Forensic Files, Season 1 Ep. 3 -- "The House That Roared"

Author: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: February 8th, 2021; Second look on March 31st, 2025.

"The House That Roared" is an episode of Forensic Files that originally aired on October 10th, 1996. It told the sad story of Christopher Campano, a man who killed his wife one night in the summer of 1992. Her name was Caren Campano; she was murdered in the bedroom she shared with her husband, and forensics was a big part of solving her case.

This episode was available on YouTube on the publication date of this article. However, it seems to have been removed over time. As of March 31st, 2025, you can get it here, but it might dance around again in the years ahead.

This was a case that involved a lot of blood, and anyone interested in serology should pay attention to it. In fact, Caren's blood loss was so great that the prosecution in the case was comfortable proceeding to trial even in the absence of finding her body.

Usually, the absence of a body is considered a major obstacle toward getting a conviction. In fact, there have been some pretty solid cases that have never been pursued due to a lack of a body. 

Forensic Breakdown: What To Learn From "The House That Roared"

If you watch this episode, then expect to learn something about the following topics that have to do with forensics:

• Hemosticks: they reveal the presence of blood but can't identify species; I think these might be old-school.
• Octalony tests: tell you what species the blood is from.
• Luminol: reveals blood stains that have been cleaned and are not visible to the naked eye.
• RFLP analysis involves analyzing bits of DNA.
• Dental records: they were used to identify a Jane Doe as Caren.
• Injuries: How might you be able to tell if injuries are from a car accident or from an assault?

Since 1992, forensic science has advanced significantly. While hemosticks and RFLP analysis were cutting-edge then, today’s investigators might rely more on rapid DNA sequencing and digital blood-spatter analysis. Luminol remains a staple, but it’s now paired with high-resolution imaging to capture hidden evidence. Watching this episode offers a snapshot of 1990s forensics—and a reminder of how far we’ve come in solving cases like Caren’s.

Non-Forensic Evidence That Helped Build The Case

There were other forms of evidence in this case that were not forensic in nature but had to do with circumstantial evidence. Firstly, Christopher pawned Caren's items the morning after the night when she was last seen. That might suggest that he knew she was dead.

Secondly, Christopher and Caren had an argument the night she disappeared, an argument that was audible to neighbors. That speaks to animosity between the two and a motive to kill.

Lastly, Christopher didn't have an alibi at the time of Caren's murder.

Christopher received a bizarre sentence: one thousand years. You could watch a lot of based-on-real-crime shows without seeing a sentence like that. Watch out for his murder's return to the streets in the year 2994. 

:D

But more seriously, I did some research on the sentence. These kinds of sentences, which are shockingly long, are symbolic to an extent. They also do something to avoid parole boards, which a blanket "life sentence" might not do.