My mother is Marie Ann Watson. She disappeared in 1977. It's fairly well known she was killed, and the likely suspects.

In 1996, the investigation was officially reactivated. One of the people likely involved in her murder, Ramon Rogers, was arrested in San Diego with dismembered body parts in his storage unit. The bloody glove did fit... They did not acquit. Rotten joke, sorry.

Anyway. They dug up a shirt the color I said my mother was wearing. They dug up bones that fit what I described happened to her. But the DNA evidence was "inconclusive" whether it was even human or not. In Idaho, there's a " no body, no murder" precedent. Thus, the prosecutors decided that, despite the evidence, there had just been far too many bones under there... And that might make the case too weak.

They decided not to go to trial... Though there's pretty much universal acceptance that she was murdered.

So my answer is that, in some cases yes... In others, no.

Er, I suppose that long story want strictly necessary. :p

I'll post my links in a reply, because I'm on my phone and that will be easier for me. Sorry for any inconvenience.