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 more damage is done.  

In our latest season, Case Studies, we sat down with a variety of experts and talked about their most interesting cases. Join us as we discuss bloodstain pattern analysis, photography, serial killers, and much more in this dynamic season of Just Science!

Case Studies - 2020

In the Case Studies season opener, we sat down with Mitchell Pilkington, crime scene manager at Layton City Police Department in Utah, to discuss psychopathy and criminal behavior. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode two, Just Science sat down with Erin Sims, Forensic Lab Manager at the Lincoln, Nebraska Police Department, about bloodstain pattern evidence in forensic investigations. 

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 it fits into the larger puzzle of crime scene investigation in this episode of Just Science.  

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode three of the Case Studies Season, Just Science sat down with Heather Conner, Latent Print Unit Technical Leader in Mesa Police Department’s Forensic Services, about the investigation of a grisly murder in Arizona. 

In June of 2008, Travis Alexander was found dead in the bathroom of his home. His killer, ex-girlfriend Jodi Arias (air ias), 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 as she discusses her journey in forensics, the investigation of the murder of Travis Alexander, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to crime scene analysis in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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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 laser. This new technology revolutionized the field of latent print identification. Brian Dalrymple was an original member of that research team, but his career did not stop there. He has completed approximately 100 examinations of murder victims for fingerprint evidence, authored several journal articles and books, and contributed to the widespread adoption of lasers used for detection. Listen along as he discusses the origins of his research and methods for examining bodies for fingerprints in this episode of Just Science. 
    
This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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In episode five of the Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Rockne Harmon, forensic consultant and former senior deputy district attorney for Alameda County in California, to talk about familial DNA searching and the case of the Grim Sleeper Serial Killer. 

From the mid 80s to 2007, Lonnie David Franklin Jr, otherwise known as the Grim Sleeper, was responsible for at least 10 murders in California. Although he started killing in the 1980s, large gaps of time between murders and underutilized DNA evidence left at the crime scenes made it exceptionally difficult to find a suspect.  

Franklin was arrested in 2010 after investigators used familial DNA searching to connect DNA recovered at multiple crime scenes to one of Franklin's relatives. Rockne Harmon was instrumental in convincing the California Department of Justice to implement familial DNA searching in cold cases, ultimately leading to the arrest of the Grim Sleeper and many other offenders. Listen along as he discusses familial DNA searching and the case of the Grim Sleeper in this episode of Just Science.  

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

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Just Science is a podcast for justice professionals and anyone interested in learning more about forensic science, innovative technology, current research, and actionable strategies to improve the criminal justice system.  This podcast deals with a range of issues, including human trafficking, firearms, policing, leadership in the crime lab, new technologies, sexual assault response, and broader challenges for science and public security. We cover various types of topics across RTI's Justice Practice Area. 

Some seasons of Just Science were developed by RTI International's Justice Practice Area through various funding sources. Please visit the individual episode to learn more about its funding.