Ep 5. Lil' Miss/Skeletons in the Closet

In season 4 episode 5 of Cold Case Files Classic, titled Lil' Miss/Skeletons in the Closet, viewers are taken on a journey through two different cases.

The first case, Lil' Miss, revolves around the unsolved murder of an unidentified young girl. In 1969, the girl's body was found in a ditch in Idaho, but despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, her identity remained a mystery. The case was eventually cold, and it was not until the early 1990s that a team of forensic experts, including an anthropologist and a forensic artist, began working to identify the victim.

Through meticulous detective work and the use of new technology, the team was able to create a facial reconstruction that led to a breakthrough in the case. The victim was identified as a 16-year-old girl who had run away from her home in Texas, and a suspect was eventually arrested and charged with her murder.

The second case, Skeletons in the Closet, explores the brutal murder of a family in Northern California. In 1983, the bodies of four family members were discovered in their home, and the investigation soon turned up evidence that the murders had been committed by someone close to the family.

Despite years of investigation, however, no one had ever been charged with the killings, and the case remained unsolved. In the early 2000s, a new team of detectives picked up the case and began re-investigating the evidence.

Through careful analysis of forensic evidence and witness testimony, the team discovered new leads that eventually led them to a suspect in the case. Working closely with prosecutors, the detectives were able to bring the suspect to trial, and in 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Throughout both cases, viewers are offered a glimpse into the painstaking and often-grueling work that goes into solving cold cases. From the tireless efforts of forensic experts to the dogged determination of detectives and prosecutors, Cold Case Files Classic provides an inside look at the investigative process and the triumphs and setbacks that come with trying to solve some of the toughest cases in criminal history.