Forensic History Crimes

The dead talk - to the right listener. They can tell us all about themselves: where they came from, how they lived, how they died, and, of course, who killed them. Forensic scientists can unlock the mysteries of the past and help serve justice using the messages left by a corpse, a crime scene, or the faintest of human traces.

Groundbreaking scientific analysis that breaks the JFK assassination wide open! Did a shot from the "grassy knoll" kill President Kennedy? If so, was Oswald part of a conspiracy or an innocent patsy? Why have scientific experts who examined the evidence failed to put such questions to rest? In 2001, scientist Dr. Donald Byron Thomas published a peer-reviewed article that revived the debate over the finding by the House Select Committee on Assassinations that there had indeed been a shot from the grassy knoll, caught on a police dictabelt recording.

Professor Patricia Wiltshire is a forensic ecologist, her days spent at crime scenes collecting samples, standing over dead bodies in a mortuary, or looking down her microscope for evidence. Working at the interface of where the criminal and natural world interact, Patricia has been involved in some of the most high-profile murder cases. Now, through a study of her most infamous, and fascinating cases—including the murder of Sarah Payne, and the Soham murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman—Patricia will show us how she finds the answers to some of the worst crimes imaginable.

Uncover the chilling reality of human depravity in this comprehensive three-book collection. True Crime Despicable takes you behind the headlines of the most haunting cases in modern history, providing a deep dive into the minds of those who committed the unthinkable. From the high-plains terror of a multi-state killing spree to the terrifying double life of a suburban predator, this volume explores the intersection of madness and malice. Examine the cold-blooded planning of a public execution and the psychological profiles of individuals who left an indelible stain on the fabric of society...

Marty Goddard dreamed up a new crime-solving tool—a kit that could help rape survivors fight for justice. This thrilling investigation tells the story of the troubled, heroic woman who kicked off a feminist revolution in forensics, and then vanished into obscurity. "Astonishing . . . Marty...

A warning before we begin: this book is not for the faint-hearted. There are no disguises here, no softened edges. You won’t find sugar-coated versions or incomplete accounts—only the raw, disturbing, and brutal reality of the most ruthless killers the world has ever known. Think you know the world’s most infamous killers? This book goes far beyond the usual names. From the notorious figures to the ones history barely remembers, here you’ll uncover lesser-known stories, details overlooked by the media, and the darkest, most chilling aspects of their atrocities. Each chapter delves ...

From the quiet, desperate hands of a 19th-century housewife to the state-sponsored assassins of the Cold War, the methods have evolved, but the motive remains the same. This meticulously researched account opens the case files on the world’s most infamous poisoners, revealing the dark intersection of science, ambition, and human cruelty. Journey through a history of hidden horror, from the panic of the 1982 Tylenol attacks and the chilling efficiency of Harold Shipman, the doctor who preyed on his patients, to the radioactive ghost trail that exposed the assassins of Alexander Litvinenko....

SLASHED: THE UNFORGETTABLE TRUE STORY THAT HAUNTED A GENERATION On a sweltering July night in 1966, Chicago’s South Side descended into madness. Eight young student nurses—each with a dream, a future, and a purpose—were bound, brutalized, and murdered inside their shared townhouse. The man responsible, Richard Speck, would become one of the most infamous names in American criminal history. The nation would never be the same. “The night Chicago screamed” was more than a headline—it was the night America lost its innocence. THE KILLER WHO CHANGED AMERICA FOREVER Richard Speck ...

Step back into the gaslit alleys of Victorian London, where a shadow known only as Jack the Ripper unleashed a reign of terror that haunts us to this day. In the autumn of 1888, the impoverished district of Whitechapel became the hunting ground for a phantom. A series of brutal, ritualistic murders of destitute women exposed the dark underbelly of the world's wealthiest empire and launched one of the most intense and frustrating manhunts in history. The killer was never caught, leaving behind a terrifying legend and a perfect, unsolved mystery. This meticulously researched book cuts through...

CRACKING THE LIZZIE BORDEN CASE: FORENSICS, FORGERIES, AND FORGOTTEN CLUES “Lizzie Borden took an axe…” — or did she? For more than 130 years, one name has haunted American true crime history: Lizzie Borden. In the summer of 1892, the quiet New England town of Fall River, Massachusetts, was shattered by the brutal double homicide of Andrew and Abby Borden. The weapon was simple — a household axe — but the question of who wielded it has divided generations of investigators, historians, and forensic experts. The rhyme is famous, the story legendary… but what if the legend is ...

Some true crimes reveal themselves in bits and pieces over time. One such case is the Florida School for Boys, a.k.a. the Dozier School, a place where - rather than reforming the children in their care - school officials tortured, raped, and killed them. Opened in 1900, the school closed in 2011 after a Department of Justice investigation substantiated allegations of routine beatings and killings made by about 100 survivors. Thus far, forensic anthropologist Dr. Erin Kimmerle and her team from the University of South Florida have uncovered 55 sets of human remains.

What if everything you think you know about crime and punishment is just one moment in a much longer—and stranger—story? And what if understanding that story is the key to reimagining justice today? You live in a world of police, prisons, and headlines about crime waves and crackdowns, yet so much of it feels confusing, unfair, or out of control. Debates about safety, reform, and justice are loud and polarized, while the deeper questions—What is a crime? Who gets punished, and why?—rarely get answered. Without a bigger historical view, it’s easy to feel stuck between fear and ...

A propulsive work of narrative nonfiction about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world—and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all. On a hot August day in Paris, just over a century ago...

On October 20, 1973, in San Francisco, a White couple strolling down Telegraph Hill was set upon and butchered by four young Black men. Thus began a reign of terror that lasted six months and left 15 Whites dead and the entire city in a state of panic. The perpetrators wanted nothing less than a race war.

Written by the forensic nurse who transformed the way the FBI profiles and catches serial killers, this thought-provoking book takes an intimate look at the creation of the Behavioral Science Unit–the inspiration for Hulu’s Mastermind documentary. In the 1970s, the FBI created the...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER Stevie Cameron’s investigative tour de force about one of North America's most prolific serial killers—now widely regarded as a true crime classic. Verteran investigative journalist Stevie Cameron first began following the story of missing women in 1998, when the odd...

Former CNN/HLN anchor and veteran broadcast journalist Susan Hendricks takes an investigative deep-dive into the still-unsolved double homicide of two teens in Delphi, Indiana—and its lasting impact on the community On February 13, 2017, two teenage girls—13-year-old Abby Williams and...

This program includes an epilogue and acknowledgements read by the author “A fascinating tale of poisons and poisonous deeds which both educates and entertains.” --Kathy Reichs As any reader or listener of murder mysteries can tell you, poison is one of the most enduring—and...

They were told radium was a miracle. They were told it was safe. They were told it would change the world. Instead, it killed them—slowly, painfully, and publicly—while powerful corporations covered their tracks, denied responsibility, and silenced the very women they poisoned. The Radium Lie: The Miracle Cure That Ate Bones is a gripping true account of one of the most shocking industrial crimes of the 20th century. Blending history, investigative reporting, and human tragedy, this book uncovers the real story behind the “Radium Girls”—the factory workers who painted glowing ...

This is the first truly comprehensive book examining the life and career of the murderer who has become one of America's great supervillains. It reveals not only the true story but how the legend evolved, taking advantage of hundreds of primary sources that have never been examined before, including legal documents, letters, articles, and records that have been buried in archives for more than a century.