Cold Case Files Classic Season 2 Episode 18 Good Samaritan; Gun Shy
- June 23, 2003
In the season 2 episode 18 of Cold Case Files Classic titled Good Samaritan; Gun Shy, viewers are taken through two separate cases of homicide that remained unsolved for years until cold case investigators were able to utilize new techniques and technology to solve them.
The first case is that of Melanie Bernas, a 14-year-old girl who went missing in 1974 after heading out to run some errands for her mother in Wheeling, Illinois. Her body was found two weeks later in the nearby Cook County Forest Preserve, beaten and stabbed to death. Despite an initial investigation, no suspects were ever arrested or charged. The case went cold until the year 2000 when a DNA match was made with a convicted rapist who was incarcerated at the time. The episode follows the story of how the DNA evidence was collected and matched, and how it led to the successful conviction of Melanie's killer.
The second case is that of Jody Loomis, a 20-year-old woman who was shot while riding her bicycle on a secluded trail in Snohomish County, Washington in 1972. The case remained unsolved for over 40 years until the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office cold case unit was able to utilize new forensic techniques to generate a DNA profile of the killer. The episode explores how the investigators were able to use this DNA evidence to link the killer to the crime and bring him to justice.
Throughout the episode, viewers are taken through the painstaking process of investigating cold cases and how forensic science has evolved over the years to help investigators solve cases that were once thought unsolvable. With interviews from family members of the victims, law enforcement officials, and forensic experts, viewers get an inside look at the challenging and emotional work that goes into solving a cold case.
Overall, Good Samaritan; Gun Shy is a compelling episode that showcases the power of new forensic technology and how it can help bring justice to those who were once victims of unsolved crimes. So, viewers who love true-crime stories and investigative documentary shows will definitely find Cold Case Files Classic season 2 episode 18 informative and interesting.