"The Footpath Murders" -- Forensic Files Season 1, Ep. 4

Author: Shane Lambert

The fourth episode of Season 1 of Forensic Files is a little different than most cases in the series. This episode focused on two related murders in Great Britain, while most of the episodes in the series focused on the United States. In "The Footpath Murders" we see the origination of DNA profiles as they pertained to both exonerations and convictions.

Airdate: October 23rd, 1996
Youtube: Link

Peter Thomas' Opening Monologue: "On a deserted footpath early on the morning of November 22nd, 1983, a hospital worker witnessed a terrible sight." 

In November 1983, a 15-year old girl named Lynda Mann was walking on a public footpath in England when she was attacked, raped, and murdered. About three years later, another 15-year old girl, this one named Dawn Ashworth, used a footpath in the same area. She likewise was attacked, raped, and murdered.

Sun, Aug 3, 1986 – 1 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

In the aftermath, police were able to obtain a confession from a man named Richard Buckland in the murder of the second individual. However, police were shocked when the DNA that was taken from the crime scene was that not of Buckland's. What resulted was a renewed manhunt.

If you watch this episode of Forensic Files, then you can expect to encounter the following forensic-related terms or phrases that are related to the topic of crime-scene investigation:

  • Semen sample
  • Blood-type match
  • Enzyme profile
  • RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism)
  • DNA
  • electrophoresis
  • radioactive dye
  • electrophoretic gel
  • ultraviolet light
  • autoradiogram
  • x-ray film

Furthermore, "The Footpath Murders" contains the following phrases that students of forensics should familiarize themselves with.

  • Funeral surveillance by police
  • Issuing a victim's poster
  • Advice to the community
  • Witness statements that produce a lead
  • The suspect knows more than he should
  • Confession to a crime one didn't commit\
  • Genetic dragnet
  • DNA fraud -- giving a DNA sample under a false name
  • conspiracy to pervert justice
  • Alec Jeffreys

    Sun, May 14, 1989 – 36 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

This was an interesting episode because we get a great indication of how justice worked both before DNA and after it. As a precedent setter, this is a case that students of forensics have to be familiar with.

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