Florida Nurse’s Murder Solved 13 Years Later With New DNA

Murder Files Unsealed · Jul 28, 2026 · 1h · transcript

This episode details the long-term investigation into the 2006 murder of Melissa Howard, a Florida nurse and mother involved in a bitter custody battle at the time of her death. Although her ex-husband, Brian Howard, was the initial prime suspect, his ironclad alibi caused the case to go cold for over a decade. The investigation was eventually revitalized by new DNA testing on the victim's blood-soaked sweatshirt, which linked Russell Hullbrook, a friend of the ex-husband, to the crime scene. Despite defense claims of laboratory contamination and a lack of clear motive, a jury found Hullbrook…