Trace of Suspicion

Trace of Suspicion

4.5 (7.8K) · TRUE CRIME · UPDATED WEEKLY

Following the forensic evidence — how trace science, DNA, and digital footprints crack impossible cases.

The Fiber That Solved Everything

The Fiber That Solved Everything

A single blue synthetic fiber found at a crime scene in 1981 becomes the thread that eventually unravels a serial killer's decade-long spree.

Pollen as Witness

Pollen as Witness

Forensic palynology — the science of pollen analysis — has solved crimes across the world. Dana walks through three landmark cases where pollen was the decisive evidence.

The Genealogy Breakthrough

The Genealogy Breakthrough

How law enforcement agencies used consumer DNA ancestry databases to identify suspects in cold cases — and the privacy debate that followed.

Digital Footprints Don't Lie

Digital Footprints Don't Lie

Cell tower data, IP logs, fitness tracker GPS, smart home records — modern murders are increasingly solved by data the suspects didn't know they were leaving.

The Degraded Sample

The Degraded Sample

How modern forensic techniques can extract usable DNA from samples that are decades old, heavily degraded, or contaminated. The science behind reopening cold cases.

Bite Mark Science on Trial

Bite Mark Science on Trial

Bite mark analysis was once considered reliable forensic evidence. It has since been thoroughly debunked. Dana examines the cases it got wrong and what that means for those already convicted.

The Glass Evidence

The Glass Evidence

Microscopic glass fragments transfer in invisible ways and can place a suspect at a crime scene years later. How glass analysis cracked three cold cases.

Soil Signatures

Soil Signatures

The unique mineral and microbial composition of soil can pinpoint where a body was buried, where a suspect traveled, and when they were there. Forensic geology in three cases.

Hosts & Guests

Dana Choi

Dana ChoiHost

4.5

out of 5

7.8K Ratings

Smart true crime for science lovers

Dana actually explains the science in a way that's comprehensible without dumbing it down. The genealogy episode is a masterpiece of science journalism.

ForensicFanatic · Mar 7, 2026

CSI but real and 100x better

Forget television forensics. This is what actual trace evidence work looks like. Rigorous, fascinating, and perfectly produced.

RealScienceListener · Feb 19, 2026

Excellent niche podcast

Exactly the podcast I've been looking for. Forensic science gets the serious treatment it deserves. Some episodes are very technical but that's a feature, not a bug.

MedicalExaminerd · Feb 2, 2026

About

Trace of Suspicion is the true crime podcast that goes deep on forensic science. Host and former crime lab analyst Dana Choi walks through the scientific evidence in real cases — how a single fiber, a microscopic trace of pollen, a degraded DNA sample, or a cell tower ping cracked a case that investigators thought was hopeless. Smart, methodical, and endlessly fascinating.

Information

Channel

Independent

Creator

Dana Choi

Years Active

2021 - 2026

Episodes

140+

Rating

Clean

Copyright

© 2026 Trace of Suspicion

Show Website

—

Provider

Independent

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