Recreating Leslie Mueller's alleged journey down creek | Forensic Files

I just really wasn't clear about the landing area was it in the v or was it on top of the large Rock so I I did
demonstrations on both of them so the first time we advance her out and we're using that that steel tape is just a
scale so we can move her out in approximate one foot she was reported to only have one shoe on or one shoe was
lost during the fall or whatever that's why there's there's a single shoe on the
uh the feet and trying to pull this thing and get everybody ready with the cameras you can
see that there was some instability and it almost tried to take off at that point I don't know if it would have or
not and confirming all the cameras are ready to go just trying to bring the mannequin down and uh get it in a
position so we can test it in that that uh that water of the original FAL sight here with an underwater camera and
downstream V entering the main water Channel there's the falls and see the the water is
arated and there is the water exiting towards river right a body going over there wouldn't hang up maybe it' flush
out so now we're testing what's going to happen when it flushes out so there is a
variation in in the first pool as to what would happen to a body going over that first drop

Colorado law enforcement was asked by the prosecution to show jurors a water test conducted using a mannequin with a similar build to that of Leslie Mueller. The test emulated the path that her body would have taken down Cottonwood Creek according to her husband's story.

Brief Summary

The episode discusses water rescue simulation testing and challenges in body recovery dynamics.

Key points

Testing the Landing Area. Confusion arises about the landing area for the test. 'I just really wasn't clear about the landing area.'
Instability During the Test. The test mannequin shows signs of instability, raising concerns. 'It almost tried to take off.'
Body Over the First Drop. Questions arise about the effects of the first drop on a body. 'What would happen to a body going over that first drop?'

Episode highlights

Instability During the TestThe test mannequin shows signs of instability, raising concerns. 'It almost tried to take off.'“There was some instability and it almost tried to take off.”0:34Oct 13, 2013

Episode quotes

I just really wasn't clear about the landing area.

WatchOct 13, 2013

More from 48 Hours

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.