Ep 19. Window Watcher

In season 13 episode 19 of Forensic Files, entitled "Window Watcher," viewers are taken on a harrowing investigation into the murder of a popular college student in her own home. The episode begins by introducing Megan Barroso, an active and well-liked woman studying to become a doctor at Texas A&M University. Megan's roommate, Roxane Ansolabehere, was out of town when Megan was found dead in her bedroom by a neighbor who noticed her window was open and blood on the windowsill.

Detectives arrived on the scene quickly, only to find no signs of forced entry or struggle within the house. They discovered that Megan had been strangled with a ligature and likely died within minutes of the attack. Though there was no obvious motive for the murder, detectives knew that someone had to have seen something, and began questioning those who lived and worked in the area.

After several weeks of investigation, the police were still no closer to solving the case. But then, a tip came in that changed everything. A woman called into the station to report that she had been harassed by a man outside her apartment window, peering in and taunting her. And he had left behind a piece of evidence: a cigarette butt.

The DNA from the cigarette was matched to DNA found at Megan's crime scene, providing the lead detectives had been searching for. Upon further investigation, they discovered that the man who left the cigarette, Ronald Haskell, had been stalking Megan for months, watching her through her window and even leaving threatening notes at her door. Megan had reported these incidents to the police multiple times, but they never resulted in an arrest.

The police arrested Haskell, but the trial proved to be a challenge. The defense brought up Megan's previous reports of harassment, trying to cast doubt on the idea that Haskell was solely responsible for her murder. But forensic evidence from the scene couldn't be argued with, and the prosecution was able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Haskell was the only one who could have committed the murder.

"Window Watcher" is a gripping episode that showcases how the smallest pieces of evidence can often make the biggest impact in solving a case. With no suspects or leads, the police were at a loss until the smallest piece of DNA evidence connected them to the killer. The episode also highlights the importance of taking stalking seriously, as Megan's reports of harassment were disregarded multiple times despite being clear signs of danger. Ultimately, justice was served in this tragic case, but not without highlighting the importance of law enforcement and community members working together to keep each other safe.