Sphere of Influence

September 20, 2003

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Forensic Files - S8 - E23

When an 11-year-old girl disappeared from a small town in a remote area of Alaska, investigators wondered if she'd been attacked by a bear or become lost in the dense woods. It turned out neither was true.

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Forensic Files: Season 8 - 42 Episode s

8x1 - Dessert Served Cold
April 1, 2003
A man died in his home after a long history of heart disease. It was assumed that this was the cause of his death. A few weeks after the funeral, rumors surfaced that the death was no accident.
8x2 - The Music Case
April 9, 2003
In 1999, a 12-year-old was found murdered in her home and it changed the feeling of security residents had in the small town of Waseca, Minnesota. Despite a meticulous search of the home and an exhaustive investigation, police had no suspects.
8x3 - Paintball
April 30, 2003
In 1962, the people of the small town of Hanford, CA lost their sense of peace when one of their own, 15-year-old Marlene Miller, was murdered. Booker T. Hillery was convicted and after countless appeals, Hillery received a re-trial in 1983. Forensic scientists had to use new knowledge of microscopic evidence to be able to place Hillery at the scene.
8x4 - Sign Here
April 23, 2003
A mother of two vanishes after a shopping trip. Her body is discovered a month later. Witnesses say they saw the victim being forced into a car by an unknown person.
8x5 - Shadow of a Doubt
April 29, 2003
A woman is shot to death in her store just one day before she is to testify against the man accused of robbing her. The robber becomes the prime suspect, but he has a solid alibi: a time-stamped videotape of his activities on the day of the murder.
8x6 - Tourist Trap
June 4, 2003
In 1993, the state of Florida was known for more than just Disney World. Worldwide attention focused on a rash of robberies which targeted tourists. Some vacationers were killed in these attacks, but some fought and survived, despite severe injuries.
8x7 - Once Bitten
July 10, 2003
At a murder scene, investigators find a shoe-print, several foreign hairs, and unknown fingerprints. But they believe the most telling piece of evidence is the bite mark on the victim's chest.
8x8 - All Wet
August 15, 2003
A woman's death in Pennsylvania triggers a homicide investigation into another woman's death in North Carolina. The similarities in the cases were striking, and examiners must determine if the suspect's story about accidental drowning is all wet.
8x9 - Shot of Vengeance
September 20, 2003
A 34-year-old nurse experiences a variety of flu-like symptoms. None of her doctors are able to discover the cause, until she visits the gynecologist for a routine check-up. Then she learns it's something far worse than the flu.
8x10 - Dinner and a Movie
October 26, 2003
Time of death becomes pivotal after a pregnant woman is found murdered in her air-conditioned bedroom. A striking similarity between her death and an HBO movie gives examiners the clues they need to thaw out the alibi of a cold-blooded killer.
8x11 - A Wrong Foot
December 1, 2003
Police were puzzled by an obscure print found at a crime scene where one man had been killed and two teenage girls were seriously injured. Neither of the girls could identify their attacker. But one simple clue helped track the footsteps of a killer.
8x12 - Order Up
January 6, 2004
A man is found dead in his home, and his ex-wife has a perfect alibi. To determine time of death, investigators need to know when the victim ate his last meal. An endocrinologist, a forensic botanist, and a short-order cook answer their question.
8x13 - When the Dust Settled
January 23, 2004
A union official is executed in his home not long after a strike by the union membership. Neither his wife nor anyone in the neighborhood heard any gunshots. It would take a forensic sound test, an electron microscope, and a nightgown to explain why.
8x14 - A Welcome Intrusion
March 18, 2004
A man tells police he shot an intruder who had attacked and murdered his wife. The husband paints a tragic picture and is dubbed a hero. Four years later, forensic evidence leads police to re-examine the motives of this so-called hero.
8x15 - Within Arm's Reach
April 23, 2004
A police officer accused of killing his estranged wife insists she committed suicide. Investigators say it was murder – that it was physically impossible for the woman to have shot herself. The crime scene evidence is interpreted differently by the defense and prosecution, and the jury must decide if the victim's death was suicide or cold-blooded murder.
8x16 - Private Thoughts
August 26, 2004
When Firefighters found an entire family dead, inside their home, it looked like a murder-suicide, but there were several inconsistent clues in the rubble. Could ballistics, a time card, and some secret audiotapes unravel the mystery?
8x17 - Brotherhoods
November 29, 2004
Two men were murdered, while sleeping in their bed. One night later, an arson fire destroyed a family planning clinic. Investigators wondered, wherether some shards of glass, paintchips and a chicken feather, could link for what appeared to be, two separate crimes.
8x18 - Hair of the Dog
August 29, 2003
With no forensic evidence inside a murder scene, investigators were baffled. But they suspected that the victim's dog had witnessed the crime. If she had, forensic scientists would have to find a way to find out what the dog had seen.
8x19 - Breaking News
August 31, 2003
A young TV news producer is raped and murdered in her apartment. Police identify two suspects, but both are cleared of any wrongdoing. The case stalls for more than a year, and then investigators turn to the Commonwealth of Virginia's DNA Databank.
8x20 - All the World's a Stage
September 3, 2003
Police are dispatched to the scene of a shooting, and discover the victim's husband is one of their own: a homicide detective who says his wife accidentally shot herself in the head. The detective maintains he called 911 immediately, but the evidence seems to indicate otherwise. [also marked as S8:E10]
8x21 - The Big Chill
September 10, 2003
For years, a woman suffered from what appeared to be the unpleasant side effects of lithium, a drug prescribed to treat bipolar disorder. When she died, investigators had to determine if her death was due to natural causes, suicide, or murder.
8x22 - Bound for Jail
September 17, 2003
A woman is found dead in a ravine, but crucial crime scene evidence had been washed away by severe thunderstorms. Twice, the trail turned cold. Almost 20 years later, an old hat and a chip of stainless steel brought the killer to justice.
8x23 - Sphere of Influence
September 20, 2003
When an 11-year-old girl disappeared from a small town in a remote area of Alaska, investigators wondered if she'd been attacked by a bear or become lost in the dense woods. It turned out neither was true.
8x24 - Nailed
September 22, 2003
Just weeks before a witness is to testify against the man accused of sexually assaulting her, she is murdered in the front yard of her own home. Investigators immediately suspect her attacker, but they don't have enough evidence to prove his guilt.
8x25 - Sign of the Zodiac
April 18, 2005
For six years, a serial killer prowled the streets of New York City. He wrote letters to police and The New York Post, indicating he would kill twelve people, one for each astrological sign.
8x26 - Letter Perfect
February 14, 2005
A healthy young man dies mysteriously in his sleep. There are no signs of trauma or injury, but toxicology tests reveal a lethal dose of lidocaine in his blood. Investigators find a suicide note, and presume he killed himself until a forensic linguist examines the note and determines that what the victim said is less important than how he said it.
8x27 - True Lies
June 29, 2005
In the summer of 1986, Kathleen Lipscomb's body was found on a deserted road outside of San Antonio. Months passed, then years, and the crime was never solved. Then Kathleen's family hired a private investigator, who discovered her diary.
8x28 - Bed of Deceit
August 4, 2005
A retired police officer is discovered in his bed, dead of a single gunshot wound to the head. His wife first says the motive was robbery; then she tells police he committed suicide. It would take careful examination of the evidence at the crime scene, the tape from a bank surveillance camera, and forensic textbooks found in the victim's home to write the final chapter of this real-life whodunit. [also marked as S8:E19]
8x29 - Smoke in Your Eyes
September 9, 2005
A suspicious fire swept through an apartment killing two young women. The cause of the fire and the identity of the victims were unclear. But a closer look at the fire scene revealed something hidden in the ashes.
8x30 - Flower Power
October 15, 2005
Two different men called police to report the same murder. Apparently, neither one knew that the other had called. The investigation uncovered even more unusual circumstances.
8x31 - Past Lives
November 20, 2005
The body of a wealthy American businessman was found in his rental car. Teeth and bone fragments were the only remains. When the victim's wife files an insurance claim for million, investigators seek the help of a renowned forensic anthropologist.
8x32 - Over and Out
December 26, 2005
A pipe bomb rips through a rural home killing a young man and seriously injuring his mother. A lot number on a 9-volt battery and the remnants of a mailing label found on a computer's hard drive enabled investigators to determine who sent the bomb, and why. [also marked as S8:E22]
8x33 - Death by a Salesman
January 31, 2005
No one in a quiet residential community saw or heard anything unusual the day one of their elderly neighbors was brutally attacked and murdered. Fingerprints found at the crime scene and surveillance video from a security camera help investigators to apprehend the presumed killer within twelve hours, even though he'd already left the state on a bus, headed for New York City. [also marked as S8:E23]
8x34 - Web of Seduction
March 8, 2005
On November 8, 1999, Bruce Miller was found shot to death in the office of the Michigan auto-salvage shop he owned. There were no clues or forensic evidence found at the scene. But computer forensic experts found evidence of a crime that had everything - sex, lies and a video tape. [also marked as S8:E24]
8x35 - Grounds for Indictment
December 2, 2004
A drive-by shooting leaves one man dead and another seriously wounded. Cell phone calls and shell casings point to a suspect, but authorities are unable to place him at the crime scene. When a forensic geologist compared soil from the crime scene with soil found in the wheel wells of the suspect's car, he proved that dirt is anything but dumb.
8x36 - Dueling Confessions
May 31, 2005
When teenager Rosemary Anderson is found dead on the side of the road, her boyfriend eventually confesses to her murder, but in a strange twist, so does another man – serial killer, Eric Edgar Cooke. It would take the passage of another forty years, an author, and an expert in the field of pedestrian accident reconstruction to determine who was telling the truth. [also marked as S8:E26]
8x37 - Traces of Truth
June 24, 2004
A computer crash pushes a manufacturing company to the brink of collapse. Investigators must determine if the crash was the result of a sabotage.
8x38 - Honor Thy Father
July 30, 2005
A sixteen-year-old girl is killed in her own home by her mother and father. Her parents said they acted in self-defense, but the forensic evidence indicates otherwise. Definitive proof would come from an unlikely source: a recording made by an FBI electronic surveillance device. [also marked as S8:E28]
8x39 - Hack Attack
September 4, 2006
A mysterious computer crash pushed a thriving manufacturing company to the brink of collapse, jeopardizing the jobs of hundreds of employees. There was no apparent cause; there were no obvious clues. Forensic investigators had to determine if the crash was the result of a computer defect, human error, or sabotage. [also shown as S10:E14]
8x40 - Deadly Curve
October 10, 2006
It was supposed to be a routine motorcade for the Queen of England. But on the way to Yosemite National Park, a car carrying three Secret Service agents collided with a car driven by a deputy from the local sheriff's office.
8x41 - Visibility Zero
November 15, 2006
In 1993, the Amtrak Railroad experienced the deadliest train crash in United States history when the Sunset Limited derailed while crossing Alabama's Big Bayou Canot bridge. Forty-seven passengers and crew were killed; scores more were injured.
8x42 - Flashover
December 21, 2006
A fire erupted in Kings Cross Station in London, killing 31 people and injuring dozens more. Investigators pinpointed the cause of the fire, but it took state-of-the-art technology and fluid dynamics experts to explain why it became a deadly inferno.

8x1 - Dessert Served Cold

8x2 - The Music Case

8x3 - Paintball

8x4 - Sign Here

8x5 - Shadow of a Doubt

8x6 - Tourist Trap

8x7 - Once Bitten

8x8 - All Wet

8x9 - Shot of Vengeance

8x10 - Dinner and a Movie

8x11 - A Wrong Foot

8x12 - Order Up

8x13 - When the Dust Settled

8x14 - A Welcome Intrusion

8x15 - Within Arm's Reach

8x16 - Private Thoughts

8x17 - Brotherhoods

8x18 - Hair of the Dog

8x19 - Breaking News

8x20 - All the World's a Stage

8x21 - The Big Chill

8x22 - Bound for Jail

8x23 - Sphere of Influence

8x24 - Nailed

8x25 - Sign of the Zodiac

8x26 - Letter Perfect

8x27 - True Lies

8x28 - Bed of Deceit

8x29 - Smoke in Your Eyes

8x30 - Flower Power

8x31 - Past Lives

8x32 - Over and Out

8x33 - Death by a Salesman

8x34 - Web of Seduction

8x35 - Grounds for Indictment

8x36 - Dueling Confessions

8x37 - Traces of Truth

8x38 - Honor Thy Father

8x39 - Hack Attack

8x40 - Deadly Curve

8x41 - Visibility Zero

8x42 - Flashover

S0: Specials

S1: Season 1

S2: Season 2

S3: Season 3

S4: Season 4

S5: Season 5

S6: Season 6

S7: Season 7

S8: Season 8

S9: Season 9

S10: Season 10

S11: Season 11

S12: Season 12

S13: Season 13

S14: Season 14