Forensic Files

Investigators use established techniques to make molds of shoe impressions found at crime scenes for later identification. But what happens if the impression is left in the snow? Here's the story of one investigator, whose quick thinking and knowledge of science enabled him to capture a shoe impression before the evidence melted away. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 8.

The wife of prominent Illinois farmer Fred Grabbe disappeared from her farm without a trace. For three years, investigators searched in vain for any trace of her. Eventually, Fred Grabbe's former lover came forward with a fascinating tale filled with rage, murder, mutilation and cremation, but there seemed to be no way to test the validity of her story. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 20.

Lisa Manderach and her daughter Devon left their home to go shopping, but didn't come back home at the expected time. Lisa's husband Jimmy called police in a panic to report their disappearance and directed them to a nearby shopping center. Later that day, Devon's body was found dumped off the side of the road, but there was no sign of Lisa. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 30.

An expectant mother is reported dead in her home from an accidental gunshot wound to the head. Was the wound self-inflicted, and if it was, why would this young mother, with so much to live for, kill herself? Blood splatter analysis and a painstaking investigation guide police to the truth. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 28.

When a six-year-old girl disappeared from church during a Sunday service, investigators feared a stalker was preying on children. A psychological profile of the perpetrator leads investigators to a taxi cab driver who was in the vicinity of the church at the time of the disappearance. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 10.

In 1981, New York correctional officer Donna Payant disappeared and was later found in a landfill. The medical examiner not only identified the cause of death, but also found an important clue. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that a prison inmate might be responsible. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 24.

An evening out at a Maryland murder mystery theatre performance turns into a real life whodunit when the badly burned body of Stephen Hricko is found in his hotel room after a fire. Lies, greed and medical trickery can't match the skills of forensic scientists, who pull the curtain down on the real killer. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 12.

Michigan resident Shannon Mohr died tragically in what was reported by her new husband, David Davis, as a horseback riding accident. Upon deeper investigation, police found a thread of lies and a proficiency with pharmaceuticals in Davis' background that provided a different explanation for Shannon's accidental death. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 13.

When a fundamentalist group starts attacking and robbing banks in the Pacific Northwest, authorities know immediately that they are dealing with experienced criminals. A tip leads them to the alleged perpetrators and the evidence found at their homes is extensive. But in court, this wealth of evidence must withstand a well-funded defense. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 17.

When a nine-year-old girl vanishes from her quiet suburban neighborhood, an entire community searches for her abductor. Investigators wonder if her long-lost mother might be connected to the disappearance. Finally, police use satellites surveillance to trace the perpetrator. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 25.

Two of America's premier pornographers happen to be brothers. When one turns up dead, his brother confesses to shooting him. The question for investigators is whether the shooting was pre-meditated. A 911 call in which the fatal shots can be heard, and a computer reconstruction of the crime scene, provide the answer. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 23.

When off-duty Maine State Trooper Vicky Gardner is attacked during a routine stop, it triggers a series of events which jumpstarts a slow-paced murder case in New Jersey. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 26.

In 1996, seventeen month-old Josh Hinson died in a fire in his home. A federal agency ruled that it was arson and Josh's mother Terri Strickland was charged with murder. An independent fire investigator was able to poke enough holes in the government's scientific conclusions to ask serious questions about whether the fire was intentionally set. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 6.

In this classic episode of Forensic Files, the longest running true crime series in television history, an anonymous "tip" referring to unpublicized aspects of an unsolved case leads police on a hunt for a killer. Investigators use laser technology to identify the location from where the anonymous letter was mailed. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 4.

In 1980, a four year-old is found unconscious in a parking lot with major head trauma. Police concluded it was a hit-and-run vehicle accident and closed the case. But Vicky's mother, Crystal, suspected there was more to the story and was determined to find out exactly what had happened. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 29.

In 1991, Maine resident Pearl Smith is missing after an argument with her husband. Despite pleas from her children, police treat it as a routine missing person's case. But, when an investigation turns up a blood trail that leads to the couple's basement, police are certain they'll finally find the victim's body. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 2.

Creating a "profile" of a serial killer is part science and part intuition. The science involves studying criminals who have committed similar crimes, to see what characteristics they have in common. In a search for the killer of two teenagers in Texas, a behavioral profile led to a possible suspect - and hard science proved the profile was correct. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 19.

When police in the Great Plains were called to retrieve a dead body, they did a background check on the victim. The trail guided them into a strange thread of homeless drifters, cattle auctions and bad checks - all fronted by an elderly couple with a penchant for money and murder. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 15.

When a patient in a hospital emergency room said he cut his hand on a dumpster, the doctor recognized the injury as something else. That doctor became the chief witness in a crime involving the murder of a 67-year-old grandmother. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 22.

In 1994, a human skull found in an Ohio pond uncovers a ghastly crime. Markings on the skull indicate that the victim had been stabbed many times and that the teeth had been removed with needle-nose pliers in an attempt to keep the victim's identity a secret. Forensic scientists use DNA matches to indentify the skull. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 16.

When a man dies unexpectedly in the office of a noted doctor, police begin what they think will be a routine investigation. What they find throws doubt on the identity of the dead man and raises questions about the doctor's role in his death. Soon they uncover a bizarre story of corpse stealing, faked identities, and sexual perversion. Originally aired as Season 6, Episode 7.