Ep 3. Paintball

In the Forensic Files season 8 episode titled "Paintball", viewers are taken on a journey through the investigation of a double homicide in Ohio that occurred in the early 1990s. The episode begins by introducing the victims, Tom and Jackie Hawks, who had been living on a boat in Newport Beach, California, before deciding to move to Ohio to be closer to Jackie's family.

However, their dream of a peaceful life on the water was shattered when a group of armed gunmen boarded their boat, tied the couple up, and then threw them overboard. As the episode begins, investigators are piecing together the details of the crime scene and using forensic evidence to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

Viewers are introduced to the two main suspects, Skylar Deleon and Jennifer Henderson, who had met at a paintball tournament where they had both been competing. Skylar was a former child actor who had starred in the popular TV show, "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" in the 1990s, but had since fallen on hard times and turned to a life of crime. Jennifer was his girlfriend, who had once been a beauty queen but had also fallen into a life of crime.

The episode focuses on the investigators' efforts to build a case against Skylar and Jennifer, starting with their investigation of the couple's financial transactions. They discover that the couple had made numerous purchases using Tom and Jackie Hawks' credit cards, including a luxury car and a yacht. This leads the investigators to believe that the motive for the murder was financial gain.

The investigators also uncover evidence that Skylar had been involved in other similar crimes, including the murder of a man in Phoenix, Arizona, and the theft of a boat in Mexico. They begin to build a profile of a serial killer and con artist who preys on vulnerable individuals, luring them in with promises of wealth and prosperity, only to rob and murder them.

As the episode progresses, viewers are shown how the forensic evidence gathered from the crime scene was used to build the case against Skylar and Jennifer. This includes DNA evidence collected from the tape used to bind Tom and Jackie Hawks, as well as fingerprints found on the yacht and other items recovered from the couple's home.

The episode also highlights the important role that eyewitness testimony played in the case. Several witnesses had seen Skylar and Jennifer on the boat with Tom and Jackie Hawks, and one witness had even seen Skylar carrying a gun. The eyewitness testimony was crucial in convincing the jury of the couple's guilt.

In the end, Skylar and Jennifer were both found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. This episode of Forensic Files highlights the importance of using forensic evidence, eyewitness testimony, and good police work to bring criminals to justice and provide closure for the families of the victims.