Episode 2
In this episode, Ian Rankin explains that by the dawn of the 80s, the only hope for catching the World's End killers lay with the people developing new techniques in forensic science.
Astonishing archive footage reveals how policing underwent a revolution throughout the decade, fuelled by advances in forensic science, DNA fingerprinting and information technology. The programme also reveals how the FBI's pioneering advances in forensic psychology led to hopes that psychological profiles of the World's End killers could be created. Retired DCC Tom Wood reveals that he travelled to the FBI HQ with files on the unsolved murders from the late 70s in search of answers.
In the late 80s, advances in DNA fingerprinting technology also brought hope to the detectives on the case. Some biological evidence had been discovered on Helen Scott's coat, and forensic scientists succeeded in using it to obtain a clear DNA profile. However, when they tried to match it with existing DNA profiles held on police records across the UK, no match could be found.
Through the 90s, further advances in forensic science meant that DNA analysis became both more sensitive and more effective. A reanalysis of the stain on Helen's coat revealed that there was more than one person's DNA present. This second sample was examined and matched to notorious sexual offender Angus Sinclair, who was serving two life-sentences in Peterhead Prison.
Investigators then desperately try and discover which other murders might have been committed by Sinclair, and this episode reveals how the first trial against Sinclair would go on to controversially collapse. It would take a change of law and a new advance in forensic science to see him finally brought to justice.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
Holmes Family Rescue
Mike Holmes has been making it right for years, and now it's a family affair. Mike's daughter Sherry and son Michael share their own dedication and expertise as they join forces to rescue homeowners from botched construction jobs and renovation fatigue.
Beyond the Gates
Beyond the Gates is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington D.C., and in one the most affluent African American counties in the United States. Here you'll find a posh gated community with winding tree-lined streets and luxurious mansions to call home. At the center of this community are the Duprees, a powerful and prestigious multi-generational family that is the very definition of Black royalty. But behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered. And those that live outside these gates are watching closely. These are the places where our characters live, love, work and play. Those who have "made it" and those who haven't are all trying to navigate life … and some with more grace than others.
The Pitt
The Pitt is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today's America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Each episode follows an hour of Dr. Robby's 15-hour shift as the chief attendant in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital's emergency room.
The Ark
The Ark takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. The first of these missions on a spacecraft known as Ark One encounters a catastrophic event causing massive destruction and loss of life. With more than a year left to go before reaching their target planet, a lack of life-sustaining supplies and loss of leadership, the remaining crew must become the best versions of themselves to stay on course and survive.