The Unabomber's Writing Style Was His Undoing

Solving a crime is difficult and was even more so before advancements in forensic technology. Investigators often had to rely on a random person coming forward or an unexpected break in the case. Surprisingly, some of the most notorious crimes were solved due to a single misstep or piece of information. Here are 20 times a crime was solved in unexpected ways.

Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wikimedia

1. The Green River Killer - Identified By His Son

Gary Ridgway murdered dozens of women in Washington State. Investigators had an early suspicion of him, but there was insufficient evidence to pin him to the crimes. In 2001, advances in DNA testing linked Ridgway to the victims. Ultimately, DNA from his son confirmed the match, and Ridgway confessed to 49 murders.

King County Sheriff's Office on Wikimedia

2. The Golden State Killer - Caught Through Genealogy

The Golden State Killer terrorized California residents for decades. In 2018, investigators uploaded crime-scene DNA to a public genealogy database, which identified distant relatives. By building a family tree, they narrowed their suspects and found the killer, a man named Joseph James DeAngelo.

Sacramento Sheriff on Wikimedia

3. BTK Killer - Caught by a Floppy Disk

Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer, taunted police with letters for decades. In 2004, and for some odd reason, he asked investigators if a floppy disk could be traced. They falsely assured him that it couldn't, and when Rader sent one, they easily traced it to a computer at a church under his name.

United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wikimedia

4. The Unabomber - Recognized by His Handwriting

Ted Kaczynski evaded authorities for two decades, sending bombs via mail across the country. In 1995, authorities published his manifesto, and Kaczynski's brother recognized his writing style and ideas and then alerted the FBI.

State of Illinois on Wikimedia

5. John List - Found Through a Sculpture Bust

List murdered his family in 1971 and then vanished. A forensic artist created a clay bust predicting how List would have aged. The image aired on America's Most Wanted, prompting a tip from a neighbor who recognized him. 

Family photographs commissioned by John List and his wife, Helen. on Wikimedia

6. The Grim Sleeper - Caught by Pizza Crust

Lonnie Franklin Jr. was a serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles. In 2010, investigators used familial DNA to identify him. Police then collected Franklin's discarded pizza crust to confirm the match.

Los Angeles Police Department on Wikimedia

7. Richard Dabate - Murder Solved Thanks to a Fitbit

In 2015, Dabate claimed his wife was killed by a masked intruder who broke into their house. The police found his account to be riddled with inconsistencies and examined his wife's Fitbit data, which showed she was walking around the house at a time that contradicted Dabate's timeline. 

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8. The Craigslist Killer - Stopped by a Survivor

Phillip Markoff murdered women he met through Craigslist ads. One victim was lucky enough to survive and provided police with enough information to apprehend Markoff. 

Dedwox on Wikimedia

9. Martin Duram - Exposed by a Parrot

In 2015, Duram was convicted of murdering his wife. Prosecutors presented a unique detail: the couple's parrot repeatedly mimicked their violent argument, which contained crucial details of her murder.

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10. Timothy McVeigh - Identified at a Traffic Stop

After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, investigators quickly identified Timothy McVeigh as the main suspect. The breakthrough came unexpectedly from a traffic stop when McVeigh was pulled over for driving without license plates.

FBI Lab forensic artist on Wikimedia

11. Mark Hacking - Ousted by His Internet Search History

Hacking murdered his wife in 2004 in Utah. He claimed she disappeared while jogging, but investigators recovered his computer search history, where he searched for information about gunshot detection and body disposal. 

Duffman~commonswiki on Wikimedia

12. Scott Peterson - Undone by Witness Sightings

Peterson murdered his pregnant wife, Laci, in 2002. While circumstantial evidence mounted, a witness came forward claiming they saw Laci walking the family dog after the time Scott claimed she left home.

California Department of Corrections on Wikimedia

13. Brian Walshe - Done In by Google

In 2023, Brian Walshe was charged with murdering his wife, Ana. Prosecutors revealed that shortly after her disappearance, Walshe Googled phrases such as "how long before a body starts to smell". Combined with blood evidence and surveillance footage, his Google searches revealed his intent and planning.

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14. Michael Gargiulo - Tracked Through Physical Evidence

Called the "Hollywood Ripper", Gargiulo murdered several women in California. During one attack, a victim survived and scratched Gargiulo, leaving behind DNA. This evidence tied him to multiple crime scenes.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office on Wikimedia

15. Chris Watts - Caught by Polygraph 

Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two daughters in Colorado. His story unraveled when a neighbor's security camera showed Watts loading his truck suspiciously. A failed polygraph was the nail in his coffin. 

Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States on Wikimedia

16. Ted Bundy - Identified by a Bite Mark

One of the U.S.'s most infamous serial killers, Bundy was linked to multiple murders through an unexpected form of forensic evidence: bite-mark analysis. While controversial today, this evidence helped bring Bundy to justice.

Unknown photographer on Wikimedia

17. Russell Williams - Apprehended by Tire Track Analysis

Canadian Air Force Colonel Russell Williams committed multiple murders while evading suspicion. Investigators used tire-track analysis from multiple crime scenes to identify a tread pattern that eventually brought him to justice.

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18. James Holmes - Caught Via Ballistics and Online Activity

Homes carried out a mass shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. While he was apprehended at the scene, investigators still had to tie him to the extensive premeditation. The breakthrough came through a combination of ballistic analysis and after police searched through his internet activity.

Tony Webster on Wikimedia

19. Stephen McDaniel - Exposed on Live TV

McDaniel murdered law student Lauren Giddings in 2011. While not initially a suspect, he appeared on local news to discuss her disappearance. During the live broadcast, the reporter revealed that Giddings' remains had been found. McDaniel's immediate reaction raised red flags, and he was eventually linked to the crime through DNA evidence. 

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20. Anthony Garcia - Undone by His Obsessive Behavior 

Garcia murdered four people in Omaha over a span of four years. After Garcia was arrested for a separate offense, his DNA matched the earlier evidence. Police then uncovered his obsessive writings and records showing his fixation on his victims.

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