Catching Killers

2012
2 Seasons

Catching Killers is a nonfiction television series that encompasses the investigations of serial killers and other famous murder cases. This series highlights the methods used to trace DNA as well as other tools to find the people responsible for grisly murders. The cases included the famous kidnapping of Charles Linderberg’s baby. Other famous cases include the BTK killer, the Green River killer and Gary Ridgeway from Seattle. This show shows how the advances in DNA and forensic science have improved their methods to track these vicious killers and bring them to justice. Ten years ago the techniques and methods available were not in the stages that would allow for the proper identification of killers as well as missing people. From botany to certain insects that exist on the crime scene these clues lead investigators to track down killers.

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Seasons

2 1

13. Smoking Guns

July 29, 2013

Examining ballistic evidence. Including an investigation that frees a man who was sentenced to death in 1915; the Beltway Sniper Case in 2002.

12. Proving Poison

July 22, 2013

Examining poison. Toxicology might one day be ahead of the crime. Detectives, scientists and criminal historians link the poisonous compounds and indispensable tools of fighting crime.

11. Insect Evidence

July 15, 2013

Two murder cases which were years apart seem to have little in common at first. In 2003 a California family were discovered brutally murdered and in 1935 in Scotland two dismembered bodies were found. With closer investigation, they both share the same silent witness: insects. By examining these two landmark cases forensic entomology helped convict a killer. Detectives in Edinburgh use maggots to determine time of death, and the Bakersfield case links the discovery of red-shanked grasshoppers caught in a car radiator grill.

10. Skeletal Secrets

July 8, 2013

Examining forensic anthropology in solving murders. Including the disappearance of Louisa Luetgert in 1897.

9. Fingerprints

July 1, 2013

Details of how fingerprints are used to solve criminal cases. Including an Argentina murder case in 1892 that was the first solely solved with evidence from fingerprint; the "Night Stalker" case in 1985.

8. DNA Profiling

June 24, 2013

Searching in an English town for a serial rapist and the hunt for the BTK Killer are included.

7. Plant Evidence

June 16, 2013

Forensic botany history began during the trial of Bruno Hauptmann in 1935, he was accused of kidnapping Charles Lindbergh's baby; plant evidence found in a truck convicted a man of murder.

6. Cause of Death

June 9, 2013

Autopsies play an important role in investigations.

5. Trace Evidence

June 2, 2013

Trace evidence importance, Forensic techniques development.

4. Blood Spatter

May 26, 2013

Examining bloodstain pattern analysis. Includes a prominent doctor's wife who was murdered in 1954.

3. Criminal Profiling

May 19, 2013

Criminal pro-filers work is looked at. Includes the capture of the "Mad Bomber" in 1957; a serial killer case from 1982.

2. Cyber Forensics

May 12, 2013

Examining digital forensics evolution. Includes how investigators caught a West German computer hacker in 1986; and details about how the "Craigslist Killer" got captured by the Boston Police Department in 2009.

1. Fire Investigation

May 5, 2013

Examining arson investigation advances. Including: a 1990 case in Jacksonville, FL; and a case involving a honors student.

Description

This show shows how the advances in DNA and forensic science have improved their methods to track these vicious killers and bring them to justice. Ten years ago the techniques and methods available were not in the stages that would allow for the proper identification of killers as well as missing people. From botany to certain insects that exist on the crime scene these clues lead investigators to track down killers.Catching Killers is a series that is currently running and has 2 seasons (23 episodes). The series first aired on June 17, 2012.

Catching Killers is available for streaming on the Smithsonian Channel website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Catching Killers on demand at Apple TV+, Paramount+, Amazon Prime, Amazon, Hulu, Vudu, FuboTV, The Roku Channel, Google Play and Apple TV.