Live From CrimeCon Las Vegas: The Death of Ellen Greenberg

Millions of tourist flock to Paris every year to visit the Louvre or see the Eiffel Tower up close. While tourists take photos on the city streets, under their feet, lining the walls of nearly two hundred miles of tunnels lie the skeletons of 6 MILLION people. Joseph Scott Morgan recounts his recent visit to the tunnels under the "City of Light" and explains how the area became the final resting place for millions of people. And in a shocking turn, the Professor finds a skull that appears to have a gunshot wound to the head! Transcribe Highlights 00:01.76 Introduction02:26.06 Handrail phobia05:00.55 Church and alter made from bones09:48.76 Touring Notre Dame15:19.56 A mantel made of stone19:30.53 Bones stacked according to type25:11.72 WW2 - Nazi's in one place, French resistance in another30:08.31 Looking for trauma on the bones35:44.67 Skull showed trauma 38:17.26 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Jun 38min

Joseph Scott Morgan puts on his teachers cap and explains Decompositional changes and what really happens in the first minutes, hours, and days after death and tells the story of a rookie cop doing a simple welfare check calls for backup after finding a victim dead in his tv chair. The still wet behind the ears cop thinks the victim was killed with a hatchet, but all of the blood and body fluid appearing on the victims' shirt is not from a hatchet, the man had a heart attack. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack talk about the disintegration of body tissues after death, known as decomposition as well as the two processes of Decomposition and how important these processes will be in the upcoming trial of Bryan Kohberger for the murders of four college students in Idaho. Transcript Highlights00:03.14 Introduction 01:34.93 Professor Morgan is ready to teach 04:44.28 Reason for understanding decomposition 09:51.60 Can't always see it, but you can smell it 14:43.12 People dying on toilets 19:01.43 Disintegration, breaking down what is organic 24:31.13 Autolysis and Putrefaction 29:35.64 Body decomposing 34:59.98 Rigor mortis leaves, body becomes flaccid 40:12.40 Toes and fingers dry out 44:32.69 Natural Death looks like a murder 45:35.23 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Jun 45min

The death of Ellen Greenberg was initially ruled a homicide, but without warning or explanation, Doctor Marlon Osbourne changed the ruling to suicide. Ellen's parents have spent the last 14 years trying to have it changed back to homicide, or undetermined. The Greenberg's have two civil suits about the case, one headed for the state supreme court later this year, but on the first day of jury selection for the other case, a settlement is reached. Doctor Marlon Osbourne, who conducted the autopsy on Ellen Greenberg as the former assistant medical examiner with the ME's office, signed a sworn verification statement in which he says he now believes Ellen's manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the case and breakdown how this change impacts the case today and in the future. Transcribe Highlights 00:00:00 Introduction 03:29.50 Dr. Osbourne changes ruling from homicide to suicide 07:23.79 The life of Ellen Greenberg 12:21.71 location of injuries 17:19.04 Joe talks about autopsy 22:22.18 Greenberg had active day, no issues 27:36.97 Classification of "manner of death" 32:45.96 Giving a statement to police 37:06.32 Steps in death investigation 42:48.71 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 Jun 41min

Part Two of "Manner, Cause, Mechanism of Death", the death rulings of John O'Keefe, Virginia Giuffre, Dana Plato, Heidi Planck and others including one where a burglar is sent to prison for murdering someone who wasn't shot, stabbed, strangled, or even touched by the suspect who was robbing the place, and who will possibly spend the rest of his life in prison. The Karen Read Case is also discussed as to the Manner, Cause, and Mechanism of death of John O'Keefe. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack talk about cases when no body is found but evidence found at the scene is "incompatible with life" and how this is used in an investigation.Joseph Scott Morgan goes deep into death investigation and what really matters, breaking down the four questions of Death Investigation: How? What? When? Why? Transcribe Highlights 00:02.88 Introduction 00:56.30 Cause and Effect, Mechanism 05:00.66 Suicide Ruling in overdose death of Dana Plato 09:55.12 Needle still in the arm of overdose victims 15:58.79 Manner of death 19:02.38 Coroner decides to rule overdose deaths as homicides 23:59.02 Elderly Man Dies from heart attack meeting robber in Kitchen - Robber sent to prison 28:03.94 Heidi Planck missing, evidence found is incompatible with life 34:15.80 John O'Keefe Manner of death 39:05.80 Brain expands with no place inside skull to go 41:56.73 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Jun 41min

The judge in the Bryan Kohberger trial is still searching for the person or persons who leaked info to Dateline that was used in NBC’s 2-hour special on the Idaho Student Murders, “The Terrible Night on King Road” revealing new details and never before seen video that may be key evidence in the state’s case. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack talk about the latest news in the case and JSM breaks down some issues with how forensic evidence was moved from the scene, how the entire crime scene was treated in the days following the murders, as well as what the coroner did or did not do that could create problems at trial. No matter what happens in court or in the media, there are still four young adults who were murdered, and they must be remembered. They deserve justice. Remember the Victims: Ethan Chapin, 20 Xana Kernodle, 20 Kaylee Goncalves, 21 Madison Mogen, 21 Transcribe Highlights 00:13.15 Introduction - Part 2 - Kohberger Case 01:46.38 Judge is displeased with the leak in the case 05:04.66 Risk at trial, slipshod manner the way the trial claimed 09:40.54 Implies some kind of trace element left behind on 14:00.17 Evidence: a mattress was driven down the road in the back of a truck19:54.71 Kohberger lawyer previously represented mother of victim, Xana Kernodle24:04.54 Judge is completely aware 29:01.53 Does the defense have a suspect other than Kohberger?33:43.00 Timeline is going to be very important39:14.10 Not all testimony will be available to public, some will not be streamed 43:47.94 Whoever did this quadruple murder is/was a monster44:11.81 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Jun 43min

Joseph Scott Morgan spends hours talking about crime scenes and forensics in the media and in the classroom. Today he explains everything from a "Natural Death" to "Russian Roulette". The key is to determine "How the Cause Came About". Natural Deaths: Death as a result of a normal biological process. Accidental Deaths: Death that results from misadventure without assignment of blame to another by the certifier of death. Undetermined Deaths: The causative factors surrounding the death cannot be established. Homicidal Deaths: A death that is at the hand of another. Suicidal Deaths: Death at one's own hand Transcribe Highlights 00:02.88 Introduction 00:56.30 More than just a "death investigator" 05:00.66 Teaching Forensics while covering crime 10:05.12 Cases thrown out due "dry labbing" 15:00.79 Determinations of how someone died 20:02.38 Manner of Death explained 24:59.02 Medical Legal ruling of Manner of death in Russian Roulette 30:03.94 The term "Cause of Death" 35:04.21 Death at ones own hand Conclusion of Lesson OneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Jun 34min

Birmingham, Alabama, has experienced a killing spree unlike any before. In the April 16 episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack covered alleged mass killer, serial killer, and hitman Damian McDaniel, who had been charged with 14 murders in 14 months. McDaniel has now been charged with four more homicides, bringing the total to 18 in 14 months. In this update episode, Morgan and Mack discuss the timeline of events, the difference between a mass shooting and a serial killer, and the accusation that McDaniel was also a hired hitman. Joe also explains what must happen at each crime scene—even when the scene includes double-digit victims Transcribe Highlights 00:00.53 Introduction 02:33.65 Damian McDaniel charged with 4 more homicides 05:03.41 McDaniel is suspected of Serial killings as well as Mass killing 10:17.73 McDaniel is also accused of being a Hired "Hitman" 15:00.71 Additional charges for McDaniel - and possible partner in crime 20:36.12 Question about weapon or weapons used 25:25.57 Going down the list victims and locations 30:19.08 Second Mass shooting - McDaniel a suspect in shooting 35:07.54 Investigators are drowning in data 37:14.04 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Mai 37min

In November 1987 cops in Humbolt County, California, received a package in the mail. The package was mailed from San Francisco and contained partial skeletal remains. A typed letter was included in the package with directions to more skeletal remains. More skeletal remains were recovered but what was found was still an incomplete set of remains. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss a case that includes a missing teacher, a husband on a business trip, and bones found in multiple locations in Northern California - and how the incredible work of Othram helped identify the partial set of human remains nearly 40 years after they first arrived at the Sheriff's office Transcribe Highlights00:03.47 Introduction 01:12.55 Influence of teachers at an early age 04:56.32 1987-husband comes home from business trip, wife is gone 09:39.08 Some mailed skeletal remains to police 14:39.11 Partial skeletal remains 19:51.97 Map to more remains included with remains 24:00.63 Typed letter still has "evidence" 29:27.66 Note and remains mailed from San Francisco 34:48.40 Othram brought in to identify the skeletal remains 39:14.34 Victim lived in an isolated area 43:29.15 Othram has to crowd fund to be able to work on a case Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Mai 43min