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AI meets true crime
In late November 1987, Nashville police got a call about a revolting stench on Charlotte Avenue. What they found under a dirt-floor crawl space shocked even the most hardened crime scene veterans: two decomposing bodies, buried and forgotten beneath a broken-down home.
The address traced back to James Shaffer, a convicted rapist already serving time for kidnapping and assault. He admitted to killing the two women, claiming they had stolen from him. He gave only partial names, that is, Sheila and “Little Bit.”
There were no IDs, no missing persons reports, no fingerprints, no next of kin. The case went cold and stayed cold for nearly four decades. Even with a confession, no names meant no entries in the national database and no justice for the families.
🧬 DNA, AI and the internet: A cold case dream team
Today, powerful DNA technology, smart internet sleuthing and a little help from artificial intelligence are rewriting the story. Across the country, old cases are being cracked wide open by combining classic detective work with modern tools like genetic genealogy and AI.
Here’s the process: Police first try CODIS, the FBI’s DNA database. If there’s no match, and often there isn’t, they move to public genealogy sites like GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA.
Genealogists then build sprawling family trees from shared DNA, and detectives dig through old records. AI now joins the hunt, scanning decades of police reports, obituaries, social media posts and even mug shots to spot connections people might miss.
Some systems can even predict likely identities by studying migration patterns, regional matches and known associates.
👀 The break in the case
In January 2025, police exhumed one of the women for a better DNA sample. Around the same time, a woman in Elgin, Illinois, saw a forensic composite of “Little Bit” on the news. It looked like her mom, Sheila Cummings, who had been missing since the ’80s.
She called the police, provided her own DNA, and boom, the match was made.
The second woman is still unknown. Her DNA is in the system, and AI is combing every digital corner for a lead. It feels like only a matter of time.
Genius hacks for under $25
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We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
The new scams that know you by name
Ever get a text that feels … a little too real? You know the ones: “Your account has been locked. Click here to verify.” Most of us roll our eyes and delete them.
But the new generation of scams? They’re scarier and a whole lot smarter.
🎊 Hey, Swifties: If you search “Taylor Swift” on Google, you’ll get a confetti shower and a flaming heart that says, “And, baby, that’s show business for you.” A number counter pops up (already in the millions), and if you click it, more confetti drops. Why the celebration? Taylor announced her 12th album.
🪞 Got a smart mirror? I do, and this really doesn’t shock me, but it might you. That mirror might not just be giving you the latest cable news and weather. Turns out it’s probably logging your voice, analyzing your face and selling your data. If yours has a mic or camera, congrats! You might’ve installed a surveillance device over your sink. I’m actually glad the mirror’s watching, someone should see all this emotional growth.
Ignore this text, get fined
California is actually sending real text messages to collect unpaid tolls, even after federal warnings about scam texts and millions lost to fraud. One woman ignored the message, thinking it was fake. Big mistake.
Trim silence in YouTube Music: Yep, that cool feature from Google Podcasts is now in YouTube Music. It automatically skips over silent or dead-air parts in podcasts, making episodes shorter. To use it: Open the YouTube Music app, start a podcast, tap the playback speed option, and toggle on Trim silence.
Your smart car’s going dumb
Get this, the average new car has anywhere between 1,400 and 1,500 computer chips. They power everything from heated seats to emergency crash alerts. When the car’s network or support software for these features ends, so do those fancy features.
📚 Words, but dumber: The Cambridge Dictionary just added “skibidi,” “delulu” and “tradwife” to its official listings, because apparently we needed receipts that the internet broke language. Other new gems include “mouse jiggler,” “broligarchy” and “work spouse.” Your English teacher is somewhere in a corner, sobbing into a thesaurus.
Power plays
👩💻 Life runs on tech. Here’s the gear that’ll keep you connected.
- 🤖 Upgrading your Android? Save $250 on the slim, lightning-fast Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (20% off).
- ⌚ Band together: These elastic nylon Apple Watch bands (15% off, three-pack) feel comfy from work to the gym.
- 📱 Twist of genius: Scroll hand-free or film your next viral overhead video with a gooseneck phone holder (10% off).
- 🔋 Fast fuel: This portable charger (10% off) can power up to four gadgets at once. Bonus: built-in wall plug.
- 🔊 Big sound, small box: Over 35,000 shoppers gave this waterproof Bluetooth speaker (15% off) 4.6 stars.
🎉 Labor Day came early: Why wait? Click this secret link for the first steals. Then, swing by my Amazon page to shop smarter, not harder.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
I tracked my stolen phone to China
Thomas got pickpocketed at a bar. Using Apple’s Find My to track it down, he watched it go from a pawn shop to a church … and then all the way to China. Plus: Mark Zuckerberg’s AI manifesto, Epstein video updates, and why you might soon get delivery in 15 minutes or less.
Charlie Chaplin’s in theaters after 100 years
Charlie Chaplin famously rereleased his 1925 silent classic The Gold Rush in 1942 with new narration and edits, believing it would connect better with modern audiences. Now, thanks to film archivists and AI, the silent masterpiece has been painstakingly restored. The 4K version just premiered at Cannes and hit 250 theaters worldwide.
Baby got bot: Taking cues from the 2019 I Am Mother movie, China’s building a humanoid with a synthetic womb that can carry a fetus from start to finish. Price tag? Just $14K, way cheaper than a human surrogate. Get this: The inventor, Dr. Zhang Qifeng, says they’re aiming for a working prototype within a year. Frightening.
📚 Connect headphones to your Kindle: You can listen to audiobooks straight from your Kindle with Bluetooth headphones. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and toggle on Bluetooth. Now tap Bluetooth devices, put your headphones in pairing mode and select them from the list. Not showing up? Hit Rescan.
We got scammed out of $200K
Bill and his wife thought they were investing in crypto. Instead, they got wiped out. Then, how AI could take down Google Chrome. Plus, Silicon Valley’s obsession with “super smart” babies, the secret world of spy radio, and crypto’s path to your 401(k).
Too hot to handle
👩🍳 Forget Gordon Ramsay. These gadgets bring the fun and the flavor.
- 🔥 King of the grill: Alpha Grillers’ BBQ set (34% off) has all the tools you need to rule burger night.
- ☕ Double the whisk: From lattes to matcha, 238,000+ folks gave this milk frother (20% off) 4.4 stars.
- 🥘 One-pot wonder: With 18 functions, this rice cooker (10% off) can steam, sauté, you name it.
- 🧂 Shake things up: These electric salt and pepper grinders (41% off) do all the twisting for you.
- 🍿 Pop culture: Snoopy says ditch the microwave bags for a Peanuts-themed popcorn maker ($35).
🎁 Not sure what to grab?An Amazon gift card never disappoints. Then see what else is cooking on my storefront.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Got videos eating up space on your PC? HandBrake is a free tool that shrinks them down. Drag and drop your video into the app, choose a Save location, pick a Preset like Very Fast 1080p30, and click Start Encode. FYI: Quality may drop depending on the Preset, so keep testing until you find your sweet spot. This tip alone is worth the price of this newsletter.
📱 Google unpacks Pixel 10: Today, Google unveils the Pixel 10 lineup, including Pro, Pro XL and foldable Pro Fold, plus the Pixel Watch 4 and new Pixel Buds 2A. Phones drop Aug. 28, then the Fold, Watch and Buds arrive in October, just in time for holiday shopping. On Sept. 9 (just my guess, they haven’t announced the date yet), Apple will roll out their newest and greatest.