David Muir

The case would go cold for decades. And obviously, it's just one of hundreds of thousands of unsolved murders in this country. But then in 2020, two investigators, Ranger Brandon Best and Beaumont Police Detective Aaron Llewellyn, decided to take a fresh look at the case. At the time, Best had just been connected with this new lab called Othram.

And Detective Llewellyn knows that there's DNA that's actually available to test in this case.

And Detective Llewellyn knows that there's DNA that's actually available to test in this case.

We believed that was going to be our only hope. The last hope for answers, the DNA evidence from the murder of that elementary school teacher, Catherine Edwards, is now headed to Othram for testing.

We believed that was going to be our only hope. The last hope for answers, the DNA evidence from the murder of that elementary school teacher, Catherine Edwards, is now headed to Othram for testing.

And in the case of that Michigan mom, Kathy Swartz, what new lead is about to be uncovered right behind this glass? You'll see right here tonight how both cases are about to crack wide open, sending investigators across this country to find the killers they've been searching for for decades.

And in the case of that Michigan mom, Kathy Swartz, what new lead is about to be uncovered right behind this glass? You'll see right here tonight how both cases are about to crack wide open, sending investigators across this country to find the killers they've been searching for for decades.

Tonight, two horrible murders. I just, just felt awful. And now a survivor who lived to tell.

Tonight, two horrible murders. I just, just felt awful. And now a survivor who lived to tell.

But only one way to solve them after years of going cold. I honestly felt the genetic genealogy was our only chance. All these years later, they said, well, look at this and see if there's something you can do with it.

But only one way to solve them after years of going cold. I honestly felt the genetic genealogy was our only chance. All these years later, they said, well, look at this and see if there's something you can do with it.

That the two of them were able to go back and look at that evidence. Yes.

That the two of them were able to go back and look at that evidence. Yes.

And there was a moment like, this is our guy. For some families, you are the last hope. Courtney Swartz's childhood was clouded in mystery. She was the sole survivor. She was just a baby at the time during a vicious attack that left her 19 year old mother, Kathy Swartz, strangled and stabbed to death right near her.

And there was a moment like, this is our guy. For some families, you are the last hope. Courtney Swartz's childhood was clouded in mystery. She was the sole survivor. She was just a baby at the time during a vicious attack that left her 19 year old mother, Kathy Swartz, strangled and stabbed to death right near her.

Among the clues left behind at the scene, a single bloody fingerprint on Kathy's pink phone. It contained DNA of the possible killer. But of course, the question for decades, who was the killer?

Among the clues left behind at the scene, a single bloody fingerprint on Kathy's pink phone. It contained DNA of the possible killer. But of course, the question for decades, who was the killer?

More than 1000 miles from Three Rivers, MI. We're right here on the Neches River in Beaumont, TX, where another family heartbroken for decades. The community wondering do they too have a killer in their midst after the brutal murder of a young elementary school teacher, Catherine Edwards. She was just 31 and detectives here wondering would they ever have the tools to solve this case.

More than 1000 miles from Three Rivers, MI. We're right here on the Neches River in Beaumont, TX, where another family heartbroken for decades. The community wondering do they too have a killer in their midst after the brutal murder of a young elementary school teacher, Catherine Edwards. She was just 31 and detectives here wondering would they ever have the tools to solve this case.

And you retired. And when you left the force, at that point, it had not been solved.