Stuart Evans is in the advanced stages of Aids when he dies, and his body is donated to science. However a routine toxicology test reveals foul play was at work.
The murder of a married woman who was having an affair seems straightforward. Friction develops between Dr Ryan and the police when the evidence complicates their case.
A tragic scene is discovered when a young mother apparently dies of an overdose. When another addict dies in an explosion, Sam has a bigger case on her hands.
Sam is called in by ex-Detective Inspector Leslie Peterson, now a Coroner's officer, who is investigating the ditching of a helicopter ferrying crew to a gas rig with 14 passengers and two crew on board.
All Sam's skills are required when 10 more bodies are recovered from the North Sea, and the piecing together of the jigsaw of evidence begins in earnest with her pathology team.
Sam searches for the identity of a victim of a cinema fire. A medical artist helps her reconstruct the face, but the result causes some embarrassment for the police.
Two elderly brothers are found dead in their home, with no apparent injuries. A post mortem discovers suspicious puncture marks and a possible racist connection.
A new murder turns DCI Ashton's suspicions toward the victim's family and friends, whilst Harry investigates a death that may be linked to the Irons family.
The murder of a probation officer leads the team to the doorstep of a police cadet college, as they quickly establish a link to a similar murder just months before.
As the police investigate the possibility of a copycat killer among the students, a friend from the college pressures Sam to put loyalty above the truth as the case unfolds.
The body of a young pregnant sports agent is found in the grounds of her office building. Sam and her team uncover a tragic story of money and corruption.
Following her discovery of the second body and believing the cases to be linked, Sam is sidelined from the investigation as she attempts to get to the truth.
The Home Office ask Sam and her team to examine a number of times of death as given by a highly respected and internationally renowned independent pathologist, Peter Sachs.
Leo and Harry follow up their leads to discover an alarming truth. Are Sam and her team being used by the Home Office to drive out Peter Sachs in fear of a costly process?
A paranoid schizophrenic goes on a violent frenzy in a busy high street. When a young man from the same care home commits suicide, Nikki is convinced there is a connection.
With Harry dead and Leo and Nikki getting nowhere with the police, the pathologists struggle to clear Harry's name, while the police seem intent on covering up a wider conspiracy.
Harry and DI James deviate from the original investigation to secretly test DNA evidence from the rival Chesham laboratory to try to solve this stalled case.
The murders of two women in a house basement force Jack to lock horns with an old flame, while Leo wrestles with providing a second post-mortem on a baby.
Nikki is wooed by a science minister as she and Jack investigate a murder on an eco-building project, whilst Leo finds himself trapped in a hospital siege.
Conflict brews between Leo and Nikki when he suspects her new boyfriend is involved in a 50-year cover-up, leaving Leo battling alone to expose the truth.
When an ex-convict is brutally murdered, the Lyell team is introduced to a forensic psychologist who works closely with those released from prison on life licence.
After the team discovers that suspect Paul may not be who he says he is, the investigation revisits an infamous murder case from the past which he was involved in.
The fatal shooting of a teenager in an armed police operation triggers a series of murders that link gangsters, a grieving family and a fractured firearms unit.
Jack leads the hunt for suspected killer Bruno, the brother of the Polish teenager shot by the armed police, and enters London's small but devastating gun trade.
A family murdered at a picnic leads the team to the female victim's estranged husband. But all is not what it seems, and Nikki and Jack are thrown into mortal danger.
Nikki and Jack encounter a media storm when a photogenic schoolteacher disappears. Thomas fights a crusade for justice when a troubled mother is found dead.
Finding a link between their two cases, the team unites to work out how these disparate victims are connected. The answer lies in a 20-year-old unsolved murder.
A woman's body found in the Thames leads Nikki and Jack to a riverside community scarred by grief after the disappearance of a teenage girl three years ago.
After a bereaved mother attacks a suspect, Nikki is under fire for leaking information. Jack and Thomas must bridge internal divisions to trace the killer.
When Nikki and Jack investigate the killing of an East End father and son, Clarissa's husband Max is brought to the Lyell Centre to help crack the case.
In Mexico for a funeral, Nikki makes a discovery that sets her on collision course with some dangerous and unpredictable forces. Arriving the help out, Jack is drawn into the fray
With Nikki locked in a struggle for survival, Jack must use all of his abilities to track her down. And with life and death in the balance, every decision counts.
The team continue to investigate the truth around the care home deaths. Clarissa's determination to find out the shocking truth puts her life in danger.
With new drugs hitting the streets, a head teacher confronts the dealers preying on his community, as the team deal with a surge in drug-related crime.
Nikki is humiliated in court when a barrister accuses her of making a serious error. The team investigates the death of a medical researcher found in a canal.
The team find unexpected connections between the death of a former US ambassador in a plane crash and the apparent suicide of a successful businessman.
The team discover a connection between the plane crash and a sinister online forum. Meanwhile, Matt is grieving for his friend, putting his relationship with Nikki under strain.
When the body of a missing teenager is found in a field near his village, Nikki and the Lyell team must determine whether the killer is a stranger or a local.
Investigating the murder of missing teenager Jason Forbes, Nikki and the Lyell team are pressured by police officers who are keen to secure a conviction.
A woman's body is found on railway tracks in London. When the post-mortem reveals signs of domestic violence, it brings back troubling memories for Nikki.
When the team's search for Jenny's killer hits a wall, her friends at the women's refuge seek answers. Meanwhile, Thomas makes some friends in high places.
Thomas performs a post-mortem on a soldier who died in military training. His investigation takes a turn when he discovers traces of a possible nerve agent.
Jack is rushed to hospital after collapsing at the scene of a car crash. As he fights for his life, the team must identify the poison to save their friend.
In the first case for new recruit Adam, the murder of a swimming instructor leads the team to suspect her ex-boyfriend, a former cop. Meanwhile, Jack has an unexpected visitor.
Having traced Laura’s last movements to a suburban house, the team work to identify the bodies buried in the garden. Meanwhile, Jack must choose between his brother and the truth.
Nikki, Jack and Adam investigate the murder of a surgeon in a hospital. DNA evidence appears to implicate a patient who was under anaesthetic at the time of the killing.
Jack, Nikki and Simone investigate another death connected to the underground boxing ring. Jack's loyalty is tested when he fears Ryan has put Cara in danger.
Nikki’s students make an alarming discovery while dissecting a body donated for their training. Jack and Simone try to save care home residents from a flood.
Stranded in the flooded care home, Jack and Simone fight to keep the residents alive - but Nikki discovers that they may be trapped inside with the killer.
Sam Ryan recruits the Lyell team to investigate the assassination of the health secretary, but Nikki is unsure whether Sam knows more than she's letting on.
When Florence Clarke confesses to the murder of her husband, the investigating detective reveals a startling connection to a painful secret for Simone.
Jack's father sends him on an urgent mission into the mysteries of his past. Meanwhile, Nikki and Simone investigate a body that seems to hold puzzles of its own.
The death of an investigative journalist throws the spotlight onto Sam Ryan. Nikki begins to realise that the implications of her discoveries will challenge the principles of forensic science.
When a man plummets from a high-rise building, the Lyell team cross paths with the NCA and a notorious mafia group, pushing Nikki to make a tough decision.
A lorry is found with people locked inside, some dead. With the survivors refusing to speak, Nikki and the team must use their pathological and forensic skills to identify them.
As Nikki and Jack delve deeper into the investigation of the disturbing abandoned lorry deaths, the truth behind this complex human trafficking case becomes clear.
The team are called in to explore the dark side of social media when a man is found dead at a festival. Is it a drug overdose or something much more sinister?
As the police close in on their lead suspect, Nikki is drawn to investigate and uncover the disturbing truth. An event at the Lyell takes the team by surprise.
Levelling-up leaders and environmental activists clash in a small town trying to look to the future. With a sabotaged train and a dead mayor, the activists become suspects.
The Lyell team return to the tunnel and uncover some difficult truths, while the police raid the protester camp, desperate for answers. Family ties are pushed to their limits.
Jack is sucked into a complex case where he’s pitted against his former mentor. The tight-knit group of police officers provide a difficult case where nothing is as it seems.
As they get to the heart of their investigation, the Lyell team navigate corruption, loss and deceit within the local police force, who have become a law unto themselves.
Amanda Burton, who portrayed lead character Dr Sam Ryan for eight years, shares her thoughts on how and why Silent Witness became the television institution that it remains today.
A new murder victim forces the team to consider whether a notorious serial killer has resurfaced after 20 years, or if they are dealing with a copycat.
With new evidence, the team give DCI Ford the information she needs for a surprising arrest. Meanwhile, the investigation takes a new turn when the suspect visits his daughter.
The team pieces together the mystery of a man found dead on the shore of the Thames, while the life of a disgruntled criminology professor begins to unravel.
A disturbing scene presents a way forward in the investigation for Nikki and Jack. Professor Cherry continues to spiral, but who will he take down with him?
A mummified corpse, undiscovered for a year, is found in a flat. The team strive to uncover its identity and are drawn into a murky world of drugs and botched plastic surgery.
The team work to uncover the truth surrounding a death, and consider if it's linked to their original body. Meanwhile, DI Torres's investigation reveals things no-one had expected.
Nikki has a breakthrough and edges ever closer to the truth as they confront a key witness. Who can the team believe and, more importantly, who can they trust?
When eight bodies are discovered below King's Cross Station Museum, the team navigate the past and present to find the identity of the man dubbed 'The King's Cross Serial Killer'.
The death of an elderly woman found in a cave has the Lyell team asking what drives a person to murder someone so vulnerable. A new boss at the Lyell riles Jack.
Nikki conducts an unusual post-mortem, and a terrifying discovery disturbs the team. DNA evidence forces the Lyell to seek advice from an unexpected quarter.
When a mysterious contagion starts to spread on a flight from Mumbai, Dr Nikki Alexander faces a race against time - at 30,000 feet - to contain a deadly illness.
When six people are slaughtered by an unknown gunman, Nikki and Jack must work against the clock to find the shooter. Can they find him in time before he kills again?
Nikki and Jack hunt a suspected hitman across Birmingham, who later claims responsibility for a murder that gripped the nation, for which someone else is serving jail time.
Nikki, Jack and the Bowman team are suspicious of a hitman’s murder confession. They must navigate the twists and turns of a complex investigation to uncover the unsettling truth.
When an elderly man is found dead with a screwdriver impaled through his eye socket, the Bowman team find themselves navigating the mental health system of both the past and the present.
The Bowman’s investigation takes a surprising turn as they explore the trials of a homeless community and the mystery of a mental health hospital, both past and present.
As Jack feels the weight of local gun-related deaths on his shoulders, he takes it out on a punter in a bar fight and must decide whether to involve Nikki and the Bowman team.
Nikki and the rest of the Bowman team must race against the clock to prove Jack innocent before they are also found guilty of their own transgressions.
After the case takes an unexpected turn, the death of a second victim brings the team closer to uncovering the truth, and Nikki finds herself in danger.