ABC 20/20 “The Code Breakers” March 7 2025 Recap & Preview

In this all-new episode, 20/20 co-anchor David Muir investigates how cutting-edge forensic DNA technology has brought justice to the families of two murder victims whose cases remained unsolved for decades. Reporting from Texas, Muir focuses on a forensic lab, Othram, which specializes in cold case investigations using state-of-the-art DNA technology to crack open unsolved cases.

https://www.facebook.com/ABC2020/videos/1142242597393975/

The first case involves Cathy Swartz, a 19-year-old mother murdered in Michigan in 1988. Despite evidence, including a bloody fingerprint and DNA, detectives could not find a match for decades. The second case centers on Catherine Edwards, a Texas schoolteacher found murdered in 1990. Her killer’s DNA was also never matched, and the case went cold.

Muir interviews the daughter of Cathy Swartz, Courteney, who shares her personal journey, and speaks with the experts behind Othram, who worked tirelessly to bring both cases to a close. Through their groundbreaking work, these long-unresolved mysteries found resolution, providing closure to families and justice that had been long awaited.

Interviews include: Courteney Swartz (Cathy’s daughter), Jennifer Outman (friend of Cathy Swartz), Michael Hardy (Texas Monthly senior writer), and investigators involved in both cases.