Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
This episode details the 1989 cold case murder of fourteen-year-old Stephanie Isacson, who disappeared while walking to her high school in Las Vegas. For over three decades, her father and local investigators sought answers, but the trail remained cold until a private donor funded advanced forensic genome sequencing. Despite having only fifteen human cells of DNA to work with, Othram Labs successfully identified Darren Roy Marchand as the killer in 2021. The investigation revealed that Marchand had been a suspect in a previous murder but avoided conviction, allowing him to remain free when he targeted Stephanie. Although the perpetrator committed suicide years before the breakthrough, the discovery provided long-awaited closure for the family and demonstrated the power of modern genetic genealogy.
Content Warning: This podcast contains discussions of homicide, violence, abuse, and other graphic themes related to real-life criminal events. It is intended for mature audiences and listener discretion is advised.
