Podcast Summary: 20/20 – The Hand in the Window: 'Dana'
Date: December 17, 2025
Host: John Quinones (with Brad Mielke, ABC News)

Episode Overview

This bonus episode of The Hand in the Window deep-dives into the chilling, unresolved story of "Dana," one of serial killer Shawn Grate’s victims whose full identity eluded investigators for years. ABC News’ Brad Mielke and host John Quinones detail the relentless investigative work—spanning facial reconstruction, isotope testing, and genetic genealogy—that ultimately gave a name to this unknown woman, bringing closure to her family decades after her murder.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shawn Grate’s Ominous Confession

• Shawn Grate, already incarcerated for multiple murders, casually mentions to Detective Kim Major that he killed another woman he thinks was named Dana.
  • Quote:

    “I'm thinking her name's Dana. I totally forget her name after a while. Dana.”
    — Shawn Grate as quoted by John Quinones [02:23]

• Victim was a door-to-door magazine saleswoman, killed in 2006 after an argument with Grate regarding magazines.

2. Initial Crime Scene and Discovery

• The victim’s body found burned, without clothing or identification in 2007, Marion County, Ohio, making the case exceptionally challenging.
  • Investigator estimates: young white female, age 15–22, height 5’3”–5’9” [03:58]
• Became a cold case due to a lack of identifying information.

3. The Role of Forensic Art and Facial Reconstruction

• Investigators attempt digital facial reconstruction, but Grate dismisses the resulting image as inaccurate.
• Enter Samantha Molnar, forensic artist at the Ohio Bureau of Investigation, who crafts a clay facial reconstruction from a 3D-printed replica of the victim’s skull.
  • Quote:

    “Start by building the muscle structure on the face, placing the average tissue depth markers, and then kind of finishing the sculpture from there.”
    — Samantha Molnar [06:07]

  • The reconstruction is shared with the public and presented to Grate, who confirms it better matches his memory.
  • Memorable Moment:

    “Meeting Shaun Great was extremely eerie... he seemed kind of unalarming. I could understand why maybe women were trusting of him... because he didn’t look like a monster.”
    — Samantha Molnar [07:33]

4. Innovative Forensic Techniques: Isotope Testing

• With the facial reconstruction not yielding leads, investigators turn to isotope testing (examining chemical signatures in bones and teeth) to geographically narrow the victim’s origins.
  • Quote:

    “Basically, you’re exposed in your environment. Everything you eat, the source of the water you drink... shows up in your bones.”
    — John Quinones [11:42]

• Testing indicates “Dana” was likely from the southern US (Texas to Florida), not Ohio as initially believed [12:32–13:03].

5. Genetic Genealogy Breakthrough

• Investigators send the victim’s DNA to a genealogical database, ultimately identifying her as Dana Lowery through a match with her daughter.
  • Quote:

    “We were able to swab her daughter, make that comparison, and then successfully identify Dana as the victim.”
    — Samantha Molnar [14:24]

  • Heartfelt insight: Dana was a mother of two whose children spent years not knowing why she disappeared.

6. Aftermath and Reflections

• Dana Lowery was identified in 2019, more than a decade after her death.
• Shawn Grate, already on death row for other murders, pleads guilty to Dana’s murder and receives another life sentence [15:25].
• John Quinones recounts his haunting visit to the crime scenes in Ashland—sites that, years later, still loom in the community’s collective memory.
  • Quote:

    “It was such a big case and such a tragic case that people still remember. I went to a gas station... wooded area... and those vacant lots where the women... were found.”
    — John Quinones [16:15]

• Detective Kim Major has since authored a book, A Hunger to Kill, underscoring that “this could happen anywhere and it could have happened to any one of us.” [17:04]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:23] “I'm thinking her name's Dana. I totally forget her name after a while. Dana.”
  — Shawn Grate (as quoted by John Quinones)
• [07:33] “Meeting Shaun Great was extremely eerie... I could understand why maybe women were trusting of him or went with him willingly because he didn’t look like a monster.”
  — Samantha Molnar
• [14:24] “We were able to swab her daughter, make that comparison, and then successfully identify Dana as the victim.”
  — Samantha Molnar
• [16:15] “It was such a big case and such a tragic case that people still remember. I went to a gas station... wooded area... and those vacant lots where the women... were found.”
  — John Quinones

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction to the case & Grate’s confession: [00:55–02:35]
• Crime scene details & cold case status: [03:52–04:34]
• Facial reconstruction and Molnar’s perspective: [04:44–08:07]
• Isotope testing explained: [11:42–13:03]
• Genetic genealogy and Dana’s identification: [13:40–15:25]
• Community reflections and detective’s insights: [16:15–17:40]

Tone: True to 20/20’s investigative, respectful reporting style, this episode is somber, methodical, and empathetic—highlighting both the horrors perpetrated by Grate and the dedication of those determined to identify his victims and bring closure to their families.

Conclusion

This episode illustrates the dogged persistence of detectives and forensic experts in identifying a forgotten victim. Through innovative science, cross-state investigation, and unwavering dedication, Dana Lowery’s name was restored, her family given answers, and justice served, however belatedly. The story stands as a testament to both the depths of human cruelty and the resolve of those who seek the truth.