Ep 9. Killer on Campus; Bow Hunter

In the episode Killer on Campus; Bow Hunter of Cold Case Files season 5, the focus is on a brutal murder that occurred at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in 1993. 20-year-old Sophie Sergie, a student at the university, was found raped and murdered in a dormitory bathtub. The crime scene was gruesome and the case quickly went cold, leaving Sophie's family and friends devastated and searching for answers.

The investigators working on the case soon became stumped, with no leads and no suspects. However, the persistence of the Alaska Bureau of Investigations eventually paid off and they were able to connect the case to a man named DNA Doe, who had been charged with a separate crime but remained unidentified due to his lack of a DNA match in the system.

The episode then focuses on the incredible detective work that went into identifying DNA Doe as Steven Downs, a former student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks who had lived in the same dormitory as Sophie at the time of the murder. Downs had been a suspect in the case from the beginning but had been cleared due to lack of evidence.

The episode also delves into the details of the forensic evidence used in the case, including DNA analysis and ballistics testing. The investigators utilized cutting-edge technology to establish a match between Downs' DNA and the DNA found at the crime scene.

As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that Downs had a history of violent sexual assault, including an incident that had occurred on the same campus just a year before Sophie's murder. The investigators soon realized that they had not just solved the case of Sophie's murder, but had also prevented future crimes from being committed by Downs.

Throughout the episode, interviews with family members, friends, and investigators provide an emotional look at the impact of Sophie's murder on those close to her, as well as the satisfaction that came with finally bringing her killer to justice. The episode ends with a sense of closure for Sophie's loved ones, who had been waiting for justice for over a decade.

Overall, the Killer on Campus; Bow Hunter episode of Cold Case Files season 5 is a powerful reminder of the importance of persistence in solving cold cases, as well as the impact that these crimes can have on the victims, their families, and the community at large.