Ep 6. Family Ties

Family Ties - Forensic Files (Season 14, Episode 6)

In a small town in New Hampshire, the body of a young woman was found in a stream. She had been beaten, strangled, and then dropped into the water. Her death was a mystery, and the police struggled to identify her. But two years later, a man named Joe LaPointe was arrested for a similar crime. He had strangled another young woman and dumped her body in the same stream. While he was serving his life sentence in prison, he made a shocking confession. He had also killed the young woman found two years earlier.

This confession led to an investigation of the case, and the use of forensic science to uncover the truth. The victim's identity was finally revealed as Trish Haynes, a young woman who had moved to New Hampshire from Virginia to live with her grandfather. Her murder had been a part of a pattern of violence that LaPointe had inflicted on women for years.

The forensic evidence in the case was crucial in proving LaPointe's guilt. Blood stains found on his clothing matched Trish's DNA profile, along with evidence of the other murders he had committed. Forensic pathologists provided expert testimony about the cause of death, while ballistics experts matched the bullets found in LaPointe's possession to the gun he had used to kill one of his victims.

The investigation also involved tracing LaPointe's movements and establishing a timeline of events leading up to Trish's death. Witnesses were interviewed, and phone records and financial transactions were analyzed. This provided a detailed picture of LaPointe's movements and behavior during the time Trish was killed.

The importance of familial DNA was also highlighted in the case. When LaPointe was first arrested for the other murder, his DNA was entered into a database. This led to a match with the DNA found at the scene of Trish's murder. The use of this technique allowed the police to link LaPointe to a crime they had previously been unable to solve.

Overall, the episode shows the power of forensic science in solving crimes and bringing justice to victims and their families. It also highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement, forensic experts, and other professionals in the investigation of complex cases. Finally, it demonstrates the vital role that DNA analysis can play in solving crimes, particularly in cases where the identity of the perpetrator is unknown.