Syracuse.com's investigative true crime podcast, "Firecracker," has captivated thousands of listeners since its November 13 debut. The podcast delves into the gruesome 1996 murder of Syracuse resident Carol Ryan, where an explosive device was detonated inside her. Despite breaking into the Top 100 on the Apple Podcasts Charts within days and accumulating over 100,000 downloads, the case remains unsolved.
Reported and hosted by journalist Katrina Tulloch, "Firecracker" uncovers the chilling details of Carol Ryan's murder and the enduring impact on the community. With six episodes, Tulloch explores the lead-up to the murder, the mishandling of the crime scene, the challenges faced by investigators, and the potential breakthroughs offered by DNA technology. Despite extensive interviews with over 30 people, including Carol's family, friends, law enforcement, and forensic experts, the mystery persists, haunting Central New York for decades. Carol's son Shawn attributes the lack of progress to law enforcement, who believe they know the perpetrator but have yet to prove it.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has released a facial reconstruction in an attempt to identify a Black male homicide victim from a 1980 cold case. The skeletal remains, found wrapped in a carpet near State Road 11 in Bunnell, remain unidentified. Despite DNA processing by Othram, Inc., revealing African and European origins, the victim's name remains unknown.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Imaging Unit created a craniofacial reconstruction, estimating the victim to be 5 feet 7 inches tall and around 150 pounds. Sheriff Rick Staly emphasized the public's role in solving the mystery, urging anyone with information to contact the FCSO Cold Case Unit. The Sheriff's Office hopes that the newly released image will lead to the identification of the victim, providing closure to his family after more than four decades of uncertainty.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department has identified Michael Ray Schlicht as a suspected victim of notorious serial killer Randy Kraft nearly five decades after his body was found. Utilizing investigative genetic genealogy, authorities connected Schlicht to Kraft, known as the "Scorecard Killer" and "Freeway Killer." Schlicht, last seen in April 1974, was believed to have died from accidental alcohol and diazepam intoxication. Kraft, convicted in 1989 for murdering 16 young men, remains on death row. The breakthrough in Schlicht's case came through DNA profiling and the assistance of Othram Laboratories, leading to the closure of a long-standing mystery.