A podcast for practitioners, professionals, and enthusiasts of forensic science, applied science, and science related topics: exploring the truth of true crime. Learn about the real forensic science behind the cases, how it actually works behind the closed doors of the crime lab, and what happens when it fails or is misunderstood. Hosted by a scientist with over twenty years of laboratory experience, this podcast discusses the challenges and nuances of the forensic fields from her own experiences and with forensic and subject matter experts.
A Glimpse into Advanced Investigations: Exploring the Role of Private Investigators with William Losefsky
In this episode of 'Secrets from the Crime Lab,' host Angela Swarts returns after a brief hiatus to delve into an enlightening conversation with William Losefsky of Investigative Concepts. With a background in law enforcement and extensive experience in private investigation, Losefsky shares his expertise in forensic death investigation, drug diversion in hospitals, and statement analysis. He emphasizes the importance of unbiased investigation and provides insights into how defense investigat...
5 Oct 2023
PART II - Case Solved? Unraveling a DNA thread in the Zodiac killer enigma. Featuring Forensic Scientist George Schiro
Part II of George Schiro’s story about his involvement in unraveling the identity of the notorious Zodiac Killer. What did he find in his examination of the alleged DNA profile of the Zodiac and Gary Stewart? Is Gary Stewart the biological son of the infamous Zodiac? This is part II! Be sure to listen to Part I first to get the whole story! To learn more about or to contact the guest, George Schiro, M.S., visit his website. Links to materials mentioned in this episode: ABC Primetime 2002 (wh...
27 Jun 2023
Case Solved? Unraveling a DNA thread in the Zodiac killer enigma. Featuring Forensic Scientist George Schiro.
The Zodiac case remains one of the most notorious unsolved murder mysteries in American history, and it continues to capture public interest and speculation. The self-proclaimed Zodiac killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California, primarily in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 2014 a man named Gary L. Stewart published a book, co-written by journalist Susan Mustafa, The Most Dangerous Animal of All, about how he came to the conclusion that his biological father was the Zodi...
9 Mar 2023
S2E3: Space Forensics! Bloodstain Pattern Analysis in Microgravity with Detective Zack Kowalske
On this episode I spoke with Det. Zack Kowalske, an expert in bloodstain pattern analysis, crime scene reconstruction, and a pioneer in Space Forensics! We discussed BPA (bloodstain pattern analysis), some concerns in the field (error rates), and Zack's research on bloodstain pattern analysis in microgravity. Support the Show! Become a subscriber: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1936265/supporters/new Make a one-time contribution (uses Paypal): Buy Me a Coffee Get Zack's new book: "Gaming the Re...
5 Jan 2023
S2EP2: Joining the Dark Side.The Role of the Forensic Science Defence Expert. Dr. David Schudel
"The role of a forensic science defence expert is often referred to by those working for the police/state/government forensic labs as being on the "dark side." In Joining the Dark Side, author David Schudel outlines the evolution of a fascinating career that starts out in the dark side and looks at what problems can appear in forensic cases. The book delves into the problems inherent to forensic science, in particular cognitive bias and scientific philosophy. It also looks at the emotional im...
8 Nov 2022
S2Ep1 - Cognitive bias in forensic pathology decisions with Dr. Itiel Dror
In this episode I spoke with Dr. Itiel Dror, a cognitive neuroscientist known in the forensic realm for his contributions to revealing the unconscious implicit biases in forensic decisions and providing tools to minimize them. He recently published several papers examining - for the first time - cognitive bias in forensic pathology. The Maryland Attorney General has announced an independent audit of in-custody death determinations made by the OCME during the tenure of Dr. David Fowler. Dr. ...
27 Jul 2022
Ep. 9 (Season 1 Bonus) Massively Parallel Sequencing - Tools for forensic laboratories learning to handle terabytes of genetic data, how it improves investigations, and a free workshop.
Massively Parallel Sequencing has revolutionized laboratories' ability to harness more and more information from our genetics. This has led to massive improvements in medical diagnostics, public health (think SARs-CoV-2 variant identification), ancestry determinations, and now forensic science has begun adapting this technology to criminal investigations. In this episode I speak with Professor Megan Foley, Teresa Snyder-Leiby, and Sarah Copeland about the challenges laboratories are facing a...
21 Apr 2022
Ep. 8 Identical Twins, drugs, smoking, and crime. Applied Epigenetics with Dr. Athina Vidaki, Erasmus MC, Netherlands
Epigenetics: The clothes of your DNA. While the DNA sequence contains the instructions, your epigenome controls which part of the instructions are read and used. But how do we use this in forensic science? Learn more about biomarkers linked to smoking, age predication, differentiating between identical twins, narrowing the suspect pool, generating investigative leads, and more. Athina Vidaki, PhD, with Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam Netherlands, is a professor of Applied Epigenomics. Her...
10 Apr 2022
Episode 7: Ethics as Lived Practice. Anticipatory Capacity and Ethical Decision-Making in Forensic Genetics with Dr. Matthias Wienroth and Dr. Carole McCartney, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne
New Technology is great...but let's use it to catch the right person. In this episode I spoke with Professors Dr. Matthias Wienroth and Dr. Carol McCartney, two of the authors of "Ethics as Lived Practice. Anticipatory Capacity and Ethical Decision-Making in Forensic Genetics". It's a fascinating discussion about forensic genetics and the rapidly evolving technologies from the perspective of a social scientist and law professor. Read the full text article: Ethics as Lived Practice. Anti...
28 Mar 2022
Ep. 6 Science SNiP: Forensic DNA Phenotyping, Predicting Human Appearance
DNA as the "Biological Witness". Forensic DNA Phenotyping predicts the externally visible characteristics - i.e. what a person may look like - from their biological material. It has applications in criminal investigations when other leads have failed, missing persons identification, and anthropological research. To learn more about the host visit https://practicalforensics.science/ Join our discussion and let us know your thoughts. E: hello@secretsfromthecrimelab.com OR Join our Faceb...
17 Mar 2022
Ep. 5 Consent, DNA databases, and misuse of a San Francisco rape victim's DNA.
This week's discussion is all about consent and ethical use of genetic information, including DNA databases. I define and discuss what is meant by consent and informed consent and how it's related to the treatment of Henrietta Lacks and how her story triggered the development of ethical practices in medical science. What are the responsibilities of the forensic geneticist? The law enforcement investigator? What should you think about before volunteering a DNA sample...It's a big topic, and th...
9 Mar 2022
Ep. 4 Document Authentication, handwriting analysis, mailbox bombings, and snipers. Forensic Document Examination with Meredith Dekalb Miller.
This episode is the first in a series (non-sequential) providing overviews of different fields of forensic science. Meredith Dekalb Miller is an FBI trained expert in Forensic Document Examination with almost twenty years experience in both criminal and civil matters. Her work revolves around determining the authenticity and sometimes reconstruction of documents. To get in touch with our guest: https://dekalbmiller.com/ To learn more about the host, Angela Tanzillo-Swarts, MBE: https://prac...
1 Mar 2022
Ep. 3 The English Chemist: Cell site analysis, drugs, weird fingerprints, and egg fraud. With forensic science expert Dr. David Schudel (Full episode)
Following on from episode 2...this time our discussion focuses on the experiences of David Schudel, PhD as an expert in the UK. He is an expert in Forensic Chemistry, Fire Analysis, and Cell site analysis (to name a few) and over the years has become that guy who catches all the weird cases. Join us as we explore how the forensic scientist fits into the criminal justice system in England and Wales and hear about a few of those extra weird ones... To Learn more about the host: Angela Tanzillo...
25 Feb 2022
Ep. 3 Teaser -The English Chemist: forensic science expert Dr. David Schudel
Teaser trailer of episode 3 of Secrets from the Crime Lab. A peak into how the criminal justice system and crime laboratories intersect in England and Wales. Dr. Schudel discusses his experiences working as a forensic expert for both the prosecution and the defence conducting a wide variety of forensic analyses including forensic chemistry and cell site analysis. Support the Podcast https://practicalforensics.science/podcast Support the show Want to be on an episode? Have ideas for an...
9 Feb 2022
EP.1 How do you know the crime lab did it right?
Ensuring the validity of the crime laboratory’s test result is paramount. Ensuring that the lab is impartial, competent, and committed to confidentiality is an integral part of that assurance. PLAN - DO - CHECK - ACT Laboratory Accreditation demonstrates conformance with international standards, giving the customer of a crime laboratory confidence in the test results. In this episode we explore the ISO/IEC standards specific to forensic testing and calibration laboratories. These standards ...
9 Feb 2022
EP.2 When it all goes wrong. Featuring forensic expert Tiffany Roy, MSFS, JD
What happens when the crime laboratory gets it wrong? In this episode we discuss the issues with relying solely on laboratory accreditation to determine if a forensic science laboratory is doing the testing correctly, what happens when a lab fails as it did in Washington, D.C., and how other laboratories manage to recover and regain customer confidence. We explore how organizations like the Texas Forensic Science Commission work to ensure quality forensic science work by taking action and the...
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