Ep 13. When The Dust Settled

When The Dust Settled, the thirteenth episode of Forensic Files season 8, delves into the case of a devastating explosion that occurred in a small Kentucky town. The incident took place in the early hours of December 17th, 1996, when a series of explosions rocked the community of McDaniels. A family of four had been sleeping in their home when the blasts occurred, killing the parents and their two young children.

Initially, authorities believed that the explosion had been caused by a propane leak. However, the evidence didn't quite add up. The propane company that supplied gas to the home had recently checked and approved the tank, and there was no indication of any damage or malfunction. As investigators dug deeper, they began to suspect foul play.

One of the biggest clues in the case was a set of footprints found in the snow outside the home. The prints led from a nearby gas station, where a canister of gasoline had been purchased just hours before the explosion. They seemed to suggest that the perpetrator had intentionally started the blaze by pouring gasoline around the home.

But who would have had a motive to commit such a heinous act? As investigators interviewed friends and family members of the victims, they discovered a tangled web of secrets, lies, and betrayal. The husband and wife had been experiencing marital problems and were both involved in extramarital affairs. The wife had even recently added a large life insurance policy to her name, leading investigators to suspect that the husband may have staged the explosion as a murder-suicide.

However, as forensic evidence was analyzed and witness statements were compared, a new suspect emerged. The wife's lover, a man named David "Bucky" Brooks, had recently been fired from his job at a nearby mining company and was facing financial difficulties. When investigators questioned Brooks, he gave conflicting stories about his whereabouts on the night of the explosion, and his alibis could not be confirmed.

Forensic analysis of a piece of metal found at the scene also pointed towards Brooks. The metal had been used to ignite the gasoline, and it was determined to have come from a tool that Brooks had access to. When confronted with the evidence, Brooks eventually confessed to the crime, saying that he had intended to set fire to the home in retaliation for being fired from his job.

When The Dust Settled takes viewers through the painstaking process of piecing together a complex and tragic case. Through interviews with investigators, witnesses, and forensic experts, the episode paints a vivid picture of the devastation caused by the explosion and the tireless efforts of those who worked to uncover the truth.