
Eagle-eyed technical experts prove there is no such thing as a perfect crime as they assemble the pieces every criminal leaves behind. Dramatic crime re-creations and, sometimes, part of the investigations are a staple of the series. Some of the re-creations include alternate versions of the crimes, which are disproved by science. The show's episodes follow each case from the initial investigation until it reaches its legal resolution.

San Diego police investigate the murder of a missing person whose hands turn up in a dumpster; an anonymous letter, containing details only the killer would know, offers clues to solving the case.

Forensic investigators try to stop a killer who is apparently responsible for two slayings in a community in South Carolina.

When 4-year-old April Renee Tucker is found dead in her backyard, her parents tell the police that neighborhood dogs attacked and killed her, but the injuries on her body don't match their account of what happened.

When DNA proves that a man who practically admits to a brutal attack is innocent, police wonder why he is willing to take the blame.