Summary of 13-yr-old Twin Brothers’ DNA Found On Murdered Woman - Cops Must Figure Out Which Twin Is Lying

Overview of 13-yr-old Twin Brothers’ DNA Found On Murdered Woman - Cops Must Figure Out Which Twin Is Lying

Stephanie Soo opens with a real-world example of how identical twins can complicate forensic investigations, then pivots to a disturbing Ohio case involving 13-year-old identical twins Hunter and Levi Cart. A woman named Denise is found murdered in her home, and DNA found at the scene matches the twins—but because identical twins share nearly the same DNA, police struggle to prove which brother was involved. The episode focuses on the investigation, the interrogation of both boys, and the legal/forensic limitations that may let a suspect walk free.

The Berlin Heist Example: Why Twin DNA Is a Problem

The episode begins with a real case from Berlin to show how identical twin DNA can derail an investigation:

• Three masked thieves heist a luxury department store in Berlin and steal about $6.5 million in jewelry and watches.
• One glove is left behind, containing sweat DNA.
• The DNA matches identical twin brothers with criminal records.
• Because standard DNA testing cannot distinguish between identical twins, both brothers are eventually released.
• The case remains unsolved.

Key forensic takeaway

• Standard crime-scene DNA testing looks at a limited set of markers.
• Identical twins usually share those markers, so police may need advanced whole-genome sequencing to tell them apart.
• That kind of testing is still expensive, uncommon, and often difficult to use in court.

The Ohio Case: Denise Is Found Dead

The main case centers on Denise, a 64-year-old woman found dead in her bedroom by her brother Daryl on a Sunday morning.

Crime scene details

Police find a highly unusual scene:

• Denise is on her bed with:
  • ripped pajamas
  • blood between her legs
  • blankets covering her face
  • an angel figurine placed on top of the blanket
• There are cleaning chemicals and Pepto-Bismol near/on her body.
• Blood is found on the walls, on the floor, and leading out to the backyard.
• There are no fingerprints, suggesting the killer wore gloves.
• DNA and blood are found under Denise’s nails.

Early uncertainty

Investigators initially consider several possibilities:

• homicide
• sexual assault
• possible self-harm or an attempt to ingest chemicals
• a staged scene meant to confuse police

Neighbors speculate wildly, and suspicion briefly falls on Denise’s brother Daryl, but he is eventually ruled out.

The Cart Family and the Twin Suspects

The focus shifts to the Cart family, who live across the street.

Who the twins are

• Hunter Cart — 2 minutes older, softer demeanor, longer hair
• Levi Cart — also called Lewis, more withdrawn/skater-like, visibly wearing a nose scar from a cat scratch

Their mother Becca and father Kyle are separated but co-parenting.

Why police focus on them

• DNA from the scene matches the twins’ profile.
• Because they are identical, police cannot tell which twin contributed the DNA.
• The brothers are 13, which makes the legal and interrogation process more complicated.

The Cat Scratch Alibi and Suspicious Timing

Levi has a fresh injury on his face: a deep scratch that required stitches. Police immediately see this as potentially important.

Levi’s explanation

He says:

• the family cat, Marshmallow, startled him while he was sleeping
• the cat scratched his face and neck
• he tried to clean himself up for hours
• he didn’t want to wake his mother because the family was already stressed and preparing for house photos before a move to California

He also says he ended up at the ER for stitches.

Hunter’s version

Hunter confirms parts of Levi’s story and says:

• he was sick that weekend
• Levi was scratched by the cat
• the family was already dealing with a stressful move
• the scratch was likely from the cat, not a fight

The Police Interrogation: Separate, Then Together

The officers first speak to the twins and their mother at home, then push for them to come to the police station.

Becca’s reaction

Becca is protective and increasingly alarmed:

• she repeatedly asks for a lawyer
• she objects to her minor sons being questioned without her
• she tries to understand whether they are being detained
• police stall, even taking her phone at one point

Why the police are focused on the boys

• The twins’ DNA matches the evidence.
• Levi’s scratch makes him seem more suspicious.
• The investigators suspect one of the boys may be lying, or that one may be covering for the other.

What Hunter Says

Hunter is highly verbal and analytical in the interview.

Main points from Hunter

• He repeatedly says he watched body-cam and true-crime content.
• He over-explains almost everything, seeming to reason through the case out loud.
• He says Levi has trauma and knows a lot about personality disorders because he researches them.
• He suggests Levi may be manipulative, but insists Levi would not be capable of murder.
• He admits he went online to look up the crime after police visited.

Why investigators pay attention

Hunter’s comments are unusually detailed for a 13-year-old, and his constant analysis makes him seem both cooperative and potentially evasive.

What Levi Says

Levi also talks a lot, but more reactively and defensively.

Main points from Levi

• He says the family cat scratched him while he was asleep.
• He describes cleaning himself up for a long time, showering, and trying not to wake anyone.
• He says he became emotionally overwhelmed after seeing police and ambulances outside.
• He claims he went to his dad’s house afterward because he was upset and wanted to get away.
• He insists neither he nor his family had ever been inside Denise’s home.

Additional complication: cerebral palsy

Police later learn Levi has cerebral palsy, which may affect his physical ability to commit the crime.

• Investigators do not yet know how severe his condition is.
• They are left trying to determine whether his disability would make the alleged assault/murder physically possible.

The Main Forensic and Legal Problem

The core issue of the case is simple but difficult:

• DNA at the scene points to the twins.
• But identical twins are extremely hard to distinguish through normal DNA testing.
• Without stronger proof, prosecutors may not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt which twin was involved.

This creates a serious possibility that:

• the guilty twin could avoid conviction, or
• both twins could escape prosecution if the evidence stays ambiguous.

Key Takeaways

• Identical twins can create major forensic blind spots because they share nearly identical DNA.
• The Denise case is unsettling because the scene suggests sexual assault and homicide, but the physical evidence is difficult to assign to one person.
• Hunter and Levi both talk themselves into suspicion by over-explaining, but that alone is not proof.
• Police appear especially focused on Levi because of his cat scratches and possible physical limitations.
• The episode ends on a cliffhanger: investigators are still trying to determine whether one twin or both were involved.

Part 1 Ending / Setup for Part 2

Stephanie Soo closes part one by noting that:

• the interrogation is still ongoing,
• the twins’ roles are not yet clear,
• and part two will reveal more of the interviews and the moment when one twin learns the other is allegedly guilty.