About this episode

The episode explores the unsolved murder of nursing student Melanie Howell and the mystery surrounding her case.

In 1976, a 22-year-old nursing student was murdered in her Los Angeles apartment, leaving behind just one clue: a bloody fingerprint. Decades later, that print was matched—and the case was quietly marked solved. But no one ever publicly announced who did it. So we set out to find the answer… and to uncover what else he may have done.

More episodes of Crime Junkie

• UPDATE: Melissa Casias · April 29, 2026 · 15 min
• MISSING: Melissa Casias · April 27, 2026 · 1h 32m
• MURDERED: Stephanie Casberg · April 20, 2026 · 51 min
• UPDATE: Laura Sweetman · April 17, 2026 · 1h 44m
• MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Laura Sweetman · April 13, 2026 · 1h 10m
• MURDERED: Nick Cordova · April 6, 2026 · 53 min

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