The Body in the Sand (from "Naming the Dead")
5/28/202650 min
The body of an unidentified young woman was found in the Arizona desert in August 1992. Over thirty years later, the incredible efforts of the forensic genealogists at the DNA Doe Project would identify her as Melody Harrison. But how they pieced together her story traces a puzzle that brought together long-lost relatives and shed light on a little known adoption program from post-WWII Germany.
Learn more about the DNA Doe Project's work on this case here, and for more information on Mabel Grammer's work, check out this article.
Find and watch "The Body in the San...
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsPatrick Hinds· Host0:00
Girl, it's 70 degrees and sunny out. I wanted to check in with you.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:03
Happy fake spring.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:04
Happy fake spring.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:05
Don't get too comfortable.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:05
It's full, full spring. I know, I know. It's gonna be 40 on Friday. I know.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:09
It's a very nice reprieve- Yes ... but like, well also, this is, we're recording this in early March.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:13
Yeah.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:14
This is coming out months after, 'cause hi, bonus episodes.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:16
Oh, right. It'll be like a solid 95 the day this episode comes out.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:20
By, yeah, by the time this comes out it'll be the actual season that you're hoping for- Yeah ... I think.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:24
I like, I biked to the studio today.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:26
It's, it's a gorgeous day outside.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:27
It's so beautiful. Okay, just making sure you're okay.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:29
I'm not like the witch under the fucking bridge.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:32
[laughs] I know. [upbeat music] Hi, Jillian Bellovi.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:41
Hello, Patrick Heinz, but check back in August when I'm fucking over it.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:43
I know. It's like me. Like I, you know- Watch ... we had Daisy's birthday party this weekend, and all the parents were like, "Sorry we haven't seen you in two months. We haven't been able to get off the couch."
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:51
And I don't wanna hear a single one of you- I know ... like Team You, who- No ... uh, don't even come to me about how hot it is in the summer.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:56
I will never.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:57
You guys asked for this.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:58
I know, I know, I know, I know.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host0:59
No, I don't wanna hear it.
Patrick Hinds· Host0:59
I will not... I, I'm the, the king of like it's 110 and humid, and I'm so happy.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host1:05
Well, enjoy it.
Patrick Hinds· Host1:06
I wanted to congratulate you on something.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host1:07
What?
Patrick Hinds· Host1:08
Congratulations to you. I was heave sobbing at my computer at 7:30 this morning watching this.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host1:13
No problem.
Patrick Hinds· Host1:14
Heave sobbing.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host1:14
This is, this is, um... So welcome to the bonus episodes. This is, uh, the series Naming the Dead. It is, I think, probably my favorite series that we cover.
Patrick Hinds· Host1:22
It's so... It started to play the next episode when this one ended, and I'm like, "No, I can't. I've got other work to do."
Gillian Pensavalle· Host1:27
We're doing the next episode- Are we? ... eventually.
Patrick Hinds· Host1:29
Okay.
Gillian Pensavalle· Host1:29
It is