Benjamin H. Smith

From the Golden State Killer to the Grim Sleeper, these cold cases heated up with breakthroughs in forensic genealogy.

Janice Dodson thought she had an airtight alibi — until muddy clothes led to her arrest. 

Ali Khan was found dead on the floor of his master bathroom with seven gunshot wounds.

Gary Ridgway claimed to have murdered up to 80 victims, which would make him the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history.

In one case, Kelly Cochran murdered her husband after he forced her to kill her lover as part of a bizarre marriage pact. 

In 2008, decorated soldier Ryan Michael Sullivan was found stabbed 34 times at his Killeen, Texas, apartment. 

Mary Ellen Samuels, or “The Green Widow,” earned her nickname from an infamous photograph of her lying on a bed naked, covered with $20,000 in cash.

While Dr. Michael Joseph Swango eventually pleaded guilty to four murders, his victim count may be as high as 60.

After Efren Saldivar's co-workers encountered a string of surprising deaths, rumors began to circulate around Glendale Adventist Medical Center about his “magic syringe.”

To this day, Gerald Rabourn’s remains have not been located by law enforcement.