The Body Under the Stairs: The Death of Eric Mercado

On February 14, 2018, a 19-year-old named Nikolas Cruz opens fire on students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, murdering 17 people and injuring 17 more. It is still the deadliest high school shooting in United States history, surpassing even the Columbine shooting, in 1999, which ended with 15 people dead. Nikolas Cruz arrives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School via an Uber, constructs his firearm, and then begins his assault on his former classmates.  In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss the details of the shooting, the weapon used in the attack, how the crime scene remains untouched after all these years, the reasons behind preserving the high school in this way, and the significance of the date of the shooting.    Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:45 - Joseph Scott and Jackie discuss the details of the shooting itself 7:45 - Did Cruz pull the fire alarm or could it have been triggered by smoke from the gun?  9:23 - Explanation of the layout of the building, crime scene, and how investigators would go about analyzing it  12:23 - The evolution of crime scene investigations 14:56 - The duration of the shooting and how hurricane proof glass ended up saving lives 19:01 - Nikolas Cruz’s background and how he blended in with students to escape the scene  20:29 - Cruz’s arrest and recovery of the weapon  21:30 - Joe talks about the weapon used in the attack 22:51 - The fear that teachers and students experienced seeing and hearing the gunshots 24:44 - Joe explains the Big Black Gun Theory  27:18 -  Joe and Jackie discuss the crime scene remaining untouched since the shooting 28:50 - As evidence is collected, it’s sealed - how do you seal an entire building? 31:05 - Why would you want to leave a crime scene untouched for this long? 33:14 - Joe talks about the importance of chain of custody in forensics 35:34 - The reasons for preserving the high school in its condition  39:22 - Joe talks about the significance of this occurring on Valentine’s Day See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Elo 202240min

For more than ten years, the family of Ellen Greenberg has been looking for answers and justice. The 27-year-old first grade teacher and bride-to-be was found stabbed behind the locked door of her apartment. In fact, she was stabbed 20 times, including wounds to her back and head. The original finding by the medical examiner determined homicide. So, why does the final ruling say Ellen Greenberg committed suicide? Listen to former death scene investigator Joseph Scott Morgan's analysis, then join him as he and Nancy Grace recreate the crime scene and hear from Ellen Greenberg's parents in Teacher Death Mystery: A Nancy Grace Investigation,  streaming now on Fox Nation.   Was it suicide, or did something more sinister happen to Ellen Greenberg?    Follow the push for justice with Teacher Death Mystery: A Nancy Grace Investigation, and Behind the Locked Door with Joseph Scott Morgan.  STREAMING NOW: Teacher Death Mystery: A Nancy Grace Investigation  Follow this case on Facebook at "Justice for Ellen." Subscribe to Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan : Apple Podcasts Spotify iHeartSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Elo 202232min

Avid big game hunter, Bianca Rudolph, is found unresponsive in a cabin in Zambia with a gunshot wound to her chest. Her husband of 34 years, Dr. Larry Rudolph, the only other person in the cabin at the time, claims to have been showering when he heard the gunshot. He claims accidental discharge, but investigators disagree.   In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss the likelihood of Bianca Rudolph accidentally shooting herself, the complications of working a crime scene in the wilderness of Africa, the odd behaviors displayed by her husband at the time of her death, and the tip that lead authorities to an in-depth investigation, and eventual guilty verdict of her husband, Dr. Larry Rudolph.    Show Notes: 0:15 - Introducing the death of Dr. Larry Rudolph’s wife of 34 years, Bianca Rudolph 2:14 - While packing up following a two-week hunting trip in Zambia, Dr. Rudolph claims his wife accidentally shot herself 6:56 - Is it physically possible to shoot yourself while packing away a shotgun? 8:48 - Explanation of the type of gun that killed Bianca, and ruling out possible suicide 12:05 - Joe explains the injury sustained to Bianca’s body from multiple 30-caliber-sized projectiles 16:29 - Looking for evidence of powder distribution on Bianca’s body and clothing 19:32 - Smooth bore weapons vs rifled weapons 21:37 - Working a crime scene in the wilderness of one of the world’s largest game preserves and how bodies are back to the US from Africa 25:24 - Dr. Rudolph’s push to have Bianca’s body cremated within three days of her death and the steps taken by the consular chief in Zambia to document her injuries 27:49 - The tip that leads to an in-depth FBI investigation 29:57 - Events that lead authorities to conclude Bianca’s death was no accident 34:09 - Odd behavior displayed by Dr. Larry Rudolph in the moments after he heard the gunshot 38:21 - Joseph Scott describes what happens when a round passes through an intermediate target and the amount of blood that he would be expected to be present in that situation. 40:39 - When the body is assaulted by such an event, does it fall in a specific manner? 42:47 - Resolution in the case against Dr. Larry RudolphSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9 Elo 202243min

Talented and beloved musician, Scott Sessions, is found brutally murdered in an ambush attack, his throat slashed to near decapitation. Shortly afterward, his lover, who lured him to the moment of his death, Heather Frank, is also found dead with gunshot wounds to her chest. Investigators find Heather Frank wrapped in the same burnt plastic as they found Scott Sessions. The suspect? Heather Frank’s boyfriend, Kevin Eastman. In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss the horrific murders of Scott Sessions and Heather Frank. They delve into the mechanics of murder by an edged weapon to the throat, the pathology of an enraged killer, rendering a body by fire, and the connective evidence found at both crime scenes.   Show Notes: 1:00 - Introducing the deaths of Scott Sessions and Heather Frank 3:39 - The connection between Scott Sessions, Heather Frank, and Kevin Eastman 4:55 - The visibility of a toxic, abusive relationship on a body 6:54 - Anatomy of bruises and how professionals grade them in abuse cases 13:08 - What happened to Scott Sessions 14:54 - The mechanics of slitting a throat with an edged weapon 17:05 - Volume of blood within the body, types and locations of injuries that cause blood loss, and the forensic importance of a victim’s blood that has pooled outside of the body  22:14 - The horrific injuries Scott Sessions sustained  27:30 -  Pathology of a killer who is full of anger and rage 29:18 - The death of Heather Frank 31:59-  Why did Heather have to die? 34:36 - The failed attempt to render down Scott’s body by fire and the common evidence found on both victims 39:07 - Looking for connectivity/tieback in forensics: evidence found at both crime scenes 41:57 - The discovery of Scott Sessions and Heather Frank’s bodies 43:57 - The conviction of Kevin Eastman  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Elo 202242min

Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow’s bodies are discovered on June 9, 2020, on the property of Chad Daybell in Rexburg, Idaho. After months of missing person investigations, complicated circumstances surrounding their disappearance, and a string of suspicious deaths, police have charged Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell in the horrific murders of Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow.    In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss the complex case against Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell in the murders of Tylee Ryan and J.J Vallow. They also discuss the striking differences between the ways in which Tylee and J.J 's bodies were treated post-mortem, complications of processing the crime scene, and the request to allow for forensic DNA testing on the evidence collected by the state of Idaho.   Show Notes: 1:00 - Introducing the deaths of Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon “J.J.” Vallow 1:54 - Sections 1: A brief history of the confusing events that led to finding the remains of Tylee and J.J. buried on the property of Chad Daybell 5:29 - The mysterious death of Tammy Daybell 8:03 - Cause of death: natural causes, a seemingly inaccurate determination for a physically active woman who was in good health 10:32 - Searching for physical evidence of the cause of death in an exhumed embalmed body 12:00 - How authorities located the remains of Tylee and J.J.  15:41 - The striking differences between the treatment of Tylee and J.J.'s bodies 18:32 - Section 2: Processing the crime scene 20:57 -  Examining the evidence on the tape and plastic bag encasing J.J. Vallow 22:17 - The problem with cutting open a bag containing remains at the crime scene 24:07- Recovery of Tylee’s remains 28:24 - Individualization of evidence: examining every bone fragment of a dismembered body 30:16 - Section three: Forensic DNA testing on the evidence recovered at Daybell’s property by the state’s crime scene unit  33:40 - Specific evidence found at the crime scene 39:30 - Consumptive testing: setting a dangerous precedent by allowing third-party observers  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Heinä 202243min

Lorenzen Wright, an NBA star basketball player, goes missing on the night of July 18th, 2010 leading to a 10-day search that ends when investigators find Lorenzen Wright’s remains in a heavily wooded area near Germantown, Tennessee. By the time his body is found, the 6’11” star athlete has decomposed to the point of his remains totaling only 57 pounds, just one of the many struggles that investigators need to overcome in order to solve this case. It took over 7 years, but investigators finally found the gun that they believe was used to murder Lorenzen Wright, leading to multiple convictions related to 1st Degree Murder. In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard provide details on Lorenzen’s life including the death of one of his children, the financial troubles that may have played a role in the motives behind his murder, and why it can be so difficult to find sufficient evidence in a forensic investigation that starts ten days after a death has occurred.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Heinä 202245min

Emily Noble goes missing on the night of her 52nd birthday. Leaving behind her phone, keys, ID, wallet, and car, with no signs of a forced entry, and her husband claiming that he went to bed in the couple's guest room; Emily Noble has essentially vanished in the middle of the night. In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard detail the search effort, potential pathways to solve any case that begins with almost no tangible evidence, and the unfortunate scene when Emily Noble's body is finally found.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Heinä 202249min

Tammy Jo Blanton's body is found in her bathtub by police responding to a welfare check request. Just the night before, September 10th, 2014, Blanton called 911, saying that her ex-boyfriend, Joseph Oberhandsley, would not leave the front of her home. The welfare check had been requested by Blanton's friend and co-worker when Blanton did not show up for work. When police arrive at the home, Joseph Oberhandsley answers the door, covered in blood. Police find signs of a forced entry, and ultimately Tammy Jo Blanton's body. She has not only been stabbed repeatedly, but her body mutilated and also cannibalized.  In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss the differences between dismemberment and mutilation, the perspective of the judge and jury when it is revealed that injuries to the body are post-mortem, and the horrific details in the case of Tammy Jo Blanton’s murder.   Show Notes: 0:30 - Introducing Tammy Jo Blanton’s murder 1:30 - Tammy Jo Blanton calls the police because her ex-boyfriend, Joseph Oberhansley would not leave her home 3:00 - Describing the initial murder scene 5:00 - Cause of death: sharp force injuries. Multiple stab wounds all over her body. 10:00 - How exactly does the body stop functioning when you are stabbed to death? 12:30 - Post-mortem vs Antemortem  13:30 - The additional “twisting of the knife” when injuries to a deceased body are post-mortem 14:00 - Section 2: Walking into the crime scene 16:30 - A section of Tammy Jo’s chest is open, a parts of her heart and a lung are missing 18:00 - The differences between dismemberment and mutilation 20:00 - A jigsaw was found on the scene. This continues to show evidence of how much time it took to mutilate the body 23:00 - Section 3: Joseph Oberhansley’s mental state and the trial for this case 27:00 - Oberhansley’s criminal record included shooting his own mother, shooting and killing the teenage mother of his child. He had also shot himself, attempting suicide in the past. 29:30 - An exploration into the different types of cannibalism 33:00 - Joseph Oberhansley was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of paroleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Heinä 202234min