Untested Podcast: Investigating Serial Sex Offender with Detective Annie Harrison

The "Untested" Podcast Series

• 🎙️ The podcast "Untested" is an exclusive true crime series from USA TODAY and Witness, focusing on a serial sex offender case.
• 💡 Host Gina Barton, an investigative reporter, discusses the months of reporting that went into the series and highlights compelling audio from the investigation.
• 🎧 The podcast is available to Witness subscribers, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Detective Annie Harrison's Investigation

• 🎯 The story centers on Detective Annie Harrison of Michigan, who pursued a serial sex offender after a DNA match connected two victims 800 miles apart.
• 🧠 Harrison is portrayed as an unusual detective, willing to discuss mistakes, her evolution, and her deep care for victims.
• 🤝 She is noted for her victim-centered approach, focusing on not retraumatizing victims and building cases even if they don't testify.

Contrasting Investigative Approaches

• ⚠️ The podcast contrasts Harrison's methods with other detectives who handled the same suspect, Marshon Curtis.
• 🚫 One detective dismissed a case as "he said, she said" and did not test the rape kit.
• 🤨 Another detective in Georgia appeared to favor the suspect, Marshon Curtis, expressing belief in him before concluding the interview.

Broader Issues with Untested Rape Kits

• 🔬 Reporting revealed a significant problem: agencies often tested rape kits but did not follow up with reinvestigation.
• 📈 A team in Michigan, consisting of a detective, prosecutor, and victim advocate, ensured reinvestigation for every tested rape kit.
• ⚠️ This proactive approach is crucial, as testing kits alone is ineffective without using the new evidence.

Hopes for Listener Takeaway

• 🎓 The podcast aims to highlight the need for more law enforcement training in victim handling and case building.
• ✅ It emphasizes that small procedural changes, like training prosecutors on cases where victims don't testify, can make a significant difference in bringing offenders to justice.
• 🚀 Without such efforts, dangerous individuals like Marshon Curtis might continue to assault others.