In August 1993, Cynthia Burger, 44, was found dead in her home in Port Hueneme, California, after a fire that reached a single room. A sample kept from that first day waited years for a name. In 1999, a prisoner who expected to be released within months asked his fiancée to help him escape. What was he afraid of, and what did she do with the answer?

Narrated with a synthetic voice.

CHAPTERS
00:00 The Inmate Who Feared a DNA Sample
02:51 A Real Good Trip
04:13 The Garage Door at 3:30
06:26 What the Fire Didn't Burn
08:44 A Profile with No Name
11:51 Too Identifiable
14:59 Wanted It to All Be Not True
17:34 The Anonymous Call
20:04 One in 24 Quintillion
22:01 Random or Chosen
26:21 Documented Failures
27:17 What Happened Next

Watch the documentary (with the maps, documents and reconstructions) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjRyVale-aM

SOURCES
- **[A]** *People v. Schultz*, S114671 (Ventura County Superior Court CR49517), Tribunal Supremo de California, opinión de la presidenta Cantil-Sakauye, 23-11-2020, 10 Cal.5th 623 — PDF oficial: https://www4.courts.ca.gov/opinions/archive/S114671.PDF (copias: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2020/s114671.html · https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-supreme-court/2097682.html · https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4831621/people-v-schultz/)
- **[B]** Pie de foto, Spencer Weiner / *Los Angeles Times* (archivo Getty Images), 26-02-2003: «Michael Schultz leaves court after hearing he will be sent to California's death row...» — https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/michael-schultz-leaves-court-ofter-hearing-he-will-be-sent-news-photo/563548991
- **[B]** Pie de foto, Steve Osman / *Los Angeles Times* (archivo Getty Images), 11-12-2000: «Michael Schultz 31, in Ventura Court. Schultz is accused of killing 44 year old Cynthia Burger in 1993...» — https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/michael-schultz-31-in-ventura-court-schultz-is-accused-of-news-photo/569185847
- **[D]** Find a Grave, «Cynthia Lou "Cindy" Burger (1949-1993)», memorial 75314778 (fechas, entierro en Los Osos Valley Memorial Park, padres) — https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75314778/cynthia-lou-burger

NOTES
- Based on public, verifiable sources (listed above). Where sources disagree on dates, times or descriptions, the episode says so rather than choosing one silently.

MUSIC AND SOUND
- "AMBForst-Samsung Galaxy Smartphone, MCU_Suburban, Birds, Distant Weedwhacker_Nicholas Judy_TDC" by designerschoice (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/designerschoice/sounds/803217/
- "Ambient Documentary | Cinematic background" by tyops (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/tyops/sounds/463542/
- "Emotional Piano Background Music" by Migfus20 (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/564855/
- "Mysterious Background Music Orchestra" by Migfus20 (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/560444/

ABOUT THE SHOW
The Cold Dossier explores true crime cases through documented facts, timelines, evidence, contradictions, and unanswered questions.