Forensic Files Season 7 Episode 21 Telltale Tracks

In the Forensic Files season 7 episode 21 titled "Telltale Tracks," viewers follow the story of an intense manhunt for a rapist who left few clues at the crime scene. Detectives in Lincoln, Nebraska, were stumped by the lack of forensic evidence, fingerprints, and DNA, but they did find a set of footprints leading away from the crime scene. A team of tireless investigators set out to use unique methods to analyze and identify the footprints, which ultimately became the key to cracking the case.

The episode opens with the details of the heinous crime committed against a woman who was brutally attacked in her own home. The woman had been beaten, strangled, and raped, and she was left for dead. She managed to survive and alerted the police who immediately began their investigation. At the scene, investigators were able to obtain some physical evidence, such as hair and blood samples, but these didn't match any DNA in the criminal database. Frustrated by the lack of leads, the investigators turned to the one piece of evidence they had: the tracks left behind by the perpetrator.

The investigation team began by calling in experts from all over the country to help analyze the footprints. One of those experts, a forensic podiatrist, used his knowledge of human feet to determine the likely size and shape of the attacker’s shoe. Comparing this information with other data on the crime scene, investigators narrowed down the possible make and model of the shoe. The next step was to find a shoe that matched the evidence.

Working with the police department’s crime lab, investigators began to catalog the many different types of shoes associated with rape cases. Through a process of elimination, they were able to find a possible match: a unique type of athletic shoe that was used by a small pool of athletes in the area. They immediately began attempting to track down the owner of the shoes, but this proved difficult. So the team took to the streets, going door-to-door to ask local residents if they had seen the suspect wearing similar shoes.

Their persistence paid off, and they finally found a suspect, who was an athlete and had recently purchased the brand of shoe discovered at the crime scene. The investigators’ work wasn’t finished, however. They now had to test the shoes and determine if the footprints they left behind were an exact match. By using specialized techniques, the team was able to confirm that they were indeed an exact match. With this crucial evidence in hand, they were able to arrest the suspect.

In "Telltale Tracks," viewers learn that even the smallest piece of evidence can be the key to solving a crime. Using science, ingenuity, and persistence, the investigators were able to identify a suspect, and ultimately bring justice to the woman who was attacked. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the investigative team and the expertise of forensic specialists from around the country, law enforcement officials were able to put away one more dangerous criminal. This episode of Forensic Files exemplifies the power of detective work and how every piece of information counts when it comes to solving a crime.