In True Crime: Decoding the Evidence, a panel of experts walks you through the evidence of nearly a dozen cold cases, including infamous serial killings, Hollywood scandals, deaths caused by everyday substances, a prehistoric murder, and many more. With their combined expertise in history, chemistry, biology, and forensic anthropology, these experts grant you the opportunity to look at these events through the lenses of both history and contemporary science.
True Crime: Decoding the Evidence
Delve into some of history’s most notorious unsolved crimes with three experts who will guide you through the evidence and shed new light on old mysteries.
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Magyar from
One Glaring Error was Enough
I watched about half of the Western episode. Ms. Burns stated that "Missouri was a territory, and was for some years after" the James Brothers were active. Missouri became a state in 1821 as a result of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Such disregard of basic facts makes me question the rest of the series. If this is the Plus in Great Courses, I am not interested. And if more duh courses are offered instead of quality ones, I will have to eventually rethink my subscription.
Date published: 2024-09-25
Rated 2 out of
5
by
Knowledge Hound from
A documentary; not a Great Course
I have finished over 250 Great Courses, and have watched lectures in many others. A “Great” Course, in my opinion, gives the viewer new knowledge and a coherent framework for understanding a topic.
True Crime is really what I would expect from a television documentary. It deals with sensational unsolved crimes, giving lots of salacious tidbits, and no real substance other than simply the facts of the crime and speculation about who the perpetrator might have been. It justifies itself as a “course” by including references to how these crimes might have been solved with current forensic techniques and discussion of how the evidence at the time was poorly handled or poorly curated.
I loved Elizabeth Murray’s “Trails of Evidence” course, but her involvement here does not do her justice as the brilliant forensic specialist I believe she is.
For television level entertainment, watch it; but if you want real knowledge and insights, don’t waste your time.
Date published: 2024-09-06
Rated 5 out of
5
by
traymuse from
Interesting details
I really got a kick out of the takes that the experts had on these cases. Their viewpoints seemed generally meant simply to enlarge upon the ideas surrounding the cases and their investigations. I learned a good bit, and I'm a true crime fanatic.
Date published: 2024-03-15
Rated 2 out of
5
by
GreatFan from
Too sensational and dramatic
We borrowed this from the library. My husband and I did wade through it but cringed at the dramatic presentation of the material. We don't care that the Ice Man was murdered as there is no way his killer would be found and brought to justice. That was par for the course in all of these cases. Bodies were exhumed to prove a point but we could only think of the wasted man hours and money on crimes that happened so long ago. We did not like this course and would not recommend it.
Date published: 2023-06-27
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Garyst from
Just a simple overview and not worthwhile
I've an interest (along with a million other people) in investigating evidence to discover the what, where, why, when, who, and how of a crime. Having read or heard about the crimes listed in this course I was excited. However, with no disrespect for the lecturers, this was more like a news blurb you might see on television with a talking head trying to tell you the story in a two-minute time frame rather than an insightful and detailed examination in a 30 minute format. I realize that all the CSI style tv shows get it horribly wrong, so I'm not comparing this course to them, but at the same time, each lecture left me feeling gyped.
Date published: 2023-05-05
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TallDog from
Fascinating
These lectures were quite interesting. I would have liked even more detail, but still happy with it.
Date published: 2023-04-13
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Spies from
Great course
This is my second course with this instructor. She makes highly technical and even gruesome situations interesting and relatable. Anyone with an interest in evidence should take this course.
Date published: 2023-01-02
Rated 4 out of
5
by
drummerboy from
Excellent content, chintzy format
The presenters do an excellent job but the format used by Wondrium (?) makes one feel as if he is watching a cheap thriller on an offbeat cable channel.
Date published: 2022-10-31
Overview
About
Dr. Elizabeth A. Murray is a forensic anthropologist and also Professor of Biology at Mount St. Joseph University, where she teaches doctoral-level human gross anatomy and undergraduate-level anatomy and physiology, as well as forensic science. She earned her bachelor's degree in biology from Mount St. Joseph University and her master's degree in anthropology and Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Biology from the University of Cincinnati.
Most of Professor Murray's forensic casework has been in Ohio and Kentucky, where she has participated in hundreds of investigations. She is one of fewer than 100 anthropologists certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. Professor Murray has been honored with the Sears-Roebuck Foundation Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award, and she twice earned the Clifford Excellence in Teaching Award. She has served as an instructor for numerous organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, and the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners. Her television appearances include National Geographic's Buried Secrets, Discovery Health's Skeleton Stories, The New Detectives, and Forensic Files. Her book Death: Corpses, Cadavers, and Other Grave Matters was named one of the top ten summer titles for students by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her 2012 book, Forensic Identification: Putting a Name and Face on Death, was selected as one of the outstanding books of 2012 by the prestigious National Science Teacher's Association.
Richard B. Spence is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Idaho. He holds a PhD in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he also taught as a visiting assistant professor. His research areas include Russian and military history, espionage, occultism, secret societies, anti-Semitism, and true crime. He is the author of several books, including Trust No One: The Secret World of Sidney Reilly and Secret Agent 666: Aleister Crowley, British Intelligence and the Occult. He has also been a contributor for HISTORY®.
Raychelle Burks is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at American University who has also worked in a crime lab. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her research team focuses on the development of field-portable colorimetric and luminescent sensor arrays to detect explosives, chemical weapons, drugs, and latent prints.
Trailer
01: Jack the Ripper
One of the most infamous serial killer cases in history, the Jack the Ripper murders in London’s East End continue to fascinate professional investigators and enthusiastic amateurs alike. Who was Jack the Ripper? And who were his victims? Why have these murders lived on in our imaginations since 1888? Examine these questions and more.
29 min
02: The Coldest Cases
Here, your experts discuss several cold cases, ranging from prehistoric murder to medieval regicide to identifying casualties of the first World War. Consider the difficulties of examining evidence long after the crime was committed and discover the advantages and limitations of modern forensic science.
28 min
03: The Black Dahlia
In the summer of 1947, a young woman named Elizabeth Short was discovered brutally murdered in a vacant lot. Her case is one of the most famous unsolved murders in America, yet most don’t know her real name. Take a closer look at what we know about the death of the woman known as the Black Dahlia.
25 min
04: Death in Tinseltown
The death of producer and director William Desmond Taylor helped fuel the mystique surrounding the seedier side of Hollywood success. As you will see, there were many suspects with varying motives but no final answers to the mystery of his death. Are some crimes truly unsolvable?
22 min
05: Zodiac: A Cult of One
The serial murders committed by the Zodiac Killer in the late 60s and early 70s were defined by the way the killer(s) left intentional puzzles and clues. Despite the evidence, the case remains unsolved—but certainly not for lack of trying. Look at what is known about this case and consider possible theories.
25 min
06: Weird Weapons
What happens when creativity is mixed with malice? Sometimes, the result is murder. Examine several instances of crimes committed with dangerous substances and see why solving these cases is especially difficult. And you may be surprised by how common some of these “weapons” are.
22 min
07: Recovering the Romanovs
Separating truth from myth is especially difficult when examining the assassination of the Romanov royal family in 1917. There has been decades of speculation and more than a few pretenders claiming to be surviving members of the family. What do we really know about the murders that ended the Romanov dynasty?
27 min
08: Death in the Old West
Tales of the Old West are often larger than life and full of improbable adventure, yet a few stories are actually stranger than fiction. Whether it’s the murder of a famous outlaw or the mysterious deaths of a group of prospectors, see why these cases continue to fascinate and confound us over a century later.
28 min
