The Murder of Stacey Stites: Does DNA Prove Murder?

#332 - In April 1996, a motorist traveling along a rural road in Bastrop County, Texas, made a disturbing discovery. Lying in a grassy ditch along the roadside was the body of a young woman. Her clothing was partially removed, and a belt had been tightened around her neck. She would soon be identified as 19-year-old Stacey Stites. Just hours earlier, Stacey had been reported missing after she failed to show up for her early morning shift at the local grocery store.  DNA evidence collected at the scene pointed to a man named Rodney Reed. But nearly three decades later, the question still remains: Did investigators convict the right man? Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell. If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon. Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content. You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales. And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it. For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com. Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week. Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices