In February 2004, an Idaho hiking trail became a deadly crime scene when 58 elk-meat “meatballs” laced with a lethal pesticide were scattered in a known wolf habitat.

What was the suspect’s objective? Kill endangered gray wolves. What followed was an extraordinary, boots-in-the-snow investigation involving forensics, environmental science, and sheer tenacity.

In this episode of Zone 7, Crime Scene Investigator Sheryl McCollum and Ed Newcomer, a retired special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, walk us through the forensic lab breakthroughs that tied the poison, the elk meat, and even a suspect’s boots directly to the scene.

Along the way, you’ll hear how a rookie game warden’s decision to bag “yellow snow” ended up sealing the case.

About Ed Newcomer

A special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for over 20 years, Ed Newcomer worked in Los Angeles in a variety of international posts before retiring in 2022.

During his career, he conducted numerous high-profile international wildlife trafficking investigations involving every continent, including Antarctica, and is known for bringing down some of our planet’s most notorious wildlife criminals.

He is a recipient of the Humane Law Enforcement Award from the Humane Society of the United States, and holds a record six Law Enforcement Awards from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.

Listeners can learn more about Ed Newcomer on his podcast – Nature’s Secret Service, and on LinkedIn @EdNewcomer