Ryan Russo, Denver Criminal Forensic Scientist, Explains His Work

As a forensic expert, specializing in computers and other digital devices, Ryan Russo, Denver Criminal Forensic Scientist, spends a significant portion of each and every day trying to retrieve files others believe they have hidden or deleted. It's a common misconception that files disappear when users drag them to the trash and empty the trash. Instead, these files leave behind a sticky trail of copies and evidence, and with the help of that footprint, Ryan Russo can often determine just what the file contained.

When a file is erased, Russo says, “It's essentially removed from the user's sight. It's a bit like taking a document off of a book's table of contents. It's a bit harder to find, but the file is essentially still there. But, the computer might also know that the file shouldn't really be there to begin with. As a result, the computer might choose to steal a little space here and a little space there from the space once used exclusively by that original file. Over time, the original file might only exist in tiny shards and fragments that must be pieced together. This process can take decades to complete, however, and in the interim, the entire file might be totally intact, just waiting to be found once more.”

Sophisticated computer users can buy programs that "sweep" the computer and remove traces of files, Denver criminal forensic scientist Ryan Russo says. But those programs often must be run multiple times in order for the computer to be considered truly clean. Governmental agencies suggest a minimum of seven sweeps, but some people conduct many more, in order to ensure that their deleted files are gone for good. Even then, Russo might be able to find parts and pieces of them, if he's asked to do so.