40 men eliminated by DNA
By the end of 2013, investigators had eliminated at least 40 men as suspects through voluntary and covertly obtained DNA comparison samples.
Where this was said
DNA Breakthroughs and Early Setbacks (2013–2015)
At 26:36 · chapter starts 25:45
Carter assists cold case investigators in finally sending Carmen's evidence to a forensic lab in 2013 — and the results are extraordinary. A partial male profile from semen and a full profile from blood on a white paper bag both match, and the full profile is suitable for CODIS. No hits come back, but the process systematically eliminates suspects already in the system and begins the methodical work of voluntary and covert DNA collection from anyone in Carmen's orbit. By the end of 2013, at least 40 men have been cleared, including Rob, Josh, Peter, and the neighbor across the hall. The search widens: Carter appeals to media, tracks down the car repair shop, investigates police runs on the night of the murder — and finds a man with similar stab wounds who still doesn't match. Then in 2015, a $1,600 city-funded DNA test [1] — Ashley Flowers "After years of waiting, the city funded a $1,600 DNA test — and got back a result identifying their killer as a European female. The lab ha…" 30:55 comes back with the stunning result that their killer is a European female. The lab was sent Carmen's own DNA profile. The error is explained by human error, but the damage is done: when Carter asks for a retest, he's flatly denied.
$1,600 DNA test triggers controversy
A $1,600 DNA test funded by the city to advance Carmen's case accidentally tested the wrong sample — Carmen's own DNA — sparking a departmental controversy.
IMPD Punishes the One Detective Who Cared
When the city refused to pay for a DNA retest after sending the wrong sample, Carter raised $1,200 in 7 hours via GoFundMe. IMPD made him return every dollar, removed him from the case, and handed him a 10-day suspension — his first disciplinary action in a career where he had taken only 4 hours of sick time.
Similar snapshots
Sued for $250B before Uber
Before Uber, Kalanick built a peer-to-peer file-sharing system and was sued for a quarter of a trillion dollars by 33 major media companies.
Arms dealer Edwin Wilson: 52-year sentence
CIA operative Edwin Wilson, part of the illegal arms network used by Oliver North, was sentenced to 52 years for supplying Libya with 10,000 machine guns and 20 tons of C4.
186-year prison sentence sought
US prosecutors sought a 186-year prison sentence for Kim Dotcom, largely because of his financial support for WikiLeaks.
Mario Tabraue sentenced to 100+ years
Mario Tabraue, a central figure in Monsters of God linked to drug trafficking and murder, was sentenced to over 100 years in prison but served only 12 years.
Disappeared October 3, 2024
Zelig Williams disappeared on October 3rd, 2024 after leaving his mother's home in Columbia, South Carolina and has not been seen since.
Season 5 — 6 new unsolved mysteries
Dateline: Missing in America Season 5 features six new unsolved missing-persons mysteries, hoping a listener may hold a crucial clue.
Strickland got 2 felony GBI charges
At a high school party, Strickland broke one victim's nose, jaw, and knocked out teeth requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries, resulting in two felony GBI charges.
55 years unsolved
Joyce LePage's murder has remained unsolved for 55 years despite active investigation from the start.
Mark's mental institution history
Joyce's own letter revealed that Mark Wadley had once stayed at a mental institution for trying to strangle people — a detail investigators apparently never followed up on.
