Ep 8. The Bedroom Basher

The Bedroom Basher was an episode of the true crime series Cold Case Files, season 4 episode 8. The episode featured the story of a violent serial rapist and murderer, who terrorized the residents of a small Pennsylvania town throughout the 1980s.

Dubbed the "Bedroom Basher" by the local media, the perpetrator entered the homes of his victims in the dead of night, attacking them while they slept. The attacks were brutal and unprovoked, often leaving the victims severely beaten, raped, and in some instances, dead.

The episode follows the investigation into the attacks, which began in 1987 when two women were raped and one killed in their home. For the next three years, the Bedroom Basher continued to strike, leaving police frustrated and the community on edge.

The episode features interviews with detectives who worked on the case, as well as surviving victims who recount their traumatizing experiences. Through the investigation, police were able to gather DNA evidence from the scenes of the attacks, but at the time, DNA testing was not advanced enough to identify the perpetrator.

The investigation took a turn in 1990 when a woman who had been previously attacked by the Bedroom Basher contacted police with a potential lead. She had recently attended a self-defense class taught by a man who claimed to have inside knowledge of the crimes and even claimed to know the identity of the perpetrator.

The man was eventually identified as Dr. Norman Barwin, a prominent local physician who had been treating some of the victims for injuries sustained during their attacks. Police questioned Barwin, who initially denied any involvement in the crimes. However, after his DNA was tested, it was found to be a match with the DNA left at the crime scenes.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Barwin continued to deny any involvement in the attacks. He claimed that the women he treated for injuries sustained during their attacks had consensual sex with him and that he did not realize they had been attacked by someone else.

Barwin was eventually charged with multiple counts of rape and murder, but due to his prominent status in the community, the case was highly publicized and controversial. The episode explores the legal battle that followed, which lasted for several years before Barwin was finally convicted and sentenced to prison.

Overall, The Bedroom Basher episode of Cold Case Files is a chilling and intense look at one of the most violent criminals in recent history and the struggles of law enforcement to bring him to justice. The interviews with victims and detectives provide a humanizing perspective on the case and serve as a reminder of the importance of DNA evidence in solving crimes.