First person convicted using forensic material matching

In 1784, John Toms of Lancaster, UK, was tried and convicted for murdering Edward Culshaw with a pistol. During the examination of Culshaw's body, a pistol wad (crushed paper used to secure powder and balls in the muzzle) was found in the victim’s head wound. This was a perfect match to the torn newspaper found in Toms's pocket and was used as the primary evidence leading to his conviction. John Toms was hanged for his crime on 29 March 1784.