Michelle Taylor

Editor-in-Chief

Forensic

Michelle Taylor has worked on the Forensic brand since 2016. Well established in the industry, Michelle has attended dozens of scientific conferences and conducted interviews with key opinion leaders, including multiple Nobel Prize winners and award-winning forensic scientists. Michelle enjoys writing about investigative forensic genetic genealogy, novel psychoactive substances, next-generation sequencing, sexual assault kits and more. Michelle received her BA in journalism from Elon University in North Carolina. Michelle can be reached at [email protected] Michelle can be reached at [email protected]

Study Proves MRIs Can Show Strangulation Evidence 12 Days Later
December 10, 2025
In cases of strangulation, visible traces such as strangulation marks on the neck fade after just a few days—even shorter for those with darker skin tones. This can make it so much harder for victims to present evidence of a crime. read more
2025 Holiday Gift Guide for Forensic Professionals
December 08, 2025
Check out the top 10 gifts on this year’s Forensic Holiday Gift Guide. But get a move on—express shipping is expensive! read more
Man Released After 27 Years on Death Row Due to Now-disgraced Expert’s Bite Mark Testimony
December 03, 2025
Until last week, Duncan was the only known person still on death row as a result of the flawed testimony of Hayne and West. read more
Silicon Nanowire Gives Portable Fentanyl Detector a Sensitivity Boost
December 01, 2025
Forensic scientists have tapped into the power of silicon to create a handheld detector that can rapidly register trace amounts of fentanyl in a suspected sample to give first responders a better idea of what they are dealing with when responding to a scene. read more
Fourth Victim Tied to Colonial Parkway Murders Serial Killer
November 17, 2025
The serial killer responsible for at least three of the Colonial Parkway murders has now been tied to a fourth victim through DNA. read more
Report Stresses Need for More Crime Labs as Demand Climbs
November 10, 2025
A report from the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) suggests Tennessee’s crime labs are at or near capacity and the state must consider expanding current facilities and building new ones if there’s any hope of addressing the current evidence backlog. read more
DNA Confirms Identity of Likely First Fox Hollow Farm Victim
November 05, 2025
Now, DNA has confirmed the identity of one of those victims, likely the first one buried on Baumeister's property at Fox Hollow Farm. read more
University Establishes Unique Forensic Consultancy Program
October 29, 2025
The University of Exeter (UK) has launched a forensic ecology consultancy that will work directly with police and investigative agencies to help solve crimes and major incidents. read more
Ohio Sees Carfentanil Increase, New Opioid Compound
October 22, 2025
The state of Ohio is continuing to experience a rise in drug seizures involving carfentanil, while forensic labs have detected a new opioid compound in the state. read more
UK Survey: Nearly 85% of CSIs Report Impact on Mental Health
October 15, 2025
Forensic professionals are suffering severe damage to their mental health due to frequent exposure to traumatic scenes, according to UNISON, the largest trade union in the United Kingdom. read more
6 of 24 Bodies Identified in Mortuary Scandal Involving County Coroner
October 06, 2025
Colorado regulatory inspectors discovered over 20 dead bodies in various states of decay hidden inside the Davis Mortuary funeral home owned by elected Pueblo County Coroner Brain Cotter and his brother Chris Cotter. read more
DNA, Ballistics Tie Serial Killer to 1991 ‘Yogurt Shop Murders’ in Austin
September 29, 2025
The only physical evidence located at the scene of a quadruple assault and homicide of teenagers has been linked to known serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers who, years later, died by suicide during a police standoff—with the same gun he used to murder 13-year-old Amy Ayers on that night in 1991. read more
Celebrating National Forensic Science Week 2025
September 17, 2025
This week-long event serves as an opportunity to raise public awareness about the vital role forensic science plays in the criminal justice system, from exonerating the innocent to identifying the guilty. read more
Genealogy IDs 1971 Jane Doe, Reunites 2 Surviving Children
September 15, 2025
Police in one of the most affluent counties in Maryland have not only solved the department’s oldest cold case homicide, but also reunited the victim’s surviving adult children who were unaware of what had happened to their mother and each other. read more
Police Exhume Remains of 1985 John Doe for Genetic Genealogy Analysis
September 15, 2025
St. Joseph County Police, the Coroner’s Office, and other agencies will exhume the remains of this man—known only as the “Howard Johnson John Doe”—from Tutt Cemetery in an attempt to give him his name back. read more
DNA Doe Project Identifies Last Child Victim of Bear Brook Murders
September 08, 2025
Nearly 50 years after her serial killer father allegedly murdered her, the DNA Doe Project has identified the little girl found in a barrel in Bear Brook State Park in 2000. read more
DNA Analysis Leads to Individual Twin in 1987 Rape Cold Case
September 03, 2025
For the first time in the U.S., an identical twin has been convicted of a crime based on DNA analysis. read more
After Reexamination Leads to DNA, Police Exhume Teen’s Body in 1993 Cold Case
August 25, 2025
After spending the last two years reviewing the cold case murder of a teen, detectives with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office (Michigan) gathered enough information to make it necessary to exhume the girl’s body in hopes of solving the case. read more
Professor Designs AI-powered Gunshot Detection Tech to Overcome Current Drawbacks
August 11, 2025
Researchers at Purdue University Northwest have used AI to create a new indoor gunshot detection system that was specifically designed to overcome the current challenges of such systems. read more
M-Vac to be Used on Evidence from West Memphis Three Murders
August 06, 2025
The order allows DNA testing of evidence from the original crime scene. The order specifically calls for the use of the M-Vac system. read more