Narrator: it's usually easy to figure out how a criminal
Enters a crime scene.
But in this case, it was far from clear.
It looked like the k*ller vanished in thin air.
And perhaps he had.
Getting into medical school -- it's the hope and dream of
Thousands of students who apply each year, then pray they'll be
Accepted.
Michael andrade was one of those hopefuls.
He really wanted to be a doctor.
He really wanted to help people.
Just recently, my mom told me she used to tell him, "don't
Worry, michael, all your hard work's gonna pay off."
Because he worked really hard at school.
Narrator: in , michael was a pre-med student at
St. Mary's university in san antonio, texas.
He decided not to live in the dorms, so he rented an apartment
A few miles from campus.
He actually chose that apartment because it seemed more
Family-oriented than the other apartments.
He said that was the one he felt safer at.
Narrator: one morning in february of that year, workmen
Smelled smoke coming from michael's apartment.
They noticed that the windows were coated with soot.
And when they went to the door, it was unlocked.
And as soon as they opened the front door, smoke came
Billowing out.
They were forced out because of the smoke.
And when they went back in, they found mr. Andrade laying on the
Bed.
Narrator: michael andrade had been strangled to death.
His body was somewhat b*rned but very little compared to if
The fire would have taken over.
He was found with one of his arms -- his right arm, in
Fact -- back behind him about belt-high.
It appeared that he had been, at some point, tied up with his
Hands behind him.
Narrator: there were no signs of forced entry, but electronic
Equipment was missing.
There was an entertainment center that had speakers hanging
Off the front of it which appeared to have been connected
To something, and that item was missing.
On the computer desk was a perfect demarcation of where a
Computer would have sat.
Narrator: this meant that the computer had been stolen <span tts:fontstyle="italic">after</span>
The fire started.
And the fire was set in three different locations.
Arson investigators gave information from the beginning
That the fire probably was not started with an accelerant.
It wasn't gasoline, it wasn't lighter fluid -- anything that
Would create a big-flame-type fire.
Narrator: a winged-back chair placed in between the kitchen
And dining area was the site of one fire.
The foot of the bed was another.
And the third fire started on the floor of the bedroom closet.
I have watched a lot of forensics shows, and I knew that
That seemed like a cover-up -- that when there's three points
Of fire, the person who's obviously passed away was not
The person who set it, that there was obviously gonna be
Someone trying to cover up whatever evidence was in the
Apartment.
Narrator: michael had been wearing boxer shorts and a
T-shirt -- an indication he might have known the perpetrator
And willingly let him or her inside.
He knew them and was comfortable enough around them
To be just in his underwear.
If it was somebody that he didn't know, everyone was
Certain that he would have put on more clothing before he
Answered the door.
Narrator: with no forensic evidence, investigators hoped
That the stolen items might lead to the identity of the k*ller.
There was always a chance that something would happen,
Something would break later -- someone would brag about the
Crime, someone would come across the stolen property and bring
That back and we could track it back that way.
Narrator: or maybe there was evidence in the apartment that
They couldn't yet see.
Narrator: at michael andrade's autopsy, the
Medical examiner confirmed what investigators already suspected.
She did find that he had been m*rder*d before the fire was set
Because there was no smoke in his lungs.
The deposit of soot across the body indicated that he had
Actually d*ed in that face-down position because the soot
Deposition was much more prominent across the back of the
Body.
Narrator: the cause of death was strangulation with a piece
Of cloth ripped from the bedsheet.
And dr. Dana also found fiberglass insulation on the
Body.
This was unusual since there was very little structural damage
Caused by the fire.
The material deposited was there alone.
There's a possibility that it had been deposited by the
Perpetrator when the deceased was strangled.
It's unusual that you would see just the insulation material
Without this other debris, such as b*rned wood, nails, screws
That have come out, and even fixtures out of the ceiling.
Narrator: in their search for suspects, investigators couldn't
Find anyone who had a motive to k*ll michael andrade.
He never had no enemies.
I never seen him mad at anybody, upset about anything.
It's a person that you don't even think anybody would have
Anything against him.
So I had no idea.
Narrator: investigators discovered one person who was
Apparently angry with him -- his longtime girlfriend, a fellow
Student, -year-old lilly macias.
I do remember quite a few fights between the two of them
Where he'd be very upset -- either hurt or mad at her.
I don't know exactly what would happen.
It was just -- they would have problems, and you could tell.
Narrator: investigators found a voice mail from lilly to
Michael left at : that morning.
She had left a message on michael's cellphone indicating
That they were having problems and that she was done with their
Relationship.
Narrator: was it possible that lilly went to michael's
Apartment afterwards, and there was an altercation?
At that point, combined with the fact that it seemed like
Michael may have known the person who did this to him, she
Was initially a suspect.
Narrator: but lilly had an alibi -- she was working at her
Part-time job on the morning of the m*rder and was eliminated as
A suspect.
She was very forthcoming.
She was willing to give us a statement, willing to allow us
Search of her apartment, willing to allow us a search of her
Vehicle.
Narrator: michael's sister, stephanie, provided the first
Solid lead.
She said michael complained about a man he saw around the
Apartment complex.
The guy would just talk to him.
The guy made him feel very uncomfortable for some reason.
He didn't say why.
The guy never said anything suspicious to him or anything
Mean, but he just said he always felt a little uncomfortable or
Uneasy around the guy just because his character seemed a
Little off.
Narrator: unfortunately, michael never identified the
Man, provided a physical description, or mentioned where
In the complex he lived.
Right at that point, the investigators had merely the
Crime, the crime scene, and a very large universe of potential
Suspects, with not a whole lot to go on, pinpointing a specific
Person.
Narrator: with no other suspects for the m*rder of
Michael andrade, investigators appealed to the public for help.
Four days later, an anonymous tipster called.
The crime stoppers tip was amazing in its detail.
Narrator: the tipster told police the k*ller didn't enter
Andrade's apartment through the front door or even a window.
He entered through an attic crawl space.
The tipster knew that mr. Andrade's laptop was
Missing, knew about the contents of the laptop -- which was never
Public information.
You really have to question, how would somebody know this
Kind of information?
Narrator: investigators got an anonymous tip in the
Michael andrade m*rder investigation that the k*ller
Entered michael's apartment through a crawl space in the
Attic.
Sure enough, investigators found a panel opening to the attic in
The ceiling of michael's bedroom closet.
When investigators checked it out, they discovered that
Someone could access other apartments through the crawl
Space.
The insulation was only matted between michael's apartment and
Apartment number .
These spaces connected to each other.
It was something I would have never thought of.
It was something that, unless you were a maintenance person, I
Would figure you wouldn't know about.
None of the insulation above any of the other apartments had
Been disturbed.
The only apartment that had been disturbed was michael andrade's
Apartment.
Narrator: the tenant of apartment was -year-old
Maria solis -- a single mother who lived there with her
-Year-old son.
Hi.
How are you?
Good, how are you?
Maria, I'm detective...
Narrator: when questioned by police, maria claimed she didn't
Even know michael andrade or where he lived.
But investigators didn't believe her, so they took the unusual
Step of confiscating maria's vacuum cleaner and the clothes
In her hamper.
Investigators found a pair of men's jeans, and on those jeans
Were tiny glass fibers.
The small air pockets within the glass had expanded, creating a
Distinctive football shape.
This was fiberglass insulation that had been in or near a fire.
The evidence was not destroyed.
It was simply charred.
This gave it unique properties -- something that I
Could compare back to with any standards that were found at the
Scene.
Narrator: the charred insulation on these jeans was
Consistent with the charred insulation found on
Michael andrade's body.
The insulation was unique -- it was burnt insulation, so it
Wasn't a situation where the person could say, "I've been
Working at a construction site.
That's how I got this insulation on my clothing."
Narrator: wrapped around the spool of the vacuum cleaner,
Investigators found highly distinctive thread --
Black polyester fibers were wrapped around cotton fibers,
Then colored with an unusual combination of dyes.
This fiber's bundle is composed of polyester and
Cotton.
It's a blend.
It also has the dark-colored polyester that gives the dyeing
Characteristics and adds some strength to the thread.
Narrator: this thread was consistent with thread found
Around michael's neck.
It matched his bedsheet...
Which had been torn and used as a ligature.
Microscopically, it was the pattern that the threads had
That were able to give me that distinguishing or that unique
Appearance that associated with the bedding material.
Narrator: also in maria's apartment, investigators found a
Video camera and keys to a ford truck.
The video contained images of michael andrade's family --
Proof that the camera was michael's.
And the car keys were michael's, too.
Michael andrade's truck was a ford f-, and these keys were
Ford keys.
Went down with the alarm remote on the set of keys and opened
Up his truck.
Narrator: investigators confronted maria solis and
Wanted to know who owned the men's jeans found in her hamper.
After she was threatened with prosecution, maria solis changed
Her story.
She now admitted she had a roommate -- -year-old
Joe luna.
She met luna over the internet and seemed to me to be
Desperate to be in a relationship with a man, and...
Latched on to joe luna in what I believe was a very manipulative
Relationship.
Narrator: maria claimed she knew nothing about joe luna's
Criminal past -- that he had served five years in prison for
Carjacking and aggravated as*ault on a police officer.
And joe luna was wanted for a series of home invasions that
Bore a marked similarity to the michael andrade case.
He would break in, cut bedsheets up, tie up the people
Who were at the house with those strips of bedsheet.
He terrorized five separate people -- three of whom were
Families with children.
He tied them up, he used weapons, he threatened them,
And he stole from them.
Narrator: brooke envick was a victim of one of those home
Invasions.
It's just indescribable.
You feel like your home is where you're safe.
Narrator: after the robbery, brooke found forensic evidence
The perpetrator had left behind.
We noticed that two cigarette butts were in the
Garage.
We don't smoke, and none of our friends who had been at the
House recently smoke.
Narrator: dna from the saliva on the cigarette butts matched
Joe luna.
It's surprising to me that someone would leave behind their
Dna -- almost carelessly leave behind cigarette butts of
Cigarettes that they had smoked.
Police!
Narrator: just five days after michael andrade's m*rder,
Joe luna was arrested and charged with the crime.
Did you k*ll your neighbor?
No.
Narrator: despite his denials, joe luna was facing a
Possible death sentence.
Narrator: the forensic evidence painted a vivid picture
Of joe luna's movements on the morning of michael andrade's
m*rder.
Prosecutors believe joe luna spent most of his time inside
His girlfriend's apartment since he knew there were warrants out
For his arrest on the robbery cases.
With nothing to do, he discovered there was an attic
And crawl space above the apartment.
So he looked around and discovered there was another
Apartment just feet away -- michael andrade's apartment.
Prosecutors believe he opened the panel in michael's bedroom
Closet, and when he didn't hear any sound, dropped in.
But michael was sleeping, and the noise woke him up.
There was a struggle.
Luna tore at the bedsheets, bound michael's hands behind his
Back, and strangled him to death, fearing that michael
Could identify him.
To mask the evidence, he set fire to the clothes in michael's
Closet and returned to his girlfriend's apartment through
The crawl space.
When he didn't hear the fire alarm sound, he suspected the
Fire went out, so he returned to michael's apartment to start the
Fire again.
He stole michael's computer, electronic equipment, and his
Car keys.
Before leaving, he set the two additional fires.
When luna returned to his girlfriend's apartment, he shed
Fibers from michael's apartment, which he tried to remove with
His girlfriend's vacuum cleaner.
And he put his jeans into the clothes hamper, which had the
b*rned insulation on them.
Having that forensics evidence in your back pocket as
An investigator is just something that you can't
Overcome.
When it's on your clothing, there's a real hard hurdle to
Overcome to say, "I didn't do it, now."
Narrator: during her police interrogation, maria solis
Eventually admitted that luna had confessed.
Eventually admitted that luna had confessed.
Eventually admitted that luna had confessed.
Eventually admitted that luna had confessed.
Narrator: joe luna headed for trial insisting he was innocent.
But the forensic evidence caused him to reconsider.
The fiber evidence that was found and the fiber evidence
That I had looked at was, apparently, so compelling that
The defendant didn't want to continue on with his case, which
Is quite unusual for a capital-m*rder trial.
Narrator: so luna changed his plea to guilty and admitted what
He had done in open court.
He testified that he enjoyed it...
That he lived for the adrenaline rush that it gave him to
Victimize people and to get away with it.
I cannot fathom the terror that that young man went through.
And really there could be nothing worse than seeing a
Joe luna walk out of your closet.
Narrator: in march of , luna asked the jury to give him
The death penalty.
They willingly obliged.
There are certain people in our society that have absolutely
Forfeited their right to live among us by their own actions
And by their own decisions.
Joe luna is one of those people.
Narrator: ironically, joe luna tried to cover up his
Crime by burning the evidence, but he didn't destroy it.
Instead he made those tiny glass insulation fibers more
Distinctive.
It was actually the last way I thought that they would catch
Him.
That was furthest from my mind that it would be in a vacuum.
You have to have the forensics.
You have to have the evidence that can't skip town.
You have to have the evidence that can't lie to you.
As my old professor once said, "there is no such thing as
A perfect crime."
That's -- you can plan, you can calculate, you can try to
Manipulate the circumstances or the surroundings, but you will
Always leave a piece of trace evidence behind.
12x02 - Insulated Evidence
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Documentary that reveals how forensic science is used to solve violent crimes, mysterious accidents, and outbreaks of illness.
Documentary that reveals how forensic science is used to solve violent crimes, mysterious accidents, and outbreaks of illness.