made very good money. Even so, when he received a call at work one day, telling him that his son Adit had been abducted and was now being held for ransom, he was convinced it was a joke at first. Tragically, the mysterious voice on the other end of the phone was telling the truth. Jitendra didn't know it yet…but he would one day learn the identity of his son's killer and the answer came via the most unexpected source…a bright red pair of Crocs.If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series. This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Too much of a good thing can be bad for you. That's something the Long Island Serial killer, who took the lives of no less than eleven women in the Gilgo Beach area of New York between 1996 and 2011, learned to his cost. In this first episode of a brand new season of Smoking Gun, we tell of an incredible police investigation. It was sparked by the disappearance of a 23 year old escort, and eventually led to the discovery of four mutilated bodies, all of them petite sex workers in their twenties. Unravelling the mystery of their deaths, took hundreds of thousands of hours of police work, the entire case eventually hanging on a single, discarded slice…of pizza.If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series. This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode we're in the UK – and the notorious case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. The disappearance of two young girls had dominated the news headlines for days. Everyone clung on to hope they'd be found, but struggled to explain how they could simply have vanished. But while detectives quizzed the local community in the hope of finding answers – they didn't expect the smoking gun to emerge from some nettles, and a Ford Fiesta car. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode takes us to Sweden – and an unusual case where the Smoking Gun actually clears the only suspect. In this small town, the death of a woman prompts everyone to point a finger at her husband. The injuries she sustained are brutal – the couple clearly argued – and he went to extraordinary lengths to cover his tracks. But as the investigation unfolds, there's a problem…no evidence to link him to the crime. In fact – the only evidence is some elk hair, which presents a very different scenario – one you won't quite believe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When officers in Australia discover an abandoned car, their first thought isn't murder. But contained within it are the clues which point towards a brutal crime. There's a bloody fencepost, jewellery, even a steak knife. But it's not these items which help the detectives to discover what happened. In fact – it's a shovel, concealed in the trunk, which is the Smoking Gun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The murder of a prostitute in Minneapolis back in 1993 garnered little media attention. And if it wasn't for the victims mother, the case may have been forgotten altogether. But her insistence that justice be done prompted detectives to look again. DNA left at the scene failed to produce a match. But innovative genealogical investigations threw up a link… and then, a humble ketchup covered napkin provided the smoking gun which proved the identity of a killer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the mid-1980's DNA science was in its infancy. Crimes were solved thanks to witnesses, confessions, informants… not science. But in a suburb of Glasgow, in Scotland, detectives faced a case with just one witness, and no clue as to the identity of a killer in their midst. The weapon of choice was a dressing gown cord, used as a ligature. And it would prove to be the smoking gun which eventually – 30 years later – revealed a perfectly preserved piece of DNA which led officers to the door of their suspect.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Somewhere beyond Jackrabbit Trail Drive and Indian School Road, in the dusty plains of Phoenix, the skeleton of missing 30 year old single mother Denise Johnson is discovered. But it'll be the Palo Verde tree, or more specifically its unique seed pods, which will eventually pinpoint the killer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1935 - one of the oldest criminal cases featured in Smoking Gun - the Scottish highlands becomes our crime scene. Body parts, surgically removed and wrapped in newspaper are discovered scattered around the picturesque hillside in glens and rivers. The findings prompt a grisly jigsaw puzzle to identity who the body parts belong to, how the victims met their end, and exactly who was responsible.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A sunny, suburban street in Florida seems the unlikeliest of places for premeditated murder. But in this episode, it's just the tip of the iceberg as suburban disputes lead to confrontation, death threats and poison. Join us as we find out how forensic experts determine the cause of the victim's untimely death, and how a criminal profiler helps to identify the perpetrator who took his vendetta from poison pen, to the real thing.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The disappearance of Vicki Hoskinson rocked the very fabric of the village of Flowing Wells in Pima County. The only clue as to what happened in the last carefree moments of life are her bike abandoned on the side of the road, its wheel still spinning. The town and local law enforcement are determined to find out what happened to her, a mission which takes them across state and into the Sonoran Desert. But it's Vicki's bike which holds the smoking gun that eventually brings a killer to justice.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our opening episode tells the story of the brutal murder of Arlis Perry, a young girl found slain in Stamford University Church. Her killing bears all the hallmarks of a ritualistic sacrifice. But who's to blame? Arlis' young husband? The campus security guard? Or renowned serial killer, the Son of Sam? Almost four decades after the fact, Arlis' blue jeans hold the forensic key to unlock this infamous case.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a long break - Smoking Gun is back for a brand new series! Launching on July 13th, wherever you get your podcasts, we tell ten more stories of how incredible forensic science was able to catch a killer. There's a new episode every week. Or - if you want to binge the series - sign up to Crime Corner, your home for incredible True Crime content. Apple Podcast listeners can find the Crime Corner channel now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late 80s in picturesque Tampa bay, the bodies of three women were discovered floating in the water. The case gripped the nation; and the hunt for their killer reached fever pitch. In the ultimate cautionary tale, a detective refuses to give up, and turns to the help of the public, and a giant billboard, in a bid to catch the culprit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Series 2 of Smoking Gun is coming to a close - but we've got good news about more content. And we want to tell you about a brand new show, called Con Juan, made by the people behind Smoking Gun, which launches today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a body was discovered on Southsea Beach in Hampshire, it became a race against time to establish who it belonged to, and how they'd died. But as so many of the body parts were missing, this was no easy feat. This is the heart-breaking story of friends turned enemies, mental health issues, and the perils of owning a cat if you're a murderer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Colette Aram went missing after setting off on the short walk to her boyfriends house there was immediate alarm. Detectives and her family searched through the night. But when morning came, and a body was discovered a short distance away, it was immediately obvious that there was a killer in the community. For decades, detectives searched for that man - spurred on by a DNA profile which they thought could belong to the killer. But it would take an extraordinary sequence of events to finally provide the clue which identified the most unlikely of murderers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Smoking Gun in this episode could have been a rope swing in Canada. It could have been used on a trawler in the china sea. Or on a building site in France. Instead, it became a crucial piece of evidence – used to convict a serial killer, who was hiding in plain sight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A rancher's son spotted the body of a young woman lying by the banks of a river in remote Utah. Police could identify 17-year-old Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch, but what had happened to her – and how her body had ended up there - was a mystery. Follow us as we walk through the leads detective followed, experience the breakthroughs of this surprising case, and learn how a pioneering invention designed to stop food poisoning eventually convicted the killer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Solving crime is all about considering every possibility. Gut instincts are part of a detectives DNA, but so is methodical processing of facts, and blue sky thinking. In this case - police had to use both, to identify human remains - understand how they'd arrived in a small communal garden, and then to conclude if a crime had been committed. The clue to unlock of all of this, was the most unexpected of items... an ornament, of a frog on a lillypad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a suburban town in Colorado, the body of Sylvia Qualye was discovered by her father, lying on the floor of her living room. Her brutal murder sparked an investigation which would span 40 years, and rely on the incredible forensic progression of that time - as well as the diligent detective work which preserved a key and unlikely piece of evidence... a coke can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a murder investigation begins by trying to identify the victim - detectives know the case will be long and complex. But this story takes that to the extreme. A case which began with the discovery of a body in the waters around Britain, took police on the trail of a con man originally from Canada... but who was who? Who was dead? And who was responsible? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a man began confessing to police about a murder - you could be forgiven for thinking the case would quickly be solved. But in reality - the confession would spark one of the most complex and intricate investigations these detectives had ever been involved in. This is a case which would only get resolved after evidence was extracted from a concrete block, and the true sequence of events, and he people behind them, were revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The opening episode of Season Two unpicks the story of Yara Gambriasio, and the investigation into her murder. This is a story of how DNA was thought to lead to a suspect, but time and time again what appeared to be a promising lead, turned into false hope. But with methodical deductions and a steadfast determination, a killer was finally identified, thanks to the existence of a 10-year-old postage stamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Lucille Johnson was found murdered in her own home, it wasn't the murder weapon, or the method of entry which would provide the clue as to what had happened. In this episode, we tell the story of how Lego bricks provided answers in a case which threatened to go unsolved, and unmasked a killer who had tragically already gone on to kill again. In the final episode of the season we tell one of the most tragic and shocking cases of a double killer who twice thought he had evaded capture - but couldn't stay ahead of the law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arriving at a house with three dead bodies, and one seriously injured witness, detectives faced an uphill battle to make sense of the scene, and identify the offenders. And they didn't expect that a pair of pyjamas would contain the vital clues which could explain the events and bring the case to a dramatic conclusion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detectives have many tools at their disposal. And when a suspect is in their sights, they'll explore them all - in the hope they can provide the evidence they need. But it's rare that something as simple as a potato can confirm their suspicions. In this episode we explore a baffling disappearance, which evolved into a murder enquiry. But while the suspect was under investigation, it would take an incredibly detailed forensic hunt to finally prove the case against him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When police investigated a potential serial killer, on the streets of Manchester, England, they feared they had an even bigger problem. The evidence pointed to TWO killers, operating at the same time, in the same city. This episode tells the story of one of the UK's lesser known, but most dangerous murderers, and how he used a nail file to avoid detection and continue his killing spree - fooling forensic officers until the horrific truth finally came to light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A detective will know that fingerprints, strands of hair, and spatters of blood can be vital clues when investigating a murder. But in this episode we tell the story of how a human brain - donated to medical science - would provide the smoking gun in one of the most extraordinary murder cases ever seen in the UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Faced with a complex crime scene, and no suspects - police officers had the painstaking task of trawling hundreds of potential clues in the hope of a breakthrough. In this episode we tell the story of how detectives who refused to give in, combined with cutting edge science, to first identify a suspect, and then prove the case against him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When officers visit the scene of a murder - they don't often know where the smoking gun of evidence will be found. In this story - we tell the story of Cassandra McDermott - whose death initially proved to be a mystery - until detectives found clues from a Chinese Takeaway which pointed to who had to be responsible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The kidnap of a baby in 1930's America prompted one of the most thorough and complex police investigations of its time. But it would take more than a year before the evidence contained in a wooden ladder would help to reveal the person responsible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, one person tormented the Pembrokeshire community - and for more than two decades - he evaded capture. But this episode reveals how a pair of ordinary bathing shorts would eventually prove his identity - and ensure he could never kill again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Killers and criminals can be identified in many different ways. In this episode, we find out how a regular house brick carried the evidence which would prove a man's guilt in a complex murder enquiry. Narrated by Romola Garai, and with expert insight from forensic specialist Tracy Alexander, we tell the story of a long-running murder case, a desperate hunt for clues, and the sequence of events that led to a killer being identified from the clues contained on a brick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this brand new series, actor Romola Garai and forensic scientist Tracy Alexander tell the remarkable stories of how every-day items can often be the smoking gun that catches a killer. Series launches on May 20th, with new episodes every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices