Vanessa Richardson

He'd made a promise to the O'Neill family, and it was time to get to work. Meanwhile, Lee Gilbertson, a criminology professor at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, had noticed the same trend. In 2006, the body of Scott Radel was recovered from the Mississippi River. Scott was a 21-year-old St. Cloud student who was a self-described outdoorsman.

He'd made a promise to the O'Neill family, and it was time to get to work. Meanwhile, Lee Gilbertson, a criminology professor at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, had noticed the same trend. In 2006, the body of Scott Radel was recovered from the Mississippi River. Scott was a 21-year-old St. Cloud student who was a self-described outdoorsman.

He'd gone missing while bar hopping with his friends. Scott's death prompted Gilbertson and two of his graduate students to take a closer look at the drowning deaths that had occurred between 1997 and 2006. They found 22 victims who all fit the same profile, white or Asian men in their 20s, around 5'8 and 165 pounds, athletic and academically successful,

He'd gone missing while bar hopping with his friends. Scott's death prompted Gilbertson and two of his graduate students to take a closer look at the drowning deaths that had occurred between 1997 and 2006. They found 22 victims who all fit the same profile, white or Asian men in their 20s, around 5'8 and 165 pounds, athletic and academically successful,

All of the victims had gone to college in the 50-mile stretch between Moorhead, Minnesota and East Lansing, Michigan. 94% of the drownings occurred within 100 miles of Interstate 94, which runs between the two cities. The cause of death in each case was either accidental or undetermined. Gilbertson believed that may be the case for some of the deaths, but not all of them.

All of the victims had gone to college in the 50-mile stretch between Moorhead, Minnesota and East Lansing, Michigan. 94% of the drownings occurred within 100 miles of Interstate 94, which runs between the two cities. The cause of death in each case was either accidental or undetermined. Gilbertson believed that may be the case for some of the deaths, but not all of them.

Accidents are random, so why did every victim fit the same profile? Gilbertson published his findings in 2006. When Duarte and Gannon caught wind, they went to visit the professor and recruited him into their newly formed task force, Global Death Investigations, or GDI.

Accidents are random, so why did every victim fit the same profile? Gilbertson published his findings in 2006. When Duarte and Gannon caught wind, they went to visit the professor and recruited him into their newly formed task force, Global Death Investigations, or GDI.

They brought in another retired NYPD detective, Mike Donovan, and started touring the country to revisit drowning sites, interview friends and family, and pore over police reports. The team at GDI built out a database of over 300 drowning deaths. Their initial goal was to identify which cases were actually accidental and which could have been homicides.

They brought in another retired NYPD detective, Mike Donovan, and started touring the country to revisit drowning sites, interview friends and family, and pore over police reports. The team at GDI built out a database of over 300 drowning deaths. Their initial goal was to identify which cases were actually accidental and which could have been homicides.

Even accidental drowning deaths are among the hardest for law enforcement to investigate, but it's far more difficult to prove that a drowning was a murder. Water might wash away crucial evidence, or the body may have been exposed to environmental elements or even an animal. Without DNA or obvious signs of homicide, the investigation becomes a guessing game. Did the victim have any enemies?

Even accidental drowning deaths are among the hardest for law enforcement to investigate, but it's far more difficult to prove that a drowning was a murder. Water might wash away crucial evidence, or the body may have been exposed to environmental elements or even an animal. Without DNA or obvious signs of homicide, the investigation becomes a guessing game. Did the victim have any enemies?

A jilted lover? A scorned friend? The Center for Homicide Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to homicide prevention, used FBI data to calculate that only 0.2% of all murders in the U.S. can be attributed to drowning. But Kevin Gannon thought, what if police and medical examiners are completely missing homicides?

A jilted lover? A scorned friend? The Center for Homicide Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to homicide prevention, used FBI data to calculate that only 0.2% of all murders in the U.S. can be attributed to drowning. But Kevin Gannon thought, what if police and medical examiners are completely missing homicides?

In his experience, law enforcement typically investigates drownings as accidents. Gannon says crucial evidence can be overlooked by taking this approach. According to GDI, this was the case in the death of Dakota James. Dakota grew up in Frederick, Maryland. According to his mom, Pam, he was smart and outgoing. He was athletic. He played soccer and was the swim team captain in school.

In his experience, law enforcement typically investigates drownings as accidents. Gannon says crucial evidence can be overlooked by taking this approach. According to GDI, this was the case in the death of Dakota James. Dakota grew up in Frederick, Maryland. According to his mom, Pam, he was smart and outgoing. He was athletic. He played soccer and was the swim team captain in school.

At the time of his death, 23-year-old Dakota was a master's student at Duquesne University. On January 25th, 2017, he went out with friends in downtown Pittsburgh. He left the bars alone around 11.30 p.m. to head to his house, which was across the Allegheny River. Dakota was last seen on CCTV nearly 20 minutes later in an alleyway near Katz Plaza.

At the time of his death, 23-year-old Dakota was a master's student at Duquesne University. On January 25th, 2017, he went out with friends in downtown Pittsburgh. He left the bars alone around 11.30 p.m. to head to his house, which was across the Allegheny River. Dakota was last seen on CCTV nearly 20 minutes later in an alleyway near Katz Plaza.

When Dakota didn't show up for work the next day, his boss contacted his family, who filed a missing persons report. Police launched a wide-scale search, and on March 6th, 40 days after he disappeared, Dakota's body was found in the Ohio River. After the autopsy, Dakota's death was ruled an accidental drowning.

When Dakota didn't show up for work the next day, his boss contacted his family, who filed a missing persons report. Police launched a wide-scale search, and on March 6th, 40 days after he disappeared, Dakota's body was found in the Ohio River. After the autopsy, Dakota's death was ruled an accidental drowning.