If you’ve missed ITV’s two-part drama Code of a Killer, which follows the true story of how DNA evidence was used for the first time to solve two Midlands murders in the mid-80s, then don’t worry. World Productions is releasing the DVD of the program on 20 April.
In addition to the new forensic science – DNA fingerprinting, developed by Leicester University’s Alec Jeffreys (played by John Simm) – the story’s got as much complexity and intrigue as any crime novel. It begins in 1984 and DCS David Baker (David Threlfall) has the heartbreaking task of telling a family living in a small town that their daughter has been found raped and strangled with her own scarf. A huge investigative team draws a blank. Then in 1986 another young woman goes missing. She too is found raped an murdered.
At last the police nab a suspect, who confesses, but Baker is unconvinced. He calls on Jeffreys to perform DNA tests on semen collected from both victims, and it turns out the young man who claims to have done it is innocent. Can Baker come up with a way of using Jefferys’ DNA testing technique to catch the real culprit?
Charting the biggest advance in forensic science of the 20th century, the programme was directed by James Strong, who was also behind Broadchurch. It was produced by World Productions, maker of Line of Duty, and is available for pre-order on Amazon for £12.77. For more forensic mysteries click here.
WIN A COPY
Or, you could enter to win a copy on our Facebook page. Click here. Our draw ends Tuesday 21 April and is UK-only.
