#289 - Torrey Pines State Beach in California is a place where many come to find peace. But for two young women, it became the backdrop of unspeakable tragedy.
In August 1978, police officers responded to the beach, where they found the body of 15-year-old Barbara Nantais lying on the sand. She had been strangled and beaten to death, and one of her breasts had been severed.
Her boyfriend was also discovered nearby, suffering from a severe head injury that left him with no memory of the attack.
Six years later, 14-year-old Claire Hough was found just yards away from where Barbara had been killed.
Like Barbara, she had been beaten, strangled, and had her breast mutilated. The similarities between the two cases were undeniable.
For decades, these cases remained unsolved. But advancements in forensic science have reopened the investigation, leading to new suspects and questions about the true identity of the killer.
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48:51
Lynette White
#288 - It was Valentine’s Day, 1988, in Wales. While couples exchanged roses and love notes, in a small flat above a betting shop, a young woman lay brutally murdered. Her name was Lynette White. She was just 20 years old.
What followed her death wasn’t just a murder investigation—it was a legal and forensic nightmare. Five innocent men were accused, imprisoned, and publicly vilified for a crime they didn’t commit. And it would take 15 years—and one tiny fragment of DNA—to reveal the true killer hiding in plain sight.
This isn’t just a story of a violent crime. It’s a story about the failure of justice... and how forensic science became the key to unraveling a decades-old lie.
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
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41:42
Yarmila and Scott Falatar
#287 - Imagine waking up to find your entire world shattered—and being told you’re the one who destroyed it. In 1997, Phoenix, Arizona, was rocked by a gruesome and baffling crime. Yarmila Falater, a devoted wife and mother, was found stabbed over 40 times and drowned in her own backyard pool. The suspect? Her husband, Scott Falater—a devout Mormon with no history of violence, who claimed he had no memory of the attack. His defense? He was sleepwalking.
Could someone really commit such a brutal murder while unconscious? Or was this a calculated cover-up cloaked in pseudoscience?
This is the story of Yarmila Falater. A case that would challenge the limits of forensic psychology and force a jury to decide whether sleepwalking can be deadly.
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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46:28
Trial Recap: Karen Read
#286 - In January 2022, Boston police officer John O’Keefe was found dead in the snow outside the home of another police officer. The case quickly captured national attention—not just because of the tragedy itself, but because of the woman accused of killing him: Karen Read.
If you’ve been following Forensic Tales, you might remember that we covered the full story of this case in a previous episode—walking through the timeline, the key players, and the strange twists that led to Karen’s arrest.
But today’s episode is different.
Now that the second trial has concluded and the jury has delivered their verdict, we’re breaking down what happened inside that courtroom. We’re focusing on the forensic evidence presented—what helped the prosecution, what raised questions for the defense, and how science played a central role in one of the most controversial trials in recent memory.
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
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1:08:27
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1:08:27
Tamla Horsford
#285 - It was supposed to be a fun night.A group of moms—neighbors and friends—gathered for an adult slumber party. Alcohol, games, laughter… the kind of night where you let loose, take off your responsibilities, and just be yourself.
But by the next morning, one of them was dead.
Her name was Tamla Horsford. A 40-year-old mother of five.She was found face down in the backyard of the home where the party took place—cold, lifeless, and alone.The official story?
She was drunk. She slipped. She fell off a second-story deck and died.
But that explanation didn’t sit right with Tamla’s family. Or with a growing number of people who started asking hard questions.
Why were there so many injuries—far more than you'd expect from a simple fall? Why did no one hear or see what happened? And why, in a house full of people, was there so little forensic evidence to go on?
This is the story of what happens when the science raises more questions than answers… When families are forced to fight for investigations they believe never truly happened… And when the absence of evidence becomes its own kind of clue.
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Not all stories have happy endings... A weekly true crime podcast with a forensic twist. Each episode features real stories highlighting how forensic science was used. From fingerprinting to criminal profiling to familial DNA, we have every investigative angle covered.
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