Listen Now: Firecracker.

When police saw what was left of Carol Ryan’s body, dumped in the driveway of a suburban compost site in September of 1996, they wondered what weapon could cause that level of devastation. The truth was grislier than anyone imagined, and the unsolved mystery of Carol’s murder has haunted Central New York for 27 years. From Syracuse.com, this six-part series outlines how Carol spent the hours leading up to her murder, how first responders bungled the crime scene, the challenges police have faced in trying to find her killer, and how DNA technology could break open the case any day. “Firecracker” is available exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices