Ep 5. About Face

In the season 13 episode 5 of Forensic Files, titled "About Face," viewers are taken on a journey to solve the puzzling case of a murder in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The victim, a young woman named Karen Gregory, was found lifeless in her apartment, and initial investigations by the police yielded no solid leads. The case then went cold, and remained unsolved for four long years.

However, during the investigation, forensic experts were able to find a small piece of evidence - a hair strand - which would turn out to be pivotal in solving the case. The strand was sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis, where it was discovered that the hair belonged to a person of African American descent. With this information, the police were able to narrow down their search to men of this ethnicity, and eventually, they were able to hone in on a prime suspect named Howard Brown.

Howard Brown was no stranger to the victim, Karen Gregory, and had actually been one of her close friends. However, the police soon discovered that the friendship had turned sour when Karen accused Howard of stealing from her. According to Karen's sister, she had been terrified of Howard because he had threatened to kill her over the accusation.

The police had enough evidence to book Howard Brown, but needed more concrete proof to convict him. That's when they turned to forensic technology - and enlisted the help of a forensic artist named Karen Taylor.

Karen Taylor is a specialized artist who helps law enforcement by making composite sketches of people based on descriptions provided by witnesses. In this case, the police gave her a description of the suspect, and Karen was able to use her artistic skills to create a composite sketch of the person who was believed to be Karen Gregory's killer.

After the sketch was made, it was shown to several people who had been in the area during the time of Karen's murder. One of the people who saw the sketch was a woman who lived in the apartment complex where Karen Gregory had been killed. She claimed that she recognized the person in the sketch as a man named Eddie Lee Howard.

The police then obtained a DNA sample from Howard and compared it to the hair strand found at the crime scene. The results were a match, and Howard was arrested for the murder of Karen Gregory.

The trial was intense, with both the prosecution and defense arguing their cases vehemently. The prosecution presented the DNA evidence, the hair sample, and the eyewitness testimony of the woman who recognized Howard from the sketch. The defense, on the other hand, argued that there was no concrete evidence linking Howard to the murder.

In the end, the jury sided with the prosecution and found Howard Brown guilty of murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

"About Face" is a gripping episode that shows how forensic science can help solve even the most puzzling of cases. With the help of forensic artists and DNA analysis, the police were able to bring a killer to justice and give closure to the family of the victim, Karen Gregory. The episode is a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of law enforcement officials who tirelessly work to solve crimes and bring justice to those who have been wronged.