Nova - Murder & Mayhem (2004)

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MURDER & MAYHEM presents a trio of true-crime episodes from PBS' popular NOVA series: "The Killer's Trail," "Hunt for the Serial Arsonist," and "Mind of a Serial Killer.""The Killer's Trail" reopens the famous case of Ohio physician Sam Sheppard,… More MURDER & MAYHEM presents a trio of true-crime episodes from PBS' popular NOVA series: "The Killer's Trail," "Hunt for the Serial Arsonist," and "Mind of a Serial Killer.""The Killer's Trail" reopens the famous case of Ohio physician Sam Sheppard, who was convicted and later acquitted of murdering his wife in 1954 (the doctor's claims of innocence inspired the TV show THE FUGITIVE). NOVA takes a fresh look at the evidence through the lens of modern forensic technology--including a reconstruction of the now-demolished Sheppard home and DNA testimony from "Dream Team" lawyer Barry Scheck--to offer surprising insights into the true identity of the killer. "Hunt for the Serial Arsonist" recounts the stranger-than-fiction case of a series of suspicious fires that plagued the city of Los Angeles throughout the 1980s and '90s--including one that occurred during an arson investigators' conference. Through meticulous detail to clues such as a single fingerprint and an unpublished manuscript, NOVA recreates the long-running investigation for a suspenseful real-life detective story that nets a rather unusual suspect. Finally, "Mind of a Serial Killer" delves into the FBI's Investigative Support Unit, which utilizes forensic psychology to construct personality profiles that gauge the motives of the most frightening murderers in history. NOVA follows the ISU on a specific investigation into the serial murders of prostitutes in Rochester, New York, to witness the psychological detectives at work.