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The Thumb Butte Trail Murder

S5 : E11

TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 04.20.25

Thirty years after college student Cathy Sposito is brutally killed on a hiking trail in Prescott, Arizona, can a groundbreaking forensic tool finally identify her killer?

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A compelling 20-part series, hosted by preeminent legal analyst and renowned former prosecutor Nancy Grace, that explores the advanced form of familial DNA testing.

Cast

Nancy Grace, Piers Gibbon, Kevin Lambe

Executive Producers

Max Einhorn, Danny Fisher

full-episodes (20)

Deadly Desire

S1 : E1 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.23.20

"Deadly Desire" covers the extensive investigation into Jodine Serrin’s horrific murder and how forensic genealogy finally cracked the case.
Murder in the Snow

S1 : E2 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.30.20

"Murder in the Snow" is the story of Traci Hammerberg, how her murderer evaded detection for decades and how his identity was eventually uncovered by the Bloodline Detectives.
Scottsdale Spree Shooting

S1 : E3 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.07.20

"Scottsdale Spree Shooting" follows a fast-paced police and forensics investigation into a killing spree that claimed six innocent victims.
Ice Cold Murder

S1 : E4 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.14.20

"Ice Cold Murder" is the story of the dedicated investigation into Christy Mirack’s murder and how the Bloodline Detectives traced her killer with DNA.
March Massacre

S1 : E5 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.21.20

"March Massacre" follows the investigation into the brutal murder of Barbara Becker and how familial DNA eventually led the Bloodline Detectives to her murderer.
Unrighteous Act

S1 : E6 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.28.20

"Unrighteous Act" follows the investigation into the brutal murder of Karen Klaas and how, 41 years later, cutting-edge DNA forensics solved her murder.
Motorway Killer

S1 : E7 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 06.04.20

"Motorway Killer" is the story of a random killing and how police used the revolutionary science of familial DNA to solve the crime.
Blood Bath

S1 : E8 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 06.11.20

"Blood Bath" is the harrowing story of Melanie Road’s murder, how police never gave up hope and with the help of familial DNA tracked down her killer.
Road Trip to Hell

S1 : E9 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 06.18.20

"Road Trip to Hell" is about a fun road trip that turned into a real-life horror movie, and how dedicated investigators and genealogy solved the crime.
Sheeps Flat Murder Mystery

S1 : E10 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 01.07.21

The episode follows Washoe County P.D.’s exhaustive investigation to identify both a victim and her killer.
Rockville Horror

S1 : E11 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 01.14.21

The case follows the investigation into the murder of Le Bich Thuy and how the killer was finally identified.
Carnage in Cardiff

S1 : E12 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 01.21.21

This is the story of Lynette White’s senseless killing and how a ground-breaking DNA method solved the crime.
Llandarcy Serial Killer

S1 : E13 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 01.28.21

The episode follows the investigation of uncovering a serial killer and how DNA genetic genealogy solved the murders.
The Clearfield Rapist

S1 : E14 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 02.04.21

This episode follows the 17-year police investigation and how, with the help of familial DNA, detectives were able to track down the serial rapist.
TThe Murder of Tangie Sims

S1 : E15 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 02.11.21

This episode follows the exhaustive investigation into the murder of Tangie Simms and how genetic genealogy helped solve the crime.
A Life Stolen

S1 : E16 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 02.25.21

This episode follows the exhaustive investigation into a senseless murder and how genetic genealogy identified the killer.
The Murder of Helene Pruszynski

S1 : E17 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 03.04.21

This case follows a 40-year murder investigation and how it became another success story.
Town Path Predator

S1 : E18 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 03.11.21

This episode follows an extensive investigation and how the revolutionary science of familial DNA revealed a perpetrator's identity.
Walking Nightmare

S1 : E19 | TV-14 | 45 min | Aired: 03.18.21

This case follows the investigation into the Halling Rapist and how familial DNA helped solve the crime.
The Williamsburg Rapist

S1 : E20 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 03.18.21

This is the story of four innocent victims and how their attacker became another successful target of the Bloodline Detectives.
Body in the Stairwell

S2 : E1 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 10.02.21

In 1999, hospital worker Jennifer Watkins is sexually assaulted and murdered. 20 years later, revolutionary DNA testing helps to solve the cold case.
Sacrilege in Sacramento

S2 : E2 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 10.09.21

In Sacramento, three women are brutally assaulted by the same man. Investigators use genealogy technology to track down the suspect.
The Montana Murders

S2 : E3 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 10.16.21

A young couple is murdered in Montana in 1956. In 2019, investigators use voluntary genealogical databases to catch the killer.
A Sinful Act in St George

S2 : E4 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 10.23.21

A small community in Utah is shocked when an elderly woman is brutally attacked in her own home. Detectives use innovative techniques to solve the case.
Left for Dead in Logan County

S2 : E5 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 10.30.21

In 1993, a 19-year-old woman is kidnapped and raped. A private forensic genealogy company is able to track down the suspect.
The Alameda Attacker

S2 : E6 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 11.06.21

In 1997, a woman is attacked on her route home. A suspect is arrested over 20 years later with the help of a genetic genealogical search.
The Murder of Siobhan McGuiness

S2 : E7 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 11.13.21

In 1974, a 5-year-old girl disappears while walking to her friend's house. 46 years later, detectives are able to put the case to rest using modern DNA technology.
Cold Case Twist

S2 : E8 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 01.08.22

A woman out for a walk is attacked and sexually assaulted by an unknown assailant. 14 years later, police trace a family tree using genetic genealogy and find the rapist.
Montana Creek Murders

S2 : E9 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 01.15.22

When a woman is found dead in her home, detectives are left with more questions than answers.
San Bernardino Bodies

S2 : E10 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 01.22.22

A woman takes a genealogy test to learn what happened to her mother and is shocked to learn her DNA helped law enforcement identify a Jane Doe that remained a mystery.
The Murder Mystery of Mary London

S2 : E11 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 02.19.22

In 1981, a woman is found murdered on the side of the road. Who killed her remains a mystery for decades until law enforcement can utilize genetic genealogy to crack the case.
The Knifepoint Rapist

S2 : E12 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 02.26.22

A young woman out jogging is attacked and viciously raped at knifepoint. The perpetrator continues his reign of terror by raping another five times over the next nine years.
Gunpoint Horror

S2 : E13 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 03.05.22

In Alexandria, Virginia in 2016, a young female lifeguard is raped while working at a local pool. Police soon learn of a similar incident in Fairfax, two years previously.
The Hunt for Precious Jane Doe

S2 : E14 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 03.12.22

In August 1977, the body of a young girl was discovered by blackberry pickers in Everett, WA. She had been strangled and shot. Investigators launched a two-tiered investigation.
The Rapid City Rapist

S2 : E15 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 03.19.22

60-year-old pharmacist Gwen Miller fails to show up for work. Despite co-workers discover her body soon after, the case goes cold and remains so for decades.
A Family Torn Apart

S2 : E16 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.30.22

Portageville, Missouri in 1998. The bodies of Megan and Sherri Scherer are found lifeless in their sitting room. Both had been shot in the head several times.
Justice for Leslie

S2 : E17 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.07.22

Leslie Harris storms out of a restaurant after an argument with her husband. She never returns. Hours later, her naked body is found near El Toro Air Base twenty miles away.
Cuyahoga Falls Mystery

S2 : E18 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.14.22

December 1987 in Ohio, the nude body of 17-year-old Barbara Blatnik is found face down on a rural road. She had been violently raped and strangled.
Chilling Notes from a Killer

S2 : E19 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.21.22

Janet Tinsley reports her 8-year-old daughter missing after she fails to return home. Three days later, a man out jogging makes a gruesome discovery in a nearby ditch.
Remembering Stevie

S2 : E20 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 05.28.22

On June 11th, 1963, a man fishing in Oregon reels in the body of a toddler. The child had been wrapped in blankets and weighed down by iron molds.
Date Night Murder in Michigan

S3 : E1 | TV-14 | 45 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Terry Wood comes home to find his wife dead on the kitchen floor. Detectives struggle to find the culprit. Only forensic genetic genealogy can provide answers 35 years later.
The Greeley Rapist

S3 : E2 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

A 7-year-old girl is kidnapped and raped by an unknown assailant in Colorado. The victim lives in fear as the perpetrator is nowhere to be found — until nearly 20 years later.
Carla's Last Valentine's

S3 : E3 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Carla Walker is celebrating Valentine's Day when she is kidnapped, raped and murdered. All investigative leads run dry, but nearly 46 years later.
Last Seen at Dairy Queen

S3 : E4 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

16-year-old Kim Bryant disappears from outside a Dairy Queen in Las Vegas. Three weeks later, her body is found: she had been sexually assaulted and bludgeoned to death.
The Coat Hanger Killer

S3 : E5 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Linda Slaten is sexually assaulted and murdered in her apartment. 38 years later, forensic genetic genealogy reveals the killer has been nearby all along.
The Mystery of the Headphones

S3 : E6 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

22-year-old Diana Hanson fails to return home. 24 hours later, her body is discovered: she had been sexually assaulted and stabbed. The killer evades justice for 38 years.
Christmas Tree Lady

S3 : E7 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

A woman takes her life in a Virginia cemetery and leaves a note that she wishes to remain unidentified. Still, detectives are legally bound to identify her.
Little Miss Nobody

S3 : E8 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

A little girl's body is found, unidentified, in the Arizona desert in 1960. Across state lines, a family is reeling after their 4-year-old child is abducted.
The Slaying of Sylvia Quayle

S3 : E9 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

The body of Sylvia Quayle is discovered by her father in her Colorado home: she had been sexually assaulted, stabbed and shot.
Valentine's Day Murder

S3 : E10 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

A woman is last seen alive hitchhiking in Florida on Valentine's Day. The next day, her body is discovered on a deserted road, raped and strangled.
The Mystery in the Parks

S3 : E11 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Michella and Jennifer were abducted from a park in Tacoma, Washington — and murdered. Only investigative genetic genealogy can bring answers thirty years later.
Murder by the Base

S3 : E12 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

25-year-old Naval recruit Pamela Cahanes is found in an abandoned lot. Who would take away the life of a woman who was ready to give hers? Genetic genealogy provides answers.
The Murder of Mary Scott

S3 : E13 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

23-year-old Mary Scott fails to show up for work, a friend visits her San Diego apartment: she finds Mary's dead body. Mary's killer goes undetected for 51 years.
The Schoolbag in the Road

S3 : E14 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Stephanie's body is found in the Las Vegas desert. The case goes cold for decades until an organization provides funding for the DNA sample recovered to be used in research.
Her Last New Year's Eve

S3 : E15 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Tonya McKinley is found lying on a street in Pensacola, Florida. Detectives can't find the killer. Decades later, a new forensic science technique finally reveals murderer.
Dancing with Death

S3 : E16 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Darlene Krashoc is discovered behind a Colorado Springs restaurant. She had been savagely beaten, raped and strangled. Investigators struggle to identify the killer.
The McLeary Rapist

S3 : E17 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

The town of McCleary, Washington lives in fear as police fail to find the suspect wanted in the abduction and rape of a teenage girl in March 2003.
The Mint Box Murder

S3 : E18 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Candy Rogers is abducted, raped and killed while selling Girl Scout mints in Spokane, Washington. The community is shaken as detectives fail to find the perpetrator.
Delta Dawn Doe

S3 : E19 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

In 1982, the body of a unidentified toddler is found in a river in Mississippi. Nearly four decades later, genetic genealogy experts may finally be able to determine her name.
The Telephone Cord Killer

S3 : E20 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.23

Michelle Wyatt is raped and strangled with a telephone cord in her San Diego condo. The murder confounds seasoned investigators — until a forensic tool breaks the case open.
The NorCal Rapist

S4 : E1 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

The first of at least ten violent sexual assaults in NorCal by the same man occurs in Sacramento. Almost 20 years, investigative genetic genealogy finally puts them behind bars.
Horror by the Roadside

S4 : E2 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Carol Sue Klaber is found in a ditch in Kentucky: she has been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. Fast forward to 2022, DNA science is employed to finally name the killer.
Murder on Elm Street

S4 : E3 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Donna Hyatt is discovered by her daughter. Two empty glasses of cola suggest she had company the night before. It will take another 36 years before forensics solves this case.
The Mammoth Lakes Murder

S4 : E4 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

In nearby Mammoth Lakes, a family is reeling after a young mother mysteriously skips town. It'll take revolutionary science to piece this puzzle together — 20 years later.
The Court Reporter Murder

S4 : E5 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Nancy is found in her apartment stabbed to death. Police try in vain to solve the case, but it would take over 50 years and advancements in forensic science to get the answers.
Murder by I-59

S4 : E6 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

When the remains of a woman are discovered on the side of the highway in Dade County, Georgia, a thirty-year-long investigation ensues to identify the victim and her killer.
The Huntington Beach Body

S4 : E7 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Boys on their way to school discover the body of a woman in an oil field. Police are unable to identify her or her killer.
The Murder of Little Marise

S4 : E8 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Marise Chiverella is discovered after she disappears walking to school. Half a century later, a teen prodigy in investigative genetic genealogy helps detectives solve this crime.
The South Lake Tahoe Strangler

S4 : E9 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Horseback riders discover a woman's body discarded. Investigative genetic genealogy is used as a weapon against the South Tahoe Strangler.
Stabbing in Sacramento

S4 : E10 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

40 years after the sexual assault and murder of 20-yearold Robin, cold case detectives collaborate with scientists using forensics to identify her killer and put him behind bars.
The Phoenix Canal Killer

S4 : E11 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

The decapitated body of a young woman is discovered near the Arizona Canal. Dedicated detectives use forensic science to catch the infamous killer.
Mommy Has Been Murdered

S4 : E12 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

A 2-year-old is discovered walking around an apartment alone in San Diego. His mother lies dead in a nearby bedroom. 34 years later, investigation finally names the killer.
The Three Rivers Killer

S4 : E13 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

A man comes home to find his fiancée stabbed to death and their baby unharmed. It will take 34 years before cutting-edge science solves the mystery.
Double Homicide in the OC

S4 : E14 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

A young woman is found beaten, raped and strangled in California. It will take years before forensics and police identify this serial killer.
The Mississippi Rapist

S4 : E15 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

A woman is kidnapped and raped at knifepoint. Police are unable to identify the perpetrator. It'll take investigators, science and brave survivors to put this man behind bars.
Justice Delayed

S4 : E16 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Jody Loomis is discovered covered in blood by the roadside. She is brought to the hospital where she passes away from a bullet wound.
Murder in Apartment 101

S4 : E17 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Mark Madger comes home to find his wife lying in a pool of her own blood. 4 decades later, cutting-edge DNA science provides answers the family have been waiting a lifetime for.
Carrie's Courage

S4 : E18 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

A young woman is awoken by an intruder who sexually assaults her at gunpoint. Her determination will lead her on a journey to justice through forensic science technique.
The Sadistic Killer

S4 : E19 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Christina Castiglione's body is discovered in a remote area. 4 decades later, DNA science technique links the crime to a man with a record.
Murder in Marietta

S4 : E20 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.01.24

Debbie Randall vanishes when walking home. 16 days later, her body is discovered. In 2016, a cold case team employs forensic techniques to find this child killer once and for all.
The Body in the Blanket

S5 : E1 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1996 Michigan, a body is found discarded on the side of the road, wrapped in a blanket. The victim is young mother Sharon Hammack. Can new technology solve this cold case?
Evil Angel

S5 : E2 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

While jogging along a scenic canal, a young woman is brutally attacked and raped by a stranger. Police use groundbreaking genetic genealogy to identify the perpetrator.
The Bookstore Murder

S5 : E3 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 2010, Sherry Black is found stabbed to death in her bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah. Police fail to identify her killer until advancements in DNA science reignite the case.
The McClintock Park Murders

S5 : E4 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1976 Wisconsin, 25-year-old David Schuldes and 24-year-old Ellen Matheys are murdered in a park. The case goes cold until 2015 when advancements in DNA science reignite the investigation.
Strangled in the Sand

S5 : E5 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

When Clare Holman is murdered in 1994, her case quickly goes cold, and many assume it will stay that way. But twenty years later, new technology finally provides answers.
Terror in Garden Grove

S5 : E6 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

The murder of 19-year-old Janet Stallcup in Orange County in 1976 stumps police for decades until cutting-edge technology links it to two other cases and blows the case wide open.
The Runaway Murder

S5 : E7 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1978, the body of teen Krisann Baxter is found in Spokane, Washington. The case troubles investigators for over 40 years, but now a forensic technique may solve the mystery.
A Killing in Kansas

S5 : E8 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1989, 20-year-old Krista Martin is murdered by an intruder in Wichita, Kansas. After a 40-year investigation, will investigative genetic genealogy provide answers for her family?
The Imposter Rapist

S5 : E9 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1991, an intruder sexually assaults a woman in her own home in Chandler, Arizona. The case goes unsolved for decades until revolutionary science connects the dots.
The Schoolteacher Murder

S5 : E10 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1995 Texas, the parents of Mary Catherine Edwards find her brutalized body in her bathroom. The killer evades justice — until forensic science catches up with him.
The Thumb Butte Trail Murder

S5 : E11 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 04.20.25

Thirty years after college student Cathy Sposito is brutally killed on a hiking trail in Prescott, Arizona, can a groundbreaking forensic tool finally identify her killer?
Terror in Texas

S5 : E12 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1983, the Seabrook, Texas community is shaken when 20-year-old waitress Susan Eads is found murdered. Decades later, can modern forensic techniques finally find the perpetrator?
Home Invasion Homicide

S5 : E13 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1986, when Barbara Carr is murdered during a home invasion in Texas, her husband oddly escapes unharmed. Could a new forensic technique connect Barbara's murder to an unexpected suspect?
Downtown After Dark

S5 : E14 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 04.20.25

Ventura police struggle to find the murderer of 42-year-old mother Danielle Clause in 1991. Three decades later, will family trees and a new forensic science finally give them answers?
Finding Suzanne

S5 : E15 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

A woman's skeletal remains are found in Okaloosa County in 1994, sparking a years-long search for her identity and killer — until a new forensic tool provides answers.
Murder in Green Bay

S5 : E16 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1986, detectives are stumped while trying to solve the murder of a 22-year-old mother in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Decades later, will investigative genetic genealogy finally have the answer?
A Murder in Lexington

S5 : E17 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

In 1987, when mother of two Mary Davis is found murdered in Lexington, North Carolina, a decades-long investigation begins. Cutting-edge forensics provide long-awaited answers.
Murder on Edgewater Creek Bridge

S5 : E18 | TV-14 | 44 min | Aired: 04.20.25

Can the groundbreaking tool of investigative genetic genealogy solve the tragic 1993 murder of Melissa Lee, which leaves detectives baffled in Bothell, Washington?
The Ramsey Street Rapist

S5 : E19 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 04.20.25

A string of rapes in the mid-2000s shrouds the community of Fayetteville, North Carolina in fear. Years later, a forensic DNA technique brings the twisted perpetrator to justice.
Brutality in Brownwood

S5 : E20 | TV-14 | 42 min | Aired: 04.20.25

When a beloved young woman is brutally murdered and left in an abandoned house in Brown County, Texas, investigative genetic genealogy could be the key to finding the perpetrator.

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