Catch up TV

Series 4: 2. The Body in the Suitcase

An expert witness uses scanning technology developed for the manufacturing industry to find vital evidence that convicts a killer. \n\nIn a Birmingham canal, a truly shocking discovery is made – two suitcases containing the severed remains of a male victim. When DNA testing revealed it to be Michael Spalding, a 39-year-old father of three, the friend he was living with before he went missing soon became the investigator's chief suspect. But they needed to link him to the brutal murder. A forensic search of the home the men shared uncovered another piece of bone, and police turned to 3D-scanning expert Professor Mark Williams from the University of Warwick, who used cutting-edge science to uncover the truth and help bring the killer to justice. With revealing interviews from the lead investigator in the case, Nigel Harrison. \n\nIn some cases, exactly when a death occurred can be key to an investigation. One science that can help answer this question is forensic entomology. \n\nIn another case, an eight-year-old dog was brought to a vet, having collapsed with convulsions. The much-loved pet had been boarding at a kennel while her owners were on holiday. The vet noticed that she had open wounds on her hindquarters and that they were infested with maggots, which strongly suggested a case of neglect. But the kennel owners claimed that just days earlier the dog seemed in good health and was walking around happily that very morning. The RSPCA needed to establish who was responsible for neglecting the animal – was it the kennels or her owners? A forensic entomologist and specialist from the Natural History Museum, Dr Martin Hall, works to establish exactly who is to blame.

Source: BBC 1