Heather and Jared Barnhart return to the Forensic Focus Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation covering Cellebrite's growing Case-to-Closure Summit, behind-the-scenes insights from building one of the industry's toughest CTFs, and their digital forensic work on one of the most high-profile US murder cases in recent years. They share why the C2C Summit focuses on practitioner-led talks rather than product pitches, what made the first event such a success, and what's planned for the next gathering — including expanded training and a keynote from Terry Crews.

The discussion also dives into how they design complex CTFs, why intentionally frustrating questions teach critical thinking, and how their mobile forensics analysis helped reveal behavioural patterns, intent, and attempts to hide activity in the Idaho murders investigation. They finish by exploring the future of investigations and AI — from cautious, evidence-bounded implementations to the importance of validation and avoiding confirmation bias.

Get 50% off Cellebrite C2C User Summit 2026 registration with promo code: 2026-c2c-ForensicFocus

#DigitalForensics #DFIR #MobileForensics #Cellebrite #CTF #incidentresponse #ForensicFocus #AIForensics

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions

01:33 C2C Summit Overview

03:35 C2C Summit Success and Highlights

09:45 Challenges and Insights from CTF

19:56 Introduction to the Idaho Murders Case

25:10 The Slow Process of Justice

25:53 Key Evidence: The Knife Sheath and the Car

27:46 Digital Footprint and Intent

28:58 Challenges in Mobile Forensics

31:49 Behavioral Patterns and Digital Evidence

42:30 AI in Forensics

43:17 Future of Digital Investigations

44:00 The Role of AI in Investigations

50:52 Validation and Confirmation Bias

54:24 Closing Remarks and Future Plans

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🎧 Episode Page & Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/the-idaho-murders-from-behavioural-clues-to-ais-role-in-digital-forensics/

📝 Show Notes

Cellebrite – https://www.cellebrite.com

Cellebrite C2C User Summit 2026 – https://events.cellebritec2c.com/event/2026/overview

CFReDS – https://cfreds.nist.gov/

SANS DFIR Summit & Training 2026 – https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-training-events/digital-forensics-summit-2026

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Justin Tolman from Exterro joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to talk about the future of FTK and the role FTK Imager still plays in everyday casework. He explains why the original free version remains available, and what prompted the introduction of Imager Pro with added capabilities like BitLocker decryption and iOS collections. Justin also reflects on his time in law enforcement and training, and why the investigative side of the work still holds a strong pull.

Looking ahead, Justin shares where FTK development is headed — from large-scale processing and streamlined review workflows to Whisper-based audio transcription and careful, targeted use of AI for tasks like summarising long documents and cross-media searching. He also previews Exterro's upcoming Inform event — a 15-hour global broadcast featuring talks from practitioners around the world — and invites the community to get involved.

#DigitalForensics #DFIR #FTK #Exterro #ForensicImaging #MobileForensics #IncidentResponse

00:00 Welcome to the Forensic Focus Podcast

00:31 Introducing Justin Tolman from Exterro

01:46 Justin's Journey into Forensics

03:10 Transition to Training and Exterro

06:31 FTK Imager Pro: Features and Benefits

14:36 Training and Community Resources

16:29 Updates on FTK Suite and Scalability

19:10 On-Prem vs. Cloud Solutions

26:57 AI in Forensics: Benefits and Challenges

37:45 Addressing AI Bias in Forensics

38:53 Case Study: AI Misinterpretation in Seattle Shooting

40:14 The Importance of Validation in AI Forensics

41:18 Challenges in Identifying Legal vs. Illegal Content

43:08 The Future of AI in Forensics

44:18 Collaboration and Integration in Forensic Tools

46:07 The Role of APIs and Open Standards

47:18 Challenges with Proprietary Forensic Formats

54:36 The Need for High Compression Formats

56:32 Forensic Focus Podcast and Community Engagement

01:00:56 Upcoming Forensic Events and Presentations

01:06:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

👉 Visit Forensic Focus: https://www.forensicfocus.com 🎧

Video/Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-ftk-imager-pro-vendor-neutral-forensics-smarter-ai-and-exterros-forensic-vision/

📝 Show Notes

Exterro – https://www.exterro.com

FTK Imager PRO –https://www.exterro.com/digital-forensics-software/ftk-imager-pro

Exterro Inform – https://www.exterro.com/resources/exterro-inform FTK Podcasts – https://www.exterro.com/resources/ftk-over-the-air-podcast

OpenAI Whisper (speech-to-text) – https://github.com/openai/whisper

Ollama (local LLM framework) – https://ollama.ai

Project VIC – https://www.projectvic.org

CAID (UK) – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-abuse-image-database

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Gareth Davies, Chairman of F3 (First Forensic Forum), joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to explore how a grassroots, vendor-neutral community has helped shape digital forensics in the UK for three decades. He traces F3's origins in the 1990s, when affordable training and tool-agnostic knowledge-sharing were scarce, and explains why the forum still focuses on byte-level, lab-ready techniques over sales pitches.

Looking ahead, Gareth previews F3's 2025 conference in Warwickshire (Nov 18–20), the not-for-profit pricing model, and upcoming trainings on UAVs, software-defined radio, implants/biomed devices, smartwatch and vehicle forensics, and video authentication/deepfakes. He also discusses international growth (including interest in an Australian chapter) and an open call for volunteers to help run events and keep training affordable.

#DigitalForensics #DFIR #ForensicsTraining #IncidentResponse #VehicleForensics #CryberCrime #DigitalEvidence #DigitalInvestigtion #DigitalEvidence

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00:00 Introducing Gareth Davies

01:09 What is F3?

03:01 Gareth's Journey into Forensics

05:35 PhD and Research Work

06:54 Current Role and Responsibilities

09:08 Interesting Cases and Projects

12:27 Involvement with F3

14:41 F3's Global Reach and Community

20:03 Challenges and Future of F3

22:39 Personal Experiences and Networking

24:47 Becoming Chairman of F3

30:50 Upcoming F3 Event Details

35:28 Digital Forensics Teaching and Research

37:30 Upcoming F3 Training

42:38 Challenges in Digital Forensics

45:28 The Importance of Community and Resources

55:04 Personal Interests and Hobbies

57:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🎥 Video/Transcript – https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-f3-building-community-and-sharing-knowledge-in-digital-forensics/

📝 Show Notes F3 – First Forensic Forum website - https://f3.org.uk

F3 – First Forensic Forum LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/f3.org.uk/

Spyder Forensics - https://www.spyderforensics.com

Bénédictine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9n%C3%A9dictine

APOLLO - https://github.com/mac4n6/APOLLO

DFRWS - https://dfrws.org

GCK File Signature Table - https://filesig.search.org

NIST - https://www.nist.gov/itl/ssd/digital-forensics

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Debbie Garner, retired Special Agent in Charge at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to share insights from her 30-year career. From undercover narcotics work in her early 20s to leading Georgia's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Debbie brings a unique perspective on collaboration, child protection, and investigator wellness.

She discusses the challenges of cyber tips backlogs, the importance of cross-border cooperation, and why well-being must be built into the culture of child exploitation investigations. Debbie explains how she introduced practical, budget-conscious wellness initiatives — from group discussions to peer support and mental health check-ins — and how these efforts helped transform trust, retention, and resilience within her unit.

Debbie and Paul also explore the stigma investigators often face, how leadership decisions can make or break support for officers, and what agencies can do to better safeguard the people safeguarding children.

#DigitalForensics #DFIR #WellBeing #LawEnforcement #childprotection

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00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

00:49 Early Career in Law Enforcement

02:11 Specialization in Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes

03:27 Challenges and Changes in Law Enforcement

06:03 The ICAC Task Force Program

09:34 Cross-Border Investigations and Cooperation

14:46 Wellness and Resiliency in Law Enforcement

18:01 Building a Culture of Wellness

28:16 Personal Stories and Agency Support

39:57 Final Thoughts and Advice

🎥 Video/Transcript - https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-the-fight-against-child-exploitation-leadership-and-wellness-lessons-from-debbie-garner/

📝 Show Notes

Innocent Justice Foundation - https://innocentjustice.org

Raven (ICAC Task Force Funding Advocacy) - https://raven.us

Hexordia - https://www.hexordia.com

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Hannah Bailey, founder of Blue Light Wellbeing, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to share her powerful journey from frontline policing to becoming a psychotherapist, trauma therapist, and well-being coach. Drawing on 15 years in the police — including CID and major crime — Hannah brings unique cultural credibility to her work supporting digital forensics professionals, first responders, and other high-risk roles.

She talks openly about living with PTSD and burnout, facing two breast cancer diagnoses, and how those experiences inspired her to focus on proactive mental health support. Hannah and Paul discuss why cultural awareness in therapy matters, how approaches like psychoeducation and regular supervision can help, and why therapy isn't just for people who are "broken."

Hannah also explains BrainWorking Recursive Therapy (BWRT), a modern trauma therapy that transformed her own recovery, and shares practical advice for those in digital forensics and other trauma-facing roles on spotting early signs of stress and building long-term resilience.

#DigitalForensics #DFIR #MentalHealth #WellBeing #PTSD

00:00 Introduction

02:44 Hannah Bailey's Background and Career

04:08 The Onset of Mental Health Challenges

06:01 Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Its Impact

06:37 Returning to Policing and Further Challenges

09:44 Lack of Support

12:14 Proactive Mental Health Approaches

17:18 Hannah's Work with DFIs and Other Forces

20:22 The Importance of Early Intervention

26:28 The Value of Therapy in Organizations

27:35 The Importance of Culturally Aware Therapists

29:29 Introduction to Brain Work Recursive Therapy (BWRT)

33:52 Combining Trauma Therapy and Wellbeing Coaching

34:32 The Therapeutic Process and Its Benefits

36:21 Supervision and Support in Therapy

36:57 Proactive Approaches in Digital Forensics

39:11 Building Trust and Non-Judgmental Spaces

43:30 Final Thoughts

🎥 Video/Transcript - https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/well-being-in-digital-forensics-and-policing-insights-from-hannah-bailey/

📝 Show Notes Blue Light Wellbeing - https://www.bluelightwellbeing.uk

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Dr Zoe Billings and Mark Pannone from Adapt & Evolve join Paul to discuss their unique approach to mental health and well-being in digital forensics. Dr Billings is a biologist and former senior investigator, while Mark is a former Assistant Chief Constable. Together they've developed a model that focuses on recognising the early biological signs of stress rather than waiting for mental health problems to develop.

They discuss how stress shows up physically in the body, why many digital forensic investigators feel unheard in their organisations, and why standard well-being support often doesn't work in law enforcement. The conversation covers practical stress reduction techniques and how understanding what stress does to your body can help people spot problems early.

Mark and Zoe have worked with various organisations including the FBI, using their combined decades of police and investigative experience to provide support that actually fits the culture of law enforcement and forensic work.

#DigitalForensics #CyberInvestigation #DFIR #Wellbeing

00:00 Introduction

00:22 Spotlight on Mental Health in Digital Forensics

00:59 Meet the Experts: Dr. Zoe Billings and Mark Pannone

01:39 The Origins of Adapt & Evolve

03:48 Biological Aspects of Stress

04:57 Implementing Preventative Measures

09:05 Leadership and Organizational Challenges

20:01 Physical Ailments from Stress

26:09 Cultural Awareness in Law Enforcement

31:45 ISO Standards and Legal Obligations

39:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Show Notes

Adapt & Evolve - https://www.adaptandevolve.co.uk/

Dr Jo Morrissey joins Paul to discuss her research into wellbeing challenges faced by forensic practitioners worldwide. As Workforce Strategy Lead at the Forensic Capability Network, Dr Morrissey is conducting a comprehensive study examining mental health impacts across all forensic disciplines - from digital forensics to crime scene investigation, DNA analysis, and fingerprint examination.

They explore the unique psychological pressures forensic practitioners face, including exposure to traumatic material, working in isolation, and the barriers that prevent many from seeking help. Dr Morrissey discusses how stigma around help-seeking behavior and fears about career prospects continue to affect practitioners, and why evidence-based national guidelines are urgently needed.

Take part in the research: Dr Morrissey is seeking responses from current and former forensic practitioners worldwide across all disciplines and sectors. The survey examines well-being challenges, available interventions, and their effectiveness. Your participation could help shape future well-being support for the forensic community. Survey closes Friday 4th July 2025.

Survey link: https://forms.office.com/e/GXPMwnpyMi

#ForensicScience #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #DigitalForensics

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Jo Morrissey

01:31 Overview of the Wellbeing Study

03:34 Challenges Faced by Forensic Practitioners

08:25 Survey Specifics and Goals

14:57 Barriers and Stigma in Wellbeing

18:49 Ethical Considerations and Future Research

20:09 Open Access to Research Report

20:38 National Guidelines for Wellbeing

22:00 Challenges in Implementing Guidelines

25:07 Importance of Survey Participation

27:02 Potential for Funding and Further Research

28:06 Exploring Differences in Wellbeing

30:51 Impact of Experience and Culture on Wellbeing

33:39 Resilience and Adverse Childhood Experiences

37:05 Closing Remarks and Future Research

Host Paul Gullon-Scott sits down with Tom Oldroyd, Director of Strategy and Sales at Semantics 21, to discuss S21's digital forensics platform that prioritizes investigator mental health alongside cutting-edge technology. Drawing on his 17 years in policing and experience running a digital forensic unit, Tom highlights the psychological toll on investigators exposed to disturbing content daily, arguing it's one of the most challenging yet underrecognized jobs in policing.

Tom highlights Semantics 21's innovative solutions, including their Global Alliance Database with 3.1 billion hashes that can pre-label up to 70% of evidence automatically, AI-powered victim rescue tools, and their groundbreaking features to track investigator exposure levels in real-time. Tom demonstrates protective features like mandatory break reminders, privacy overlays, and decompression videos designed to help investigators manage psychological impact.

#DigitalForensics #CyberInvestigation #DFIR #AI #Wellbeing

00:00 Introduction

00:30 Showcasing Semantics

21: Innovation in Digital Forensics

00:40 Protecting Investigator Wellbeing

01:53 Meet Tom Oldroyd

02:56 Challenges in Digital Forensics

06:02 The Growing Threat of Digital Crime

07:38 Global Collaboration and Technology

08:48 Introducing S21 LASERi-X

09:33 The Power of AI and Databases

12:23 Global Alliance Database: A Game Changer

16:52 Efficiency and Investigator Wellbeing

21:11 Advanced Features and Workflow

27:51 Tracking Exposure Levels with Semantics 21

28:20 Monitoring Well-Being

29:13 Handling Large Volumes of Data

30:24 Threshold System and Victim Rescue

32:27 Efficient Data Import and Grading

33:27 Global Alliance Database and Photo DNA

36:32 Wellbeing Features and Stress Management

44:00 Cross-Company Collaboration and Data Sharing

45:38 Pricing and Accessibility of Semantics 21

47:54 User Feedback and Customization

51:12 AI Location Prediction Technology

53:42 Conclusion and Contact Information

Show Notes

Semantics 21 - https://www.semantics21.com

Semantics 21 Articles on Forensic Focus - https://www.forensicfocus.com/author/semantics21