The destructive force of fire in a crime scene investigation | Forensic Files

this Foundation is where the freedley family's home once stood eight years ago Vicki freedley her boyfriend John
Hayward and her 18-year-old daughter Becky were viciously murdered here in pinion Pines Vicky and John were found
shot inside the home which was set on fire Becky was found here outside the home her body still burning in a
wheelbarrow when firefighters arrived the case became one of the most notorious unsolved cases in the
Coachella Valley there's been all sorts of speculation as to why you went cold but one of the things that we do know is
that a fire seriously compromises any crime scene for a crime that's brutal few Clues were left behind the fire
destroyed the possibility of finding any hairs and fingerprints the only real forensic evidence that investigators
found at the scene was a business card near where the wheelbarrow had originated from that had DNA that DNA
was linked to Christian Smith later arrested for the crime along with the friend Robert Pape who once dated Becky
freedley whether that physical evidence and a list of circumstantial evidence would have been enough to convict Smith
and Pape is unknown because charges against both men were dropped before the case even went to trial

"48 Hours" correspondent Troy Roberts on how a fire at a home in Pinyon Pines, Calif., likely destroyed evidence of a triple murder.

Brief Summary

The episode examines the unsolved murders of the Freedley family and the evidence that led to arrests but no trial.

Key points

The Freedley Family Tragedy. Vicki Freedley, her boyfriend John, and her daughter Becky were brutally murdered.
Notorious Unsolved Case. The case remains one of the most infamous unsolved mysteries in Coachella Valley.
Evidence Lost to Fire. A fire compromised the crime scene, leaving few clues for investigators.
Charges Dropped. Charges against Christian Smith and Robert Pape were dropped before trial.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

This Foundation is where the Freedley family once stood.

WatchJan 18, 2015

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