space Archives

AI meets true crime

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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.

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Kim’s weekend warrior toolkit

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Before you call in a handyman, hang on a sec. I know home repairs can feel like one big headache. But with the right gear, you can save yourself hundreds, maybe thousands and still keep your cool.

I did the heavy lifting and put together this great list of tools that are smart, compact, and ready to swoop in and save your weekend. Let’s nail this.

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Rack and roll

👕 If your clothes could talk, they’d beg for this glow-up list.

⚡ Fuzz buster: This fabric shaver (20% off) turns old tops from “meh” into “whoa, is that new?”

🧩 Closet Tetris, solved: These space-saving hangers (30% off, six-pack) will double your wardrobe.

🧺 Laundry day lifesaver: Four wheels + removable bag = one sleek rolling hamper (14% off).

🔥 Suck it up: Keep lint from building up and causing a fire with this dryer vent hose (20% off).

🌸 Iron in a bottle: Downy’s wrinkle releaser spray (5% off) is your secret weapon for crumpled shirts.

🛍️ Essentially awesome: From smart gadgets to handy tools, I’ve rounded up the best finds on my Amazon shop.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Not a waste of space: If you’ve been eyeing Starlink for internet access, prices just dropped in some U.S. markets. Residential plans are $99 a month (down from $120), and the Lite plan starts at $65 (was $80), depending on where you live. The dish is now $175, about half what I paid. I hate being an early adopter.

$30,000

Ford’s entry ticket to the electric pickup game. That’s the starting price for its new midsize EV truck, about the same as a Toyota RAV4 but with more space, a frunk and zero trips to the gas pump. The plan? Make owning one cheaper over five years than driving a used Tesla Model Y.

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.

🚨 You must read this before your next Uber ride

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⚠️ Warning: This story contains details about sexual assault that may be disturbing.

I know two women who were raped by an Uber driver. That’s not hearsay or a story I read online. They trusted the ride, believed the app was safe and paid the price in the most horrific way possible.

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I loved these 10 true movies you can stream this weekend

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First about this image. I asked AI to “make a pic of me watching a movie,” and somehow it nailed my husband, our two goldens (even Bella the puppy!). But there’s something off. Can you spot it? At the end of the newsletter, rate it, then drop your guess, name and email. I’ll pick five winners to get a Kim Komando Show ballcap (a $29.99 value)! 🧢

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Tote-ally handled

🛍️ When your hands are full, the right helpers make all the difference.

🚗 Junk in the trunk? Stop backseat disasters with a collapsible trunk caddy (7% off). 4.5 stars and 18,000+ reviews.

🧊 Activate chill mode: This portable fridge (16% off) keeps drinks cold on road trips. No ice required, ever.

🗑️ I’ve bin there: Toss your snack wrappers into a car trash can (13% off). Your passengers will thank you.

🎒 Security-approved: Finally, a clear backpack (10% off) that doesn’t sacrifice space for style.

😋 Lunch = covered: Insulated and washable, this neoprene tote (32% off) is built for everyday spills.

🎁 Want more like this? Head to my Amazon storefront. And psst … click this secret link for more best-selling organization faves.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Filter Spotlight search on Mac: Next time you search with Command + Space, add the filter kind: followed by a term. For example: kind:mail invoice only shows results in Mail, kind:pdf invoice finds PDFs, or kind:folder invoice searches a specific folder. Smart.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Need an emoji fast? On Windows, press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji keyboard. On Mac, it’s Command + Control + Space. No excuse for dry replies. 😉

Proof that rocket science is history: In D.C.’s Air and Space Museum, there are five new galleries, two of them straight out of a sci-fi fever dream. I’m talking about Elon’s rocket guts, cosplay-level spacesuits and a clone of R2-D2 built by MythBuster Adam Savage. One display feels like a TEDx event on Mars. Goes to prove that despite the name, the Air and Space Museum has a lot to see there. (lol)

Add labels to your Windows 11 taskbar: No more guessing which icon does what. Right-click the Taskbar, go to Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviors, then scroll to Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels. Change it to Never to always show labels, or When taskbar is full to show them until space runs out.

🔭 Space on the sidewalk: A group called #popscope is setting up telescopes on city streets and letting people look through them for free. Imagine heading out for ice cream and getting a peek at Saturn’s rings or the moon’s craters. You can volunteer on their website. No group near you? This telescope is a stellar deal (25% off). Such a wonderful idea!

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

✍️ Send handwritten messages on iPhone: In the Messages app, open a convo and rotate your phone sideways. On the keyboard, tap the squiggly line button in the bottom-right. A large white space will appear. Write your note with your finger, hit Done and Send.

8,000 vs. 120

That’s the USA vs. China satellite count. SpaceX is casually orbiting 8,000 Starlink satellites. China? Still stuck at 120 (paywall link). It’s a space race where one kid showed up on a rocket bike and the other forgot their shoes. China’s grand plan for 27,000 satellites is stuck at 0.4% complete. Talk about taking a red-eye.

Find big files in Gmail: You can clear up space by searching for bulky emails. In the Gmail search bar, type filename:mp4 or filename:png to find large attachments. You can also search by size with larger:10mb. Select what you don’t need, and hit Delete to clean up your inbox.

🧠 Mind over mouse: Meta just unveiled a wristband that reads your muscle signals to control devices. No touching, no implants. It decodes electrical pulses (paywall link) in your arm to move cursors, open apps and type midair. Write your name in space and watch it appear on your phone. I accidentally thought about Slack, and now I’m in six meetings.

Change of plans? Sell your trip instead

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You planned the dream getaway. Flights? Booked. Hotel suite? Paid for. Maybe you even splurged on a poolside drink package because hey, you earned it.

Then bam, life throws a wrench in it. A surprise meeting. A fever. The worst part? That pricey reservation is nonrefundable.

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⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On Android, you can fix typos without lifting your fingers from the keyboard. Swipe your thumb left or right on the space bar to move the cursor through your text.