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Cold case link to 'In Cold Blood'

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    DNA from killers may crack 1959 FL murder case

  • Duration 5:33
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Breaking developments in a brutal murder case out of Florida that's been unsolved for more than fifty years and now -- twist and potential break in the case DNA from two notorious killers.

Could crack the case wide open it all started back in 1959 to do little background in this.

It's quite a horrific crime that really rocked the entire country.

Herbert clutter and his wife into their teenaged children.

Were killed inside their home in Kansas.

Police arrested two ex convicts on -- and charged him with that brutal crime months later after this happened and Richard Hitchcock and -- if you're seeing on your screen.

Were convicted and -- cheated.

Well the notorious killers -- made famous in trimming the party's true crime novel in cold blood -- that novel comes into play here just a month after the clutter killings.

The walker family.

Was murdered also inside their home.

This time near Sarasota Florida.

Investigators say the walker -- -- striking similarities to the -- case and the two men who were convicted an -- acute and were on the run.

The air in Sarasota.

At the time the walker family was -- and now investigators say this.

In Florida -- they want to Kansas -- to give the okay.

To exhume the bodies of the killers to see if they -- DNA ties them.

Did the DNA found.

At the walkers murders that are yet unsolved doctor Michael -- is a forensic pathologists Fox's contributor perfect person to talk -- about this.

What do you think about this trail that will work.

I think is very -- -- because in 1959.

When.

The -- case came in the 1960 -- the current case that there interest didn't.

There was seen in on the panties of the murdered wife.

In Sarasota that's the walker family walking only knows what happened to them and who killed them that there's still on the unsolved murder.

But in 1960 days in that DNA didn't exist that of -- examination that only came into being about 1989.

So they've held on to this evidence for the unsolved crime for 53 years.

And -- is it is in a box somewhere in the back like we see in the movies and -- police department.

In some police department where it's been saved as evidence because it's an unsolved case.

Usually that's enough DNA is is very party scene is very -- so even just kept at room temperature.

It should be all right that doesn't have a shelf life it doesn't -- -- write it it it'll outlive us and in fact.

When they exhumed if they're going to exhume the bodies of the Smith and -- Iraq.

There's concern to -- Skelton eyes and whatever it to 53 years.

Our bones and our teeth hold on -- our DNA.

The hundreds maybe thousands of years they've been able to get DNA from mastodons you know -- stark animals.

So that as long as his bones or teeth around.

They'll be able to get the DNA of the these say they can -- turn to family members don't have to exhume the bodies has yet if if there are -- members of -- -- and Smith around siblings that -- in the seventies maybe it was so.

Or.

Grandchildren.

-- awards did nephews they may still be able to get DNA from those without doing -- summation.

The families decided not to claim the bodies of these two men on the street -- there that would bring accentuated so they don't William -- little eating us if he's cold cases you see these murderers these convicted murderers have been -- -- you understand that there's been many people falsely accused you understand that there is a family that still doesn't know what happened to some of their relatives.

But in your professional opinion of why reopen this case why why go back and try to figure this out now.

Well if they can resolve the case and solve the case now.

The the -- the B -- -- of him what they have relatives and family and friends.

Who want this resolved it doesn't bring them back.

But catching the people are identifying.

Who done it does bring a lot of relief to families.

And that you're paying on something else mentioned the change in Capote novel but they didn't -- -- -- -- you convicted murderers are often visited.

By fans of this novel action saved fans the people that are fascinated with -- celebrity status of these criminals.

And as we go back to this case how concerned are you.

About copycats.

Or just world did that that that part bringing up this kind again.

That that that's a problem because.

Some people killed act because it wanna be famous.

They want to get the publicity that other notorious people have.

So we do have some fringe people in society who could be influenced by the fact that.

Other people who killed who killed get famous even though.

That just stay in jail.

So that's always a risk and always a problem might -- Popularizing.

These murders that you feel the search for answers yeah I think this -- experiences is more important I think the concept that.

Police departments have an -- brought up that old cases can still be solved with evidence from fifty years ago.

If they've saved the evidence and if they bring -- forth.

And reassuring to the public sealed with your bad guy just because he get executed doesn't mean you're not going to be caught some day and that's actually a very good maps and -- -- -- -- talked about it right.

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