While thousands of crimes go unsolved every year and often fade quickly from the headlines, there are some cold cases that continue to fascinate us for decades or even centuries. What is it about these cases—usually murders or mysterious deaths—that holds our interest? Why do professional and amateur investigators alike keep revisiting these grisly incidents?

Perhaps one of the reasons we continually return to these mysteries is the prospect of applying modern technology and forensic techniques to resolve uncertainties from the past. The tools and knowledge of the 21st century—from DNA analysis to psychological profiling and everything in between—give us hope that we may be able to finally crack the case and find a belated sense of closure. Whether we are trying to finally reveal the identities of Jack the Ripper and the Zodiac Killer or find peace regarding cases that have plagued our collective psyche for decades, the allure of sleuthing for the answers to the unanswerable is a powerful one.

In True Crime: Decoding the Evidence, you will join a panel of experts—Professor Raychelle Burks, Professor Elizabeth A. Murray, and Professor Emeritus Richard B. Spence—who will walk you through the evidence of nearly a dozen cold cases, including infamous serial killings, Hollywood scandals, deaths caused by everyday substances, a prehistoric murder, and many more.

Eight lectures.

Lecturers: Professor Raychelle Burks, Professor Elizabeth A. Murray, and Professor Emeritus Richard B. Spence

Meeting Dates: Wednesdays, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22

Click here to register.