Ballistics: A corpse is found with a gunshot wound to the head; the weapon lies next to the victim. It looks like suicide, but could it be murder? It's a question best solved by ballistics experts. Gunshot residues, the pathway of the bullet into the body, shells and the guns themselves all hold important clues. The ability to determine whether an individual has actually fired a gun is vitally important in homicide and suicide investigations.

Forensics in the O.J. Simpson Murder Trial: Millions watched on television as the jury rendered their verdict. Orenthal James Simpson was found not guilty of murder. The jury heard hundreds of hours of testimony and every twist and turn of the trial was played out in the media, but what was the evidence? Forensic scientists reconstructed the events that took place on the night Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered. But was their report accurate, and could the evidence be trusted? We'll examine what forensics could and could not tell us about the trial of the century.

Identifying Burned Remains: It's difficult to have a murder investigation without a body, and burning up the victim is a time-honored method of destroying physical evidence. But what happens when the charred remains are found, unrecognizable, seemingly impossible to identify? Dr. John Verano and Dr. Doug Owsley of the Smithsonian have faced these challenges, identifying the burned remains of two American journalists found in Guatemala seven years after their reported disappearance. It seems as though fire can unveil lies, as well as conceal truths.

The New Detectives is an American docudrama where world-renowned forensics experts and criminal investigators solve a wide range of cases.

Some scenes in this program have been reenacted, due to the sensitive nature of the show, viewer discretion is advised.

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