1988 Michigan Murder to be Covered on Upcoming ’20/20′ Episode

The upcoming episode highlights how forensic genealogy helped solve a cold case out of Michigan.

At the time of the crime investigators were able to collect fingerprints, blood, and a footprint believed to be left behind by the suspect, but the Southwest Michigan family was left without answers for 35 years.

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Much like the Golden State Killer and the arrest of Bryan Kohberger in the Idaho college murders, today DNA plays a key role in crime solving. According to the Three Rivers Commercial News the upcoming 20/20 episode will cover the 1988 case of Cathy Swartz.

In December 1988 Swartz was brutally murdered in her townhome in Three Rivers, Michigan while her infant daughter was in the next room. While the baby remained unharmed Swartz's fiancé came home from work to signs of a struggle and found Cathy deceased.

Due to technological limitations the case went unsolved for over 30 years until a partnership with the Michigan State Police brought the use of forensic genetic genealogy in 2022 which identified the relatives of potential suspects. According to the Three Rivers Commercial News detective Sam Smallcombe with the Three Rivers Police Department believes forensic genealogy technology was the key in solving this case.

The 20/20 episode featuring the Swartz case will air Friday March 7, 2025 on ABC and is available to watch next day on Hulu. The episode also includes a cold case from 1995 in Texas which was also solved with the help of forensic genealogy.

Find details from the 1988 case here and check out a preview of the episode below: