Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
In November 2010, beloved mother, grandmother, and book collector Sherri Black was brutally murdered inside her family's bookstore in South Salt Lake City, Utah. Despite recovering the killer's blood, fingerprints, and palm prints at the scene, investigators faced a decade-long cold case because the DNA profiles did not match any existing database. The case finally broke in 2020 when detective Ben Pender utilized revolutionary forensic genetic genealogy and family tree analysis to trace the crime back to Adam DeBurro, who was 19 years old at the time of the murder. Arrested in October 2020, DeBurro confessed in an interrogation room that his victim's kindness had triggered a sudden, misplaced rage he was feeling about his own life. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, while Sherri's family established a foundation to help train local agencies on advanced investigative tools.
The episode opens with a brief introduction and a series of sponsor advertisements before the hosts begin their discussion.
Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson greet listeners, exchange pleasantries, and thank Patreon supporters before launching into the main story.
The hosts introduce the case of Sherri Black, a beloved mother and grandmother murdered in her Utah bookstore in 2010.
The conversation shifts to Sherri’s upbringing, love of books, marriage to Earl, and her family life, including her children and grandchildren.
The hosts explain how the case went cold, then was revived through genetic genealogy and DNA phenotyping, leading to a suspect list.
Details of the crime scene, evidence collected, and early investigative steps are discussed, highlighting the lack of immediate suspects.
The narrative follows the identification of Adam Derboro, his DNA match, and his subsequent arrest and interview with detectives.
The episode covers the legal proceedings, aggravated murder charges, and Derboro’s life‑without‑parole sentence.
Discussion turns to the Sherri Black Foundation, its mission, and how the family and community have responded to the case.
The hosts wrap up the episode, share a voicemail from a listener, and sign off with final thoughts and thanks.
Discovery of the Crime Scenestory
Earl Black returned home from work on November 30, 2010, and discovered his wife Sherri murdered in the back room of their bookstore.
Unclear Motive at the Scenedata
Investigators found no money missing from the cash register, and Sherri was still wearing her diamond necklace, earrings, and rings.
Releasing Phenotyping Sketchesstrategy
Seven years after the murder, authorities released facial progression images generated from DNA through phenotyping by Parabon Nano Labs.
Detective Ben Pender was surprised to find that roughly 98 percent of the genetic relatives he tracked down were willing to help.
Spontaneous Confession in Custodystory
After requesting an attorney, Adam DeBurro sat alone with a detective and suddenly began confessing details about killing Sherri.
Flawed Phenotyping Resultsinsight
Following the arrest, it was revealed that the sketch predicted African American ancestry while DeBurro is actually of Asian descent.
“Sherri Black, a beloved mother and grandmother, was attacked and stabbed to death inside her bookstore in South Salt Lake City, Utah.”
“Investigators learned that a regular customer of Sherri's was the last person to be in the bookstore, presumably after Sherri was murdered.”
“The South Salt Lake Police invited homicide investigators from outside agencies to talk about the case, to hear suggestions.”
“In 2020, the genealogist found a match for someone believed to be closely related to the perpetrator.”
“The Sherri Black Foundation was created in 2017 by Heidi and Greg Miller as a way to share the knowledge that they gained after losing Sherri.”
In November 2010, 64-year-old Sherry Black was brutally murdered inside the rare-book store she operated next to her home in South Salt Lake City, Utah. Sherry was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and lifelong book collector, and investigators struggled to understand why anyone would want to hurt her. Despite finding the killer’s blood, fingerprints, and other evidence at the scene, there were no matches in law-enforcement databases, and the case eventually went cold. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the murder of Sherry Black, the years her family spent searching for answers, and the remarkable advances in DNA technology that finally gave investigators the breakthrough they desperately needed. Nearly a decade later, investigators turned to the emerging field of forensic genetic genealogy, launching a painstaking search through family trees and potential relatives. You can help support the show at patreon.com/truecrimeallthetime Visit the show's website at truecrimeallthetime.com for contact, merchandise, and donation information An Emash Digital production See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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