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Forensic Files - Season 12, Episode 30 - Smoking Out A Killer - Full Episode

FilmRise True Crime・15 minutes read

Three college students are murdered by a person targeting young women, leading to doubts about the initial suspect's guilt. After 20 years, DNA evidence points to Daniel Woloson as the true killer of Susan Schumake, leading to his conviction for first-degree murder.

Insights

  • Doubts about the initial suspect's guilt arose due to unmentioned cases and details, leading to a 20-year unsolved case until old evidence revealed the truth.
  • The introduction of a new DNA process in 2000 allowed analysts to identify Susan's killer, exonerating the prime suspect, John Paul Phillips, whose DNA did not match, ultimately leading to the conviction of Daniel Woloson for Susan's murder.

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Recent questions

  • Who was the prime suspect in Susan Schumake's murder?

    John Paul Phillips

  • What new DNA process helped identify Susan Schumake's killer?

    PCR

  • How was Susan Schumake's killer finally identified?

    DNA from cigarette butts

  • What was the outcome of Daniel Woloson's trial for Susan Schumake's murder?

    Convicted to 40 years in prison

  • What was the university's response to Susan Schumake's murder?

    Constructed a pedestrian overpass

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Summary

00:00

"College student murders solved after 20 years"

  • Three college students are murdered, seemingly by one person targeting young and pretty women.
  • Police have a suspect early on, likening it to winning the lottery in law enforcement terms.
  • Doubts arise about the suspect's guilt due to unmentioned cases and details.
  • Susan Schumake's murder remains unsolved for 20 years until old evidence reveals the truth.
  • Susan Schumake, a senior at Southern Illinois University, is found murdered after leaving the radio station.
  • Susan's body is discovered beaten, strangled, and sexually assaulted, with the crime occurring in broad daylight.
  • Police investigate Susan's friends and past relationships, considering both known and unknown suspects.
  • A subcontractor working near the crime scene had employed a man previously suspected in two other student murders.
  • John Paul Phillips becomes the prime suspect in Susan's murder due to his violent history and proximity to the crime scenes.
  • Despite initial doubts, Phillips is eventually linked to Susan's murder through a prison confession, implicating him in multiple other killings.

10:06

Trial reveals innocence of accused murderer.

  • John Paul Phillips went on trial in November 1986 for the murder of Joan Weatherall, one of three murders he allegedly confessed to.
  • The judge expressed confidence in Phillips' guilt for all three murders during the trial.
  • Phillips denied killing Weatherall but was sentenced to death and died in prison before the sentence was carried out.
  • Phillips never mentioned Susan Schumake, but her family believed he was responsible for her murder.
  • Susan's murder stood out as different from the others due to the circumstances.
  • A new DNA process called "PCR" in 2000 allowed analysts to identify the DNA profile of Susan's killer from a small biological sample.
  • Phillips' DNA did not match the crime scene DNA, leading investigators to exhumed his body to eliminate him as a suspect.
  • Daniel Woloson, a suspect in Susan's murder, refused to provide a DNA sample, prompting investigators to use unconventional methods to obtain it.
  • DNA from cigarette butts found on Woloson's car matched the DNA from the crime scene, confirming him as the killer.
  • Despite overwhelming evidence, Woloson pleaded not guilty to Susan's murder.

20:40

Justice for Susan: Overpass Built in Remembrance

  • In March 2006, Daniel Woloson was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison for Susan's murder, 25 years after the incident.
  • A well-lighted pedestrian overpass was constructed by the university to replace the overgrown dirt path where Susan was abducted and murdered, named in her honor.
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