Ep 1. Pulp Friction

Forensic Files II season 3 episode 1, "Pulp Friction," explores the murder of a 17-year-old girl in her own home. The victim, Jaclyn Dowaliby, was found strangled in her bed on September 14, 1988, and her parents, David and Cynthia Dowaliby, were soon named as suspects.

The Dowalibys both maintained their innocence, but the evidence against them was compelling. Several witnesses had seen them arguing on the night of the murder, and David's alibi was weak. Additionally, fibers found on Jaclyn's body and in her bedroom matched those from the Dowalibys' car and clothing.

The prosecution argued that the Dowalibys had killed Jaclyn in a fit of rage, but their defense attorneys fought back with their own forensic evidence. They argued that the fibers found on Jaclyn's body and in her bedroom could have come from other sources, and that the prosecution's case was circumstantial at best.

The trial was highly publicized, and emotions were running high. In the end, the jury convicted both David and Cynthia Dowaliby of murder, and they were sentenced to life in prison.

However, the case was far from over. In the years that followed, several experts cast doubt on the forensic evidence presented at trial. One fiber expert argued that the fibers found on Jaclyn's body were not conclusive evidence of the Dowalibys' guilt, and another expert suggested that the prosecution's timeline of events was flawed.

In 1991, an appeals court overturned the Dowalibys' convictions, citing insufficient evidence. The couple was released from prison and enjoyed a brief period of freedom, but their victory was short-lived. In 1994, the Illinois Supreme Court reinstated their convictions, and they were sent back to prison to serve out their life sentences.

"Pulp Friction" takes a close look at the forensic evidence presented in the Dowaliby case, and examines the complex legal and ethical issues surrounding forensic science. The episode raises important questions about the reliability of forensic evidence, and the role that bias and other factors can play in shaping the outcome of a criminal trial.