Husband arrested for murder - again. Kentucky's "trial of the decade." Plus, age-progression images.

Summary

Dateline NBC Podcast Summary: June 26, 2025 Episode

1. Kentucky’s “Trial of the Decade”: Brooks Morphew on Trial for Murder

Nearly a decade after Crystal Rogers vanished from Bardstown, Kentucky, her former boyfriend, Brooks Morphew, stands trial for her alleged murder in what has been dubbed "Kentucky's trial of the decade."

• Background of the Case

  • Crystal Rogers' Disappearance: On July 3, 2015, Crystal Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five, vanished from Bardstown, Kentucky. Her car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway with the keys still in the ignition.
  • Relationship Turmoil: According to family members, Brooks Morphew and Crystal's relationship was strained at the time of her disappearance. Crystal had expressed feelings of loneliness and had even discussed divorce with Brooks prior to her disappearance.

• Initial Investigation and Arrest

  • Suspicious Evidence: Investigators discovered a tranquilizer dart cap in the dryer at the Morphew residence, raising suspicions given Brooks' background as a deer hunter. This piece of evidence became a focal point in linking Brooks to Crystal's disappearance. (Timestamp: [05:22] - [05:43])
  • First Arrest: Brooks Morphew was initially arrested and charged with first-degree murder. However, the charges were later dropped due to allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and the withholding of exculpatory evidence by the prosecution. (Timestamp: [06:08] - [06:42])

• Discovery of Suzanne Morphew’s Remains

  • In September 2023, the remains of Suzanne Morphew, Crystal's mother and Brooks' wife, were discovered in a remote area of Colorado. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of a tranquilizer used for animals, further implicating Brooks in the case. (Timestamp: [06:58] - [07:39])
  • This discovery led to Brooks' re-arrest and new charges being filed against him. (Timestamp: [07:55] - [08:34])

• Current Trial Proceedings

  • Opening Statements: Prosecutors outlined their case, suggesting that Brooks planned Crystal’s murder two weeks before her disappearance, involving family members Rosemary and Nick as co-conspirators. They highlighted that the tranquilizer found was traceable exclusively to Brooks. (Timestamp: [15:22] - [16:11])

  • Defense Arguments: Brooks' defense team contended that media pressure prematurely focused suspicion on him without concrete evidence, emphasizing the absence of Crystal's body as a critical gap in the prosecution's case. (Timestamp: [16:15] - [16:37])

  • Courtroom Atmosphere: The trial has seen over 100 potential jurors and a packed courtroom, with Crystal’s family and supporters present in large numbers, all wearing pink, Crystal's favorite color. Brooks also has supporters in the courtroom, including his son and sister. (Timestamp: [13:32] - [17:34])

  • Notable Quotes:

    • Prosecutor Alex Larray: “We were never going to give up on Suzanne.” (Timestamp: [09:19] - [09:34])
    • Erin Serafini (Dan Serafini’s wife): “There are days I cannot even breathe... because the weight of Fabio's murder sits so heavily on my chest.” (Timestamp: [24:04] - [24:46])

2. Major League Baseball Pitcher Dan Serafini’s Murder Trial

Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini is on trial for the murder of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Spohr, at their Lake Tahoe residence in 2021.

• Case Developments

  • Samantha Scott’s Testimony: Samantha Scott, who drove Serafini to the victims' house, testified that Serafini confessed to her involvement in the crimes and revealed an extramarital relationship. The defense challenged her credibility, suggesting her testimony was influenced by a plea deal. (Timestamp: [20:29] - [20:56])
  • Erin Serafini’s Testimony: Erin Serafini, Dan's wife, took the stand and revealed knowledge of her husband's affair with Samantha Scott. She described their marriage as open and testified to Dan being a supportive provider, emotionalizing her identification of her parents in the security footage from the day of the attack. (Timestamp: [20:56] - [21:56])

• Notable Quotes:

  • Erin Serafini: “She cried on the stand, identifying her parents in home security video the day of the attack.” (Timestamp: [21:35] - [21:56])

3. South Carolina Jeweler Michael Colucci’s Murder Trial Dismissed

Michael Colucci, a South Carolina jeweler, faced charges in the death of his wife, Sarah Lynn Colucci, who was found hanging in 2015. While Michael claimed it was a suicide, prosecutors charged him with murder.

• Trial Outcome

  • The trial was dismissed due to prosecutorial misconduct, specifically the withholding of exculpatory evidence. Michael expressed his frustration and sadness over the charges being dropped, emphasizing his innocence and mourning for his wife. (Timestamp: [22:14] - [23:30])

• Notable Quotes:

  • Michael Colucci: “I felt very blessed. I love my wife. She was my soulmate. I lost my wife... It’s absurd.” (Timestamp: [23:09] - [23:30])

• Future Proceedings: The charges were dismissed without prejudice, allowing prosecutors the option to seek a new indictment in the future. (Timestamp: [23:30] - [23:41])

4. Sentencing of Monica Simmentilli for the Murder of Fabio Simmentilli

Monica Simmentilli was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of conspiring with her lover, Robert Baker, to murder her husband, celebrity hairstylist Fabio Simmentilli.

• Emotional Courtroom Reactions

  • Family members expressed deep emotional pain and betrayal during the sentencing. Fabio’s sisters, Loretta and Mirella, voiced their anguish and sense of loss, highlighting the personal toll of the crime. (Timestamp: [24:04] - [24:46])
  • Monica's defense attorney maintains her innocence despite the conviction. (Timestamp: [24:46] - [24:49])

• Notable Quotes:

  • Loretta Simmentilli: “Holland was the calculating architect of my brother's murder.” (Timestamp: [24:13] - [24:46])
  • Mirella Simmentilli: “There are days I cannot even breathe... the weight of Fabio's murder sits so heavily on my chest.” (Timestamp: [24:13] - [24:46])

5. Age-Progression Images: Reuniting Families with Missing Children

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) released an age-progressed photograph of Kevin Verville, a 17-day-old infant kidnapped in California in 1980. Kevin is now 45 years old, and the age progression aims to aid in his identification and reunion with his family.

• Creation Process

  • Technological Advancements: Colin McNally, Supervisor of the Forensic Imaging Unit, explained that modern digital techniques, building on methods developed by retired FBI forensic artist Horace Heffner, allow for more accurate and efficient age progressions. The process involves using numerous photos and family references to create a realistic image of the missing individual as they age. (Timestamp: [25:49] - [27:40])

• Impact and Success Rates

  • Since 1989, NCMEC has created approximately 8,000 age-progressed images, leading to the recovery of about 1,700 children. These images not only aid in identification but also provide hope and emotional relief to families enduring long periods of uncertainty. (Timestamp: [26:18] - [29:21])

• Emotional and Social Considerations

  • Viewing age-progressed images is an emotional experience for families, who often collaborate closely with forensic artists to ensure accuracy and relevance. The images serve as a tool for public awareness and engagement, as well as a beacon of hope for potential reunifications. (Timestamp: [27:10] - [29:21])

• Current Efforts

  • The latest age progression of Kevin Verville is available on NCMEC’s blog, accompanied by a renewed call for public assistance and a $10,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. (Timestamp: [29:21] - [29:47])

  • Hailey Barber: “We believe that he's out there and he has no idea who he is. We are very hopeful.” (Timestamp: [28:13] - [29:21])

Conclusion

This episode of Dateline NBC delves into some of the most gripping and emotionally charged true-crime stories, from high-stakes murder trials in Kentucky and South Carolina to the innovative use of age progression in aiding the search for missing children. The cases highlight the complexities of the justice system, the enduring pain of unresolved disappearances, and the relentless pursuit of truth and closure by families and law enforcement alike.

Transcript

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[Andrea Canning]

Hey, good morning.

[Co-Host]

Good morning.

[Andrea Canning]

You're listening in to Dateline's Morning Meeting.

[Producer]

Let's go ahead and get started on this really hot day.

[Andrea Canning]

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news.

[Producer]

She was sentenced. Judge threw the book at her.

[Co-Host]

We've got a lot of booking things in motion. Good getting on it. Thank you very much.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome to Dateline True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's June 26th and here's what's on our docket. It's been called Kentucky's trial of the decade. Nearly 10 years after Crystal Rogers vanished from the small town of Bardstown, her former boyfriend is standing trial for her murder.

[Producer]

According to family members, Brooks and Crystal's relationship was on the rocks at the time of her disappearance.

[Andrea Canning]

In DATELINE roundup, we've got an update on the murder trial of former Major League baseball player Dan Serafini. And we'll take you inside the courtroom for the sentencing of the wife of murdered celebrity hairstylist Fabio Sementilli. Emotions were running high. There are days I cannot even breathe. I cannot function because the weight of Fabio's murder sits so heavily on my chest. Plus, you've seen them in high profile cases, age progression, photos of missing children. But do they really make a difference?

[Hailey Barber]

Not only do we have to do the image correctly, we have to get it out to the public. We have to have the public engaged.

[Andrea Canning]

Before all that, we're heading to Colorado where there is big news in a case we've been following ever since it broke five years ago. Keith Morrison first brought you the story of missing mom Suzanne Morphew in his DATELINE episode Echoes in the canyons.

[Southern New Hampshire University Ad]

A 49 year old mother of two had taken her bike for a ride and she didn't come back.

[Andrea Canning]

Within days, Suzanne's husband, Barry, appeared in an emotional video posted on Facebook, pleading for any tips about where Suzanne might be. Suzanne, if anyone is out there that can hear this, that has you, please, we'll do whatever it takes to bring you back. We love you. We miss you. Your girls need you. Years went by with no sign of Suzanne until September 2023. Investigators stumbled across her remains in a remote area of Colorado. Then this past Friday, there was a major development in the case. Barry was charged with Suzanne's murder and the second time he's been arrested for allegedly killing her. Joining us now to unpack all of this is DATELINE producer Hailey Barber, who has been covering this story from the very beginning. Welcome back, Hailey.

[Rachel White]

Thank you so much, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Just start by giving us a little bit of background on Suzanne and Barry. What do we know about this this couple, you know, obviously before this tragedy happened.

[Rachel White]

Yeah, of course. So Suzanne and Barry are originally from a small town in Indiana, and they had moved to Colorado. They have two daughters. By all accounts, Suzanne was just a really kind person. She was loved by everyone.

[Andrea Canning]

What did Barry have to say after Suzanne went missing?

[Rachel White]

So Barry told investigators that he had been close to Denver that day, which is more than two hours away on a work site, and that the last that he had seen Suzanne was when he had left that morning and she was sleeping.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. And he told investigators that they had just spent a wonderful weekend together, that everything was fine.

[Rachel White]

That's right. He said that everything was rosy.

[Andrea Canning]

Suzanne, however, had told people before her disappearance that things were not so rosy.

[Rachel White]

She had confided in close friends that she was unhappy and she was feeling very lonely in the marriage and had even talked about divorce with Barry.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so Barry says that he's out of town the day that Suzanne goes missing. What did the investigators find as they really dug into his alibi?

[Rachel White]

So as investigators dig in, they uncover video of Barry from the day of Suzanne's disappearance discarding trash at different locations, dumpsters behind a McDonald's, different places. So his story is kind of not adding up.

[Andrea Canning]

They end up searching the house because she's missing, and she doesn't turn up quickly at all. What did they find? Any clues that they could use?

[Rachel White]

So they found something interesting in the house. You know, in Colorado, deer hunting is very popular, but they actually found a needle cap from a dart from a tranquilizer gun for a deer in the dryer. And that sort of got them asking questions. So that's one of the things that was collected and ended up becoming very important to the investigation later on.

[Andrea Canning]

Barry had an explanation, of course, for the tranquilizer gun.

[Rachel White]

He did. He was a hunter. He said that was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. And so almost a year after Suzanne went missing, Barry was arrested and charged with first degree murder. Barry maintained his innocence, which he still maintains to this day. Ultimately, Haley, after that first arrest, the charges against him were dropped. What happened?

[Rachel White]

This was a stunning moment in the case. He was a little over a week away from going to trial, and the defense alleged that there was evidence that had been withheld by the prosecution, including exculpatory evidence that could have proved that Barry, you know, was not guilty of this crime.

[Andrea Canning]

The prosecution denied doing anything wrong, but asked the judge to drop the charges, which he did. The charges, however, were dismissed without prejudice, which, of course, left the door open to go after Barry again.

[Rachel White]

That's right.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so let's remind everyone Suzanne's body up to this point had not been found, which always makes these cases difficult when there's no body. But there was a big turning point in the case. In September 2023, they found Suzanne's remains.

[Rachel White]

That's right. Investigators from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation happened upon a shallow grave outside a town called Moffett, which is a very small town In Colorado, about 40 miles from where Barry and Suzanne had lived. And in fact, the remains were very telling because they were able to determine there was a chemical in Suzanne's system called bam, and that's short for a lot of different chemicals, but it's ultimately a tranquilizer used for animals. And this was shocking to investigators because, as you remember, they had found that needle cap in the dryer. So that's kind of a big revelation as well.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah, this is a very big reveal here in this case. Big movement going on. All right. So that led to a new investigation, and Friday, Barry was arrested for Suzanne's murder. Again, what have we learned from this new indictment?

[Rachel White]

There's a lot to unpack here, Andrea. The indictment is 10 pages, and possibly one of the most important things that we've learned is that the chemical that was in Suzanne's body is not something that's very easy to get. In fact, investigators were able to determine that the only person who had access to that chemical in that area of Colorado within four years of Suzanne's disappearance was Barry Morphew. They allege that he used this tranquilizer on her before he killed her. And I think what we're going to see is that they are going to say they can trace this right back to him.

[Andrea Canning]

And they're saying he is the only private citizen in that area with access to this. Bam.

[Rachel White]

That's right. In fact, the Colorado Department of Fish and Wildlife is one of the people that they had to get involved in this investigation to say, is there anybody besides you guys who had this chemical? And they said, no.

[Andrea Canning]

What happens next?

[Rachel White]

So Barry had moved to Arizona. So when authorities arrested him, he was living in Arizona at the time. And now he has waived extradition. He will be sent back to Colorado where he will stand trial. There was a press conference where this new prosecutor came out and said, you know, we were never going to give up on Suzanne.

[Alex Larray]

While it may seem at times that.

[Andrea Canning]

The world forgets about these victims, I can assure you that my law enforcement partners and Colorado's law enforcement community do not forget.

[Rachel White]

We kind of will wait now, you know, to see when this case will go to trial.

[Andrea Canning]

Well, one thing I know is you'll be all over it. Haley, thank you for this.

[Rachel White]

Of course. Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up, we're heading to Kentucky for what's been called the state's trial of the decade.

[Producer]

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[Co-Host]

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[Andrea Canning]

In July 2015, Crystal Rogers, a 35 year old mother of five, vanished from the town of Bardstown, Kentucky. The only trace of her was her car, found abandoned on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway, the keys still in the ignition. Now, nearly 10 years later and in a courtroom more than 100 miles away, Crystal's former boyfriend, Brooks Hauk, and a man who worked for him by the name of Joseph Lawson, are standing trial on charges connected to her alleged murder. Because of massive pretrial publicity, the judge had ordered the case to be moved to a completely different county. Both men have pleaded not guilty. They are not the first to go to trial in this case. Earlier this month on the podcast, we told you about the trial of Steve Lawson, Joseph's father, who was convicted of of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence. But this trial is the first time we'll get a detailed look at what prosecutors believe actually happened to Crystal Rogers. Dateline producer Rachel White was in court as opening statements began. She's joining us now to tell us what she learned. Thanks for coming on the podcast, Rachel.

[Producer]

Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

So what is it like at court now that this second trial is underway?

[Producer]

The trial started on Tuesday. The judge called more than 100 potential jurors to the courthouse. It took all day to seat a jury. So not only only was the actual courtroom completely packed wall to wall, but so was the media overflow room. There were a number of local news stations there covering this case who've been on it for the past 10 years.

[Andrea Canning]

Rachel, this case has a lot of twists and turns. What do you think it is about this case that's garnered just so much attention?

[Producer]

I think that Crystal Rogers family, particularly her mother, Sherry, has really done a fantastic job of keeping Crystal top of mind locally and on, you know, a national scale. She has just been in the media keeping Crystal just right in the face of everybody who comes anywhere near Bardstown. And so I think this has been a long time coming for people here in Kentucky, and I think that people feel like they want to see this. Justice for her and justice for Crystal.

[Andrea Canning]

The local sheriff named Crystal's boyfriend as a suspect in her disappearance a few months into the investigation. And Crystal's family suspected him from the very beginning. Why?

[Producer]

According to family members, Brooks and Crystal's relationship was on the rocks at the time of her disappearance. So I think that's why they suspected he had something to do with this.

[Andrea Canning]

Rachel. So eight years passed before investigators charged anyone with Crystal's murder. What happened and what finally broke that they were able to make some headway.

[Producer]

The FBI took over the investigation in 2020, and over the next several years, they conducted searches of Hauk's properties and other locations around bardstown. And in 2023, the FBI Joseph Lawson, who worked for Brooks Hauck. Investigators alleged that Joseph was the person who actually drove Crystal's car to the side of the parkway and left it there. And then the FBI arrested Brooks Hauck and charged him with Crystal's murder and tampering with physical evidence.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. And Joseph was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence. So Rachel. Opening statements in this trial were on Wednesday. And this was the most we've learned about the case so far.

[Producer]

So attorney Jim Lisowski told the jury that prosecutors believe that the plans to kill Crystal Rogers began around two weeks before July 3, 2015, the day that Crystal was last seen alive. The prosecutor said that he believes Brooks called Crystal and asked to have a kids free romantic night together. But instead of going out, the prosecution alleges Brooks and Crystal actually went to the Hauck family farm, where they say she was murdered. Even though she hasn't been charged with anything, prosecutors suggest that Brooks's mother, Rosemary, might have been involved. He said she and Crystal did not have a good relationship and that the prosecution plans to show that Rosemary Halk reached out to a man because she was looking for someone to get rid of Crystal. The prosecutor also referenced Brooke's brother Nick, who he called a, quote, unindicted co conspirator along with Rosemary.

[Andrea Canning]

Then you heard from the defense. How did it lay out its case?

[Producer]

Brooks Hauck's defense told the jury that pressure from the media led investigators to hone in on Brooks very early on in the investigation and that everything they did in their investigation was to fit that theory. The defense also brought up that there were a number of searches conducted and yet no physical evidence was ever found tying Hauck to the Crime. Crystal's body still hasn't been found. So this is a no body homicide case.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. Did you see Crystal's family in court? I know it's far from home for them with the change of venue, but I. I also know that obviously this has been very important to them to get to this day.

[Producer]

Yeah. So we were in a media overflow room, and they actually had the family for the prosecution and the defense in that same room with us. And there was just a sea of pink, which we know was Crystal's favorite color. So her family and supporters always show up wearing that color to court. And there were a number of them, at least 30 people here for her.

[Andrea Canning]

You talked about the defense on the defense side. So what about Brooks? Are there supporters there for him?

[Producer]

Yes, I saw his son, who he shared with Crystal, his sister, and his mother's boyfriend.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so how long is this trial expected to last?

[Producer]

When they were trying to seat a jury, the judge made sure that any potential jurors would be free until July 8th. So he's expecting it to last until then, I would assume.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. Well, Rachel, we look forward to hearing more from you in the days to come and to hearing about those details, those the missing pieces, if you will, that the public doesn't know about yet.

[Producer]

Absolutely. Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Up next, it's time for Dateline roundup. The wife and convicted killer of celebrity hairstylist Fabio Sementilli learns her fate. And the latest on the prosecution's case against former Major League baseball pitcher Dan Serafini. Plus, it's a tool investigators have used for decades to try and find missing children. Age progression photos. But do they actually work?

[Co-Host]

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[Alex Larray]

Hi Andrea. Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Sure thing. Up first, we are checking in on the trial of former Major League baseball pitcher Dan Serafini. He is the man accused of murdering his father in law, Gary Spohr, and attempting to murder his mother in law, Wendy, at their Lake Tahoe House in 2021. He has pleaded not guilty and it has amazingly been five weeks already since this trial began. What is the latest from the courtroom?

[Alex Larray]

So the last time we talked about this case, Samantha Scott was on the stand. She's the woman who admitted she drove Serafini to the victim's house before the attack. She testified Serafini had confessed to her and they'd become lovers. So on cross examination, the defense attacked Scott's credibility, asking her if she gave prosecutors the story they wanted in return for a plea deal that could get her out of jail. Scott responded that she told the truth to investigators and had no expectation of anything in return for her testimony.

[Andrea Canning]

So this week, Sarafeni's wife Erin took the stand. She's one of the most highly anticipated witnesses of the trial. Alex, what did she say?

[Alex Larray]

She testified that she knew her husband was having a sexual relationship with Samantha Scott and that she didn't care. They had an open relationship and she said that Dan was a great provider for their family. She cried on the stand, identifying her parents in home security video the day of the attack and she's expected to continue her testimony this week.

[Andrea Canning]

For our next story, Alex, we are back in South Carolina with an update from Michael Colucci himself. He is the South Carolina jeweler whose murder trial came to an abrupt halt last week after a judge dismissed the charges against him. Alex, quickly remind us of what happened here.

[Alex Larray]

Absolutely. And just a heads up to listeners that this story involves discussion of suicide. So in 2015, Michael Colucci called 911 after he said he found his wife, Sarah Lynn, hanging from a fen. By the time paramedics arrived, she was dead. Michael told investigators that he suspected his wife had taken her own life, but he was actually charged with her murder. His first murder trial in 2018 ended with a hung jury, but prosecutors took him to a trial a second time last week, just before opening arguments were about to start. The judge dropped the charges against him.

[Andrea Canning]

And as a reminder, those charges were dropped because of what the judge said was prosecutorial misconduct. So for a decade, Michael Colucci has maintained his innocence. And last week, he sat down to talk about all of this with our affiliate WCBD News 2 in Charleston. What was going through your mind when.

[Producer]

The judge dismissed this case yesterday?

[Andrea Canning]

That's a range of emotions, a range of feelings. I felt very blessed. I love my wife. She was my soulmate. I lost my wife. I wish people would take a second to understand the magnitude of what I just said. I lost my wife to be turned around and charged for whatever I was. It's absurd.

[Alex Larray]

The judge dismissed the charges without prejudice. That means the prosecutor can go back to the grand jury and seek another indictment. And we don't really know yet what they're thinking.

[Andrea Canning]

And for our final story, we're going back to Los Angeles for a case. We covered quite a bit on the podcast, the murder of famed hairstylist Fabio Simmentilli. Monica Simmentilli, his wife was sentenced this week after a jury found her guilty of conspiring with her lover and racquetball coach Robert Baker to kill Fabio. Fabio's sisters had harsh words for their sister in law of 20 years.

[Alex Larray]

Yes, Fabio's oldest sister, Loretta said the same woman they welcomed into their family had betrayed them, the same woman who.

[Andrea Canning]

Sat at our dinner tables left with our with us at our birthdays. And Holland was the calculating architect of my brother's murder. Fabio's sister Mirella gave a statement as well. There are days I cannot even breathe as my throat chokes, my throat closes and I can't speak. I cannot function because the weight of Fabio's murder sits so heavily on my chest. What was her sentence, Alex?

[Alex Larray]

Life in prison without the possibility of parole.

[Andrea Canning]

And after the sentencing, Monica's defense attorney said that Monica continues to maintain that she did not commit this crime and is innocent. Okay, Alex, thank you so much for these updates.

[Alex Larray]

It's always a pleasure, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

In the summer of 1980, an infant by the name of Kevin Verville was kidnapped in California. His mother never saw him again. He was just 17 days old. This month, the national center for Missing and Exploited Children released a photo showing what Kevin might look like today at the age of 45 with hopes that someone might recognize him and help solve the mystery of what happened to him. It made us wonder, how exactly are age progressed images made? And how successful are they in reuniting families with their missing loved ones? Here to talk us through that is the center's director of communications, Angeline Hartman, and supervisor of the Forensic imaging unit, Colin McNally. Welcome to you both.

[Hailey Barber]

Thanks for having us. Hi, Andrea.

[Colin McNally]

Hi. Thank you.

[Andrea Canning]

The national center for Missing and Exploited Children was one of the first organizations to work with age progression images way back in the 80s. Where did the idea come from?

[Colin McNally]

These digital age progressions were sort of crafted based on a new technology developed by the FBI's retired forensic artist named Horace Heffner. Traditionally, forensic artists utilize pencil sketching, compositing techniques. Techniques and the inception of computer technology made it available for us to do this work quicker and more accurately.

[Andrea Canning]

I'm sure you must have created so many images over the years. How successful have they been?

[Colin McNally]

So we consider these to be a success in a few different ways. Of all the age progressions we've created, and this includes updated age progressions for certain children, we've done about 8,000 of those since 1989. About 1,700 children have been recovered where an age progression was done. And hundreds of those case files actually note the age progression was seen by a member of the public. But they also function as a sense of hope and relief for the families. You know, years, if not decades of a child being missing. The family gets to collaborate with a forensic artist and their NCMEC case manager on every single age progression.

[Andrea Canning]

Colin, there's so much that goes into these photos. How does it get started? And what all do you need to create something like this?

[Colin McNally]

We generally get dozens of pictures of that missing child. But what's really helpful for us, especially in a case like Kevin's, is having family reference photos provided to us. So we really got a good chance to understand what that family looks like and actually digitally composite from the biological family's facial features to craft what Kevin might have looked like over 40 years later. We obviously wouldn't do any sort of release of the image until the family says that they are satisfied with the image.

[Andrea Canning]

Emotional and hard to see that.

[Hailey Barber]

Emotional for sure. For sure. Yeah. Sometimes they're not quite ready to see what their child might look like today. And we have families who say we call all the members of our family together and we sit down and we look at this, you know, together and decide, you know, how do we feel? What is the feedback we're gonna give to Colin? And, you know, the ears might be bigger or the note we feel like would look more like dad or whatever. But it is definitely an emotional journey for the.

[Andrea Canning]

Angeline, do you have any story to share of someone who was reunited with their loved ones through a photo?

[Hailey Barber]

Well, you know, there is the story of Eric Austin, and that is a very unique case because he disappeared when he was a baby and there was an age progression done. But fast forward to decades later and he was found. And the age progression was part of that story. And that's what we're hoping will happen with the Kevin Verville case. Because this was 45 years ago when he was abducted. We believe that he's out there and he has no idea who he is. He was abducted at 17 days old. The woman who took him likely took him to raise him as her own child. And so now here you have this 45 year old man walking around on this earth thinking his life is one thing and his biological parents have been looking for him all, all these years and now it's getting fresh eyes because of this age progression. So very, very hopeful.

[Andrea Canning]

Where can people go to see this photo of Kevin that you've created?

[Hailey Barber]

Well, we have the full story in our blog on missingkids.org so that's the NCMEC blog. And the FBI is honoring a $10,000 reward that they had offered way back then. And so again, where everybody is trying to come together to say this is not an old case, this is a case that happening right now because he's out there.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hailey Barber]

Wow.

[Andrea Canning]

Well, gosh, thank you, Angeline and Colin, not only for giving us all this really great information, but for what you do every day.

[Hailey Barber]

Well, thank you. We appreciate you helping us get the word out.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. But if you want to learn more about missing persons cases, don't forget to check out Josh's new of the DATELINE Missing in America podcast. Episodes one through three are now out wherever you get your podcasts.

[Co-Host]

And in one case, we cover this season.

[Producer]

I might have encountered the missing person myself. I had a strong sense when I.

[Andrea Canning]

Heard her name that I had met your mom. Listen closely. You could be the key to solving a mystery. And coming up, coming up, this Friday on dateline, I'll be bringing you one of the wildest stories I've ever covered involving a murdered exotic pet dealer, a crime scene surrounded by snakes and a poisonous relationship.

[Co-Host]

There has been some beefs in the reptile world. Was it a rival jealous of Ben's collection?

[Andrea Canning]

Watch my episode secrets of the Snake Farm this Friday on NBC at 9, 8 Central. Thanks for listening. DATELINE True Crime Weekly is produced by Franny Kelly and Katie Ferguson. Our associate producers are Carson Cummins and Caroline Casey. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kurloff. Production and fact checking help by Mackenzie Matwick. Veronica Mazeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Bryson Barnes is head of audio production. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline.

[Producer]

Bye everyone. See you soon.

[Andrea Canning]

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