Episode
DNA on a straw leads to a teen's suspected killer 40 years after she went missing
- Podcast
- Forensic Files Unsealed
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2546
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
This source details the decades-long investigation into the disappearance and murder of two teenagers, Kelly Morrissey and Teresa Fusco, in 1984 Long Island. For nearly twenty years, three men—John Kogut, John Restivo, and Dennis Halstead—were imprisoned for these crimes based on a coerced confession and questionable evidence. However, advanced DNA testing eventually proved their innocence, leading to their exoneration and the reopening of the cold cases. Recent breakthroughs in genetic genealogy linked a discarded straw to a new suspect, Richard Bido, who was finally charged with Fusco's murder in 2025. Despite this progress, the family of Kelly Morrissey continues to seek answers as her case remains unsolved. This narrative highlights the severe consequences of wrongful convictions and the transformative power of modern forensic science in achieving justice. This episode includes AI-generated content.