Cold Case Files Classic Season 1 Episode 3 Texas Drifter/Fingerprints/Rose Among Thorns
- January 15, 1999
- 45 min
In season 1 episode 3 of Cold Case Files Classic, viewers are taken on a journey to Texas where a drifter's fingerprints become the key to solving a 25-year-old murder mystery. The episode titled Texas Drifter/Fingerprints/Rose Among Thorns focuses on the case of Joyce Tracy, a young woman who was brutally murdered in her Texas home in 1977.
The investigation into Joyce Tracy's murder was initially conducted by local law enforcement but the leads eventually fizzled out. It wasn't until 2001, when newly developed fingerprint technology allowed the case to be reopened, that detectives were able to uncover new evidence that led them to a potential suspect.
The episode introduces viewers to the drifter in question, a man by the name of Billy Stevens, who had been arrested for a different crime in the early 2000s. When Stevens's fingerprints were run through the system, they revealed a match to prints found at the scene of Joyce Tracy's murder.
However, the detectives quickly realize that Stevens isn't giving up any information about his connection to the murder and they must use a combination of physical evidence and witness testimony to build their case.
In addition to the investigation into Stevens, the episode also covers the story of a young woman named Babette Bombardier, who was found murdered in her Louisiana home in 1996. The initial investigation failed to find any substantial evidence, but the use of DNA technology allowed detectives to finally identify a suspect over 10 years later.
The final story in the episode focuses on the murder of a woman named Marcia King in Arkansas in 1992. Although a suspect was eventually identified and convicted for the crime, the story of how investigators connected the dots between King's murder and a string of other unsolved murders in the area is truly fascinating.
Overall, this episode of Cold Case Files Classic showcases the innovative techniques and advanced technology that law enforcement uses to solve cold cases. With storytelling that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, it's no wonder Cold Case Files continues to be a beloved true crime series.