Tennessee High Schoolers Used Project-Based Learning to Solve a Nearly 40-Year-Old Serial Murder Mystery - Project Pals

Elizabethton High School Cold Case Project

• The Project: Sociology students at Elizabethton High School (Tennessee) investigated the "Redhead Murders," a series of unsolved killings from the 1980s.
• The Educator: The initiative was led by sociology teacher Alex Campbell to increase student engagement through real-world problem solving.
• Methodology: Students collaborated with professional investigators and analyzed evidence to develop a theory regarding the identity of the killer.
• Key Findings: The students identified a suspect potentially responsible for the deaths of at least six women.
• Official Status: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has acknowledged the students' theory, though no formal charges have been filed.
• Media Coverage: The project was the subject of the iHeartRadio true crime podcast series, Murder 101.
• Educational Impact: The case study serves as a model for project-based learning, demonstrating the effectiveness of community partnerships and student-driven research in high school curricula.