Leslie Perlov and Janet Taylor

Forensic Tales

#293 - In the early 1970s, two young women from Stanford University—Leslie Perlov and Janet Taylor—were strangled and left in remote areas just miles apart. Despite extensive investigations, both cases remained unsolved for decades.

Nearly 50 years later, a stunning breakthrough in forensic genealogy revealed their killer: John Getreu, a seemingly ordinary man with a violent past. Hidden behind the mask of a family man and community volunteer was a predator who had escaped justice for far too long.

This episode explores how preserved DNA evidence, advanced technology, and determined investigators finally brought long-overdue answers to two grieving families—and exposed a serial killer hiding in plain sight.

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Credits:

Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell

Rockefeller Audio production

For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.

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