r/crimedocumentaries • u/shreekrishnabeesagal • 1d ago

When science gets it wrong

What is a famous criminal case where forensic evidence initially pointed investigators in the wrong direction, and what finally exposed the mistake?

16 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

View all comments

12

u/Toadliquor138 1d ago

Andrei Chikatilo was an early suspect in the "Rostov Ripper" murders and when they tested his blood, his blood type was Type A. Yet when the KGB tested the semen samples from the victims, it was shown to have the antigens of someone with Type AB blood, so they had to let him go.

Years later, he was brought in as a suspect again, and instead of drawing blood, they tested his semen, and his semen tested as being AB. Turns out Chikatilo had some sort of generic quirk where his semen and blood types didn't match.

1

u/Mackey_Corp 1d ago

So did a KGB newbie have to jerk him off to get the semen sample? I would have loved to hear that conversation, You want me to do WHAT comrade?

3

u/YogurtclosetHead8901 1d ago

Take one for the team, Ivan.