2020 Case Studies – ForensicRTI

Episode 149 | Just Off The Shelf Forensics

Episode Overview In the final episode of the Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Tim Schade and Brian Cochran to discuss off-the-shelf crime scene processing products. Budgetary concerns often plague smaller forensic labs and law enforcement agencies. Scene investigators might realize that some of those expensive forensic tools might not be attainable for their scenes. Savvy shoppers, such as Tim Schade and Brian Cochran, combine ingenuity with experience to find budget–friendly solutions to […]

Episode 148 | Just Erroneous Identification

Episode Overview In episode seven of the Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with John Vanderkolk and Marcus Montooth of the Indiana State Police to discuss erroneous identification and the Lana Canen case. In 2005, Lana Canen was convicted as an accomplice for the robbery and murder of 94-year-old Helen Sailor. After serving eight […]

Episode 147 | Just Identifying Fingerprints Through Photographs

Episode Overview In episode six of the Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Karen Oswald, Senior Evidence Specialist with the Suffolk County Police Department in New York, to discuss methods for identifying fingers and hands captured in evidentiary photos. As cellphone and camera technologies continue to improve, so does the quality of the images they produce. Most people today carry smartphones at all times, therefore more […]

Episode 146 | Just the Grim Sleeper Serial Killer

Rockne P. Harmon is currently employed as a consultant to numerous law enforcement agencies dealing with such issues as cold case investigation and other issues related to forensic DNA typing. He is currently an Instructor at U.C. Davis in the Masters in Forensic Science program. He retired in 2007 after a 33-year career as a Senior Deputy District Attorney […]

Episode 145 | Just Fingerprints And Lasers

Episode Overview In episode four of the Case Studies Season, Just Science sat down with forensic consultant, author, and instructor Brian Dalrymple to discuss his research and impact on the field of latent print identification. In 1977, a team of researchers developed a method for detecting fingerprints by examining inherent fluorescence using an argon ion […]

Episode 144 | Just the Jodi Arias Case

In June of 2008, Travis Alexander was found dead in the bathroom of his home. His killer, ex-girlfriend Jodi Arias, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Heather Conner and her team used a variety of forensic disciplines to piece together the crime scene and affirm the conviction. Listen along […]

Episode 143 | Just the Story Behind Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Not all crime scenes will have bloodstains. But when they are present, analysts can use them to help determine the types of activities or mechanisms that produced them. Erin Sims believes that bloodstain patterns can tell the unknown story behind a crime. Listen along as she discusses the application of bloodstain pattern analysis and how […]

Episode 142 | Just Psychopathy and Criminal Behavior

Episode Overview Criminal investigations often necessitate the application of a multitude of forensic disciplines. While some cases can be solved by a single piece of evidence, most have a myriad of evidence types to forward and investigation. Bloodstains, DNA analysis, latent prints, digital evidence, and reliable police work lead to arrests and can stop a criminal before any […]