Ep 12. Murder Illustrated/Blood Relations

The episode titled "Murder Illustrated/Blood Relations" is the twelfth installment of the first season of the popular true crime series, Cold Case Files. The show focuses on unsolved criminal cases that have gone cold over the years, with each episode detailing the long and often grueling attempts to solve them.

In "Murder Illustrated/Blood Relations," the first case highlighted is that of a young woman named Mary Jo Templeton who, in 1981, was found brutally murdered in her Texas home. The crime scene itself was eerie: diagrams and illustrations of violent acts were found pinned to the walls, prompting investigators to believe that the killer had an unhealthy fascination with violence and murder.

With no clear suspects and little evidence to go on, the case quickly turned cold. However, it wasn't until years later, thanks in part to advances in DNA technology, that investigators were finally able to make a breakthrough. The episode details the investigation that led to the eventual conviction of the killer, as well as the questions that still linger about his motivations and what drove him to commit such a heinous act.

The second case covered in the episode is that of a teenage girl named Lisa Pruett who, in 1987, was stabbed to death in her Oregon home. The prime suspect in the case was Lisa's father, who was known to have had a tumultuous relationship with his daughter and was seen near the scene of the crime around the time of the murder.

Despite this, the case remained unsolved for years, with Lisa's father vehemently denying any involvement in his daughter's death. It wasn't until a man named Carlos Simon came forward decades later with information about the case that investigators were finally able to crack it open.

"Murder Illustrated/Blood Relations" is a gripping and often unsettling episode of Cold Case Files, highlighting the tireless work that goes into solving even the coldest of cases. Through meticulous investigative techniques and a bit of luck, justice is finally served for the victims, bringing a sense of closure to their loved ones and a renewed sense of hope that these kinds of crimes will ultimately be solved.