Last night, the Discovery channel series The New Detectives did a segment on the 1996 murder of Aimee Willard, a Pennsylvania college student. UM did a segment on that case during the 1996-97 season. Her car was found abandoned in June of 1996, which led to speculation that she was pulled over, kidnapped, and murdered by someone posing as a cop. Arthur Bomar, a paroled killer, was convicted of Aimee's murder in 1998, and is on death row.

Since The New Detectives also airs on Saturday nights, it's possible for the episode (entitled "Out To Kill") to be encored this coming Saturday. Tune in just in case. But even if that episode isn't encored this Saturday, don't despair. It will be repeated soon.

The New Detectives have featured several murders that have appeared on Unsolved Mysteries. The murder of Shannon Mohr Davis to name one. Do you prefer the New Detectives emphasis on forensic science to solve the crime or Unsolved Mysteries presentation of the known facts and attempting to find a suspect? Is the dramatic reenactment better on the New Detectives or Unsolved Mysteries?

Originally posted by Rieder
Do you prefer the New Detectives emphasis on forensic science to solve the crime or Unsolved Mysteries presentation of the known facts and attempting to find a suspect? Is the dramatic reenactment better on the New Detectives or Unsolved Mysteries?

As a true-crime buff, it is very difficult (if not impossible) for me to answer such questions concisely and/or without hedging. But I can tell you this: Unsolved Mysteries is one of my two all-time favorite TV shows (the other is The Incredible Hulk). Both Unsolved Mysteries and New Detectives (as well as shows of their ilk) appeal to me. The former features unsolved cases, while the latter features cases that were solved with forensic evidence. That's the biggest difference I see in those shows, but they are both true-crime shows, and they each stand on their own. UM made great dramatizations, as do New Detectives and Forensic Files. Additionally, forensic science is a very intriguing subject.

I agree. Its very difficult to distinguish between Unsolved Mysteries and the New Detectives.Cosgrove-Meurer Productions and New Dominion Pictures have produced excellent dramatic reenactment for those programs. The benefit of viewing the two programs is that the viewer can develop a greater understanding of the crime, perpetrator and victims when they feature the same crime. The viewer can appreciate the forensic science perspective from the New Detectives and a criminal investigative perspective from Unsolved Mysteries.

The Forensic Files are not broadcast in Australia, but it seems they would emphasise a forensic science approach similar to the New Detectives and Medical Detectives.

I think Aimee Willard might be the case i had brought up in my last post. Was she out with friends that night and home from college? She left her friends at like 1am and her car was found abandon on the side of hte parkway. He body was found a few days later in an abandon lot?

Originally posted by ddelta
I think Aimee Willard might be the case i had brought up in my last post. Was she out with friends that night and home from college? She left her friends at like 1am and her car was found abandon on the side of hte parkway. He body was found a few days later in an abandon lot?

She went out with friends on the night of her murder. Her car was abandoned, and she was found dead in a vacant lot a few days later. It is believed that her killer, Arthur Bomar, saw her at a local bar, and followed her when she left.

I recommend checking out the following Aimee Willard link:

http://www.aimeewillard.com