Australian_Geographic_2015_07-08.

1965 THE WANDA BEACH

MURDERS, NSW

A biological sample taken in January

1965 could have revealed the identity

of the murderer of two teenage girls,

but it couldn’t be found in archives

when the case was reopened in 2007.

PETER FALCONIO
MURDER, NT
New technology proved that
DNA found on the T-shirt of
Johanna Lees, Peter Falconio’s
abducted partner, was 150
quadrillion times more likely to
belong to convicted killer,
Bradley John Murdoch, than
anyone else. Researchers were
also able to link DNA found on
Murdoch’s handcuffs to
Falconio, even though his body
hasn’t been found.

2001

THE MCCULKIN FAMILY

MURDERS, BRISBANE

Scientists recently uncovered new

evidence from the four-decade-old

murder case, which led to the

arrest of two suspects in late 2014.

The kind of evidence has not been

revealed, because the court case is

ongoing, but it’s something

previously inaccessible due to

insuffi cient technology.

The role forensic science

has played in Australia’s

most famous cold cases:

DNA AND

COLD

CASES

The amount of physical evidence collected.

Whether it’s recent enough that the investigation

could result in a conviction. Few cases prior to

1970 are assessed.

Whether there are still witnesses alive who can

help put any new forensic evidence into context.

1

2

3

When assessing whether to investigate a cold case, police look for:

1974

圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀 July–August 2015 53

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