Ep 16. Bad Blood

Forensic Files season 1 episode 16, "Bad Blood" examines a case where a young woman named Patty Jo Pulley was found murdered in her apartment in Missouri. The case had gone unsolved for years until a break in DNA technology years later.

Patty Jo Pulley was a 19-year-old woman who had moved from a small town in Missouri to the city of Columbia to attend college and further her education. Patty lived alone in her apartment building on West Boulevard in Columbia. She was found murdered in her apartment on the morning of January 1, 1988.

Patty's sister, Paula Zahn, describes Patty as a hard worker who was very independent. Patty had been working two jobs to pay for her rent and tuition, and she had family and friends who loved her. When she didn't show up for work, her coworkers were immediately concerned. When they called her apartment and there was no answer, they contacted the police.

When the police arrived at Patty's apartment, they found her dead. The apartment was in disarray, and it appeared as if there had been a struggle. Patty had been beaten, stabbed multiple times, and strangled. The most likely theory was that Patty had interrupted a burglary in progress, and the perpetrator had killed her.

Over the next several years, the case went cold. Despite a team of investigators working the case, no suspect was identified. Patty's family was devastated by the loss, and they struggled to come to terms with the fact that her killer hadn't been brought to justice.

Then, in 1999, a breakthrough in DNA technology occurred. Investigators discovered that the DNA left at the scene of Patty's murder matched that of a man named Johnny Wright. Wright had never been on the police's radar during the original investigation, and he had no direct connection to Patty or her family.

When investigators began to look into Wright's background, they discovered some alarming information. Wright had a history of violence against women, including rape and kidnapping. He had been incarcerated for these crimes but had been released just a few months before Patty's murder.

The DNA evidence was strong, but the prosecution faced a challenge in making a case against Wright. Due to the length of time that had passed since Patty's murder, many of the original witnesses had moved away or passed away. The prosecution relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and the testimony of a few key witnesses.

In the end, the jury found Wright guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Pulley family finally had some measure of closure, knowing that Patty's killer had been brought to justice.

Forensic Files season 1 episode 16, "Bad Blood," is a prime example of how advances in forensic science can help solve cold cases. Through the use of DNA technology and old-fashioned police work, investigators were finally able to bring Patty's killer to justice. The episode is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement officials, who never gave up on finding justice for Patty and her family.