Forensics: Catching the Killer

More than two decades after Carol Park disappeared, her body was recovered from the lake where she was last seen. The case was ultimately cracked by unique forensic analysis, which supplied the key evidence needed to resolve the long mystery.

The Lady In The Lake is a programme presented as an episode‑style documentary. It falls within the genre of a true‑crime episode, focusing on a single, long‑running mystery. The format follows the conventions of a television investigation, guiding viewers through the facts that have emerged over the years. The story centres on Carol Park, a woman who vanished more than two decades ago. After twenty‑plus years, her remains were finally recovered from a lake, providing the first tangible link to her disappearance. The recovery of her body marked a turning point, because the investigators were able to apply a set of forensic techniques that were not commonly used at the time of her disappearance. What ultimately unlocked the case were those distinctive forensic methods. By examining the evidence in a way that differed from standard practice, experts could piece together new information that had previously been inaccessible. This specialised approach proved to be the crucial element that allowed the cold case to move forward, offering a clearer picture of what happened to Carol Park after she went missing.