The Death of Savannah Hardin

Skeletal remains found near the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee don't match up with any missing person cases in Chattanooga or the surrounding area. It takes several months before the remains are positively identified. On this episode of Body Bags,  Joseph Scott Morgan will take you into the field where the remains have been found and into the lab where identification takes place, and Dave Mack will look into the facts surrounding the disappearance of the 20-year-old beauty from Georgia and how she ended up as a skeleton on the side of a rural road outside Chattanooga Tennessee.            Transcript Highlights  00:00:25 Introduction of 20-year-old woman, missing  00:04:07 Discussion of geography of the case  00:07:20 Discussion of picking up body in jail  00:11:51 Talk about Fentanyl becoming drug of choice  00:16:13 Discussion of drugs and dealers  00:20:48 Discussion of reporting missing person  00:24:16 Talk about the deposition of the body  00:28:08 Discussion of trauma on the bones  00:32:32 Discussion explaining forensic anthropology at the scene  00:37:13 Discussion of being absent of clothing  00:41:40 Conclusion – Case is still open; we will follow up See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Juli 202441min

Bonnie and Clyde killed at least nine police officers and four civilians during their 21-month crime spree from 1932 to 1934. The couple were also responsible for several Bank robberies, gas stations hold-ups , and burglaries. They weren't very good thieves, as they rarely got away with more than $80. In this episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan will explain how Bonnie Parker suffered so many bullet holes her body had to be plugged to hold embalming fluid, and Dave Mack will take you behind the scenes in the woods with Frank Hamer and Manny Gault as they brought down the  murderous "Bonnie and Clyde".         Transcript Highlights  00:00:10 Introduction of human destruction  00:02:09 Description of Bienville Parish  00:05:24 Description of Bonnie and Clyde car on display  00:08:14 Discussion Bonnie 23, Clyde 25  00:11:15 Talk about Bonnie and Clyde murder young cop  00:15:11 Discussion about State Coroners convention  00:18:05 Discussion about transcribing  00:21:32 Talk about Bonnie and Clyde murdering cops  00:25:57 Discussion of BB Episode about Coroner system  00:28:21 Talk about autopsy of famous people  00:31:41 Discussion of Dr. Wade and others at the autopsy  00:35:00 Discussion of injuries suffered by Bonnie Parker  00:37:42 Conclusion: Bonnie and Clyde meet their end See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Juli 202437min

Trista Spicer tells everyone her live-in boyfriend, Eric Mercado, left the house on October 11, 2014, and never returned.  Mercado’s family called him “Nino” and they printed up posters, circulated info on social media and physically looked for their “Nino” with no luck. On this episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan will detail what happens when someone is hit in the face with a frying pan and their throat is slit with a box cutter. Dave Mack will investigate the relationship between Trista Spicer, Eric Mercado, and Waylan Gentry, and who gave the police the “tip” that turned a missing persons case into a homicide investigation.           Transcript Highlights 00:00.01. Introduction - walking through graveyards 05:08.07  Discussion of social media, sharing too much 10:07.10. Discussion of victim, early 40s 15:35.82. Talk about spouses 20:20.01. Discussion about a missing family member 26:08.66  Discussion of what did Suspect tell new boyfriend 31:18.61. Talk about tattoos 36:39.54  Discussion - somebody always talks 40:26.66  Discussion of soft tissue, dehydrated skin 42:04:13  Conclusion - Face smashed in with frying pan, throat slitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Juli 202442min

Wade Wilson, not the superhero better known as "Deadpool" but Wade Wilson, Tattoo Face Killer. If Wilson has a favorite song it is probably "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash for the line "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die". For Tattoo Face Wade Wilson, using a gun to kill someone is too impersonal. In this episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan will explain just how personal it is to strangle the life out of someone with bare hands, and Dave Mack will go behind the tattoos and headlines to find out more about the victims of the vile creature capable of killing two women in a matter of hours, just because he can.  Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner in closing argument in murder trial of Wade Wilson:  "This case was about killing for the sake of killing. Strangulation is the epitome of life slipping through someone's hands."          Transcribe Highlights 00:39.32 Introduction of a nightmare 05:03.44 Discussion of Wade Wilson, tattoo face 10:24.32 Talk about Wilson claiming to be a victim 15:00.63 Discussion about how Wade Wilson got invited back to woman's home 20:23.78 Discussion about destroying a person for no reason 25:52.10 Talk about isn't it enough?  29:33.42 Discussion about Wilson leaves Melton's home in her car 33:49.88 Discussion of Diane Ruiz body damage, injuries and animals 38:23.24.Discussion Wilson tells Bio Father what he has done 42:13.10 Conclusion - Wade Wilson, Florida JusticeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Juni 202442min

Jerry Harris's pregnant daughter is murdered, her uterus removed, and her body thrown in a river. She is found by fishermen six days after she is last seen alive. Jerry Harris commits suicide outside the Sheriff's Office. On this episode of Body Bags Joseph Scott Morgan go behind the evidence and take a look at the body of Jerry Harris' daughter, Jennifer, a murder still unsolved. Dave Mack digs into the story of Jennifer Harris. Who knew she was pregnant and who wanted her dead? The ex-husband? The ex-boyfriend? Did Jerry Harris get so depressed over the murder of his daughter that he killed himself at the Sheriff's office as some kind of challenge?  We know Jerry Harris killed himself. Do we know why?       Transcript Highlights 00:00:17.19 Introduction of "Cold Case" and recent suicide 00:03:48.25 Discussion of life and "dark space" 00:07:29.51 Talk about notification of family 00:10:31.93 Discussion of Jennifer Harris before she vanishes 00:14:43.53 Discussion of evidence, finding Jennifer 00:19:47.66 Talk about detaching while investigating 00:25:25.90 Discussion of finding and condition of remains in Red River 00:29:57.94 Talking about water damage 00:33:35.52 Discussion of ex-husband alibi 00:39:03.49 Talk about Jeep, latent hand or palm print 00:40:04.96 Discussion of cabin in the woods, burned down 00:43:30.88 Discussion of skill level of the person removing uterus 00:45:36.30 Conclusion: Blue clay, caretakers' cabin, suicide of Jerry HarrisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Juni 202447min

A Texas mother of 4 is found hanging from a dock with a rope around her neck in an apparent suicide. On this episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack will go behind the shocking story of an apparent suicide and Joe Scott will explain how a witness describing the woman’s body hanging from the dock tells him she didn’t kill herself; this is a murder!         01:38.72 Introduction: Suicide or Murder  05:20.55 Discussion of rigidity  09:06:44 Talk about boat life, living at marina  13:02.11 Discussion of arms hanging down  16:41.60 Talk about 30-year old mom, 4 children  19:31.74 Discussion of suicide  24:33.02 Discussion of woman’s arm points to different conclusion  28:06.63 Discussion of staging a suicide  32:14.44 Talk about girlfriend leaves, doesn’t come back  36:11.46 Discussion of post-mortem lividity in aquatic environment  39:18.91Discussion of flaccid See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Juni 202444min

Recorded LIVE at CrimeCon Nashville, 2024: In this episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan explains how he challenges his class at Jacksonville State University to try and solve a cold case. Two years in a row, two different classes and students chose the unsolved murder of Blake Chappell. Blake Chappell tells his mother he is having the best night of his life with his girlfriend at the East Coweta High School Homecoming Dance. Within a matter of hours, Blake will find himself chased out of his girlfriend’s house in the middle of the night, walking down the road at 5 a.m. texting his girlfriend, and telling her police just stopped and talked to him. One last text to his girlfriend that he is getting cold, and his phone goes quiet. Blake Chappell is 17 and he never makes it back to his friend’s house. He just vanishes into thin air. It is October 16, 2011. Two months later on December 17, 2011, his nearly naked body is found floating in a creek, he has been shot in the back of the head. The case is still unsolved. But new search warrants were served in March 2024, will there be justice for Blake Chappell?      Transcript Highlights  00:00:13 Introduction Blake Chappel Case  00:04:40 Discuss of family financial issues  00:08:28 Blake finds ex-girlfriend who ran away  00:10:32 Blake beaten up by ex’s stepfather  00:12:26 Blake put in jail for finding his ex  00:17:35 Mother takes Blake and date to homecoming dance  00:20:48 Discussion of Blake activities walking in the night  00:24:24 Talk about Blake walking miles to see girlfriend  00:28:08 Talk about Blake texting girlfriend  00:31:49 Talk about Blake doesn’t make it back to Austin’s house  00:37:36 Discussion Blake shot in back of head  00:43:22 Discussion rumors about Blake’s death  00:48:12 Discussion Blake found wearing underwear, no shoes  00:52:34 Conclusion Joseph Scott Morgan lets his JSU class pick unsolved crime to solve  Two years in a row the case of Blake Chappel is chosen for the project See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20 Juni 202453min

Herb Baumeister lived more than just a “double life." On this episode of "Body Bags," Joseph Scott Morgan explains how it is possible that Baumeister had over 10,000 remains on his million-dollar estate, and Dave Mack dives into the background of the married, father and businessman who owned two Save-a-lot stores in Indianapolis. Baumeister, who took his own life in 1996, is suspected of enticing gay men to his home, where he killed them and disposed of their bodies at the rear of his property. Investigators suspected that Baumeister, a married father of three at the time who frequented gay bars, enticed unsuspecting men to his property to murder them. By 1999, investigators connected him to the disappearance of at least 16 men since 1980. Some of the victims’ bodies were discovered discarded in shallow streams in rural central Indiana and western Ohio For 30 years, investigators have been working to identify thousands of human remains, will they ever know the truth about how many people Herb Baumeister murdered? Transcript Highlights  00:00:13 Introduction of serial killer graveyard  00:04:40 Discuss killer double life, wife claims she didn’t know anything  00:08:28 Talk about trying to identify bone from other items  00:12:26 Discussion of Forensic anthropologists  00:17:35 Discussion of hiding secrets from family  00:20:48 Talk about serial killer obsession with dead animals  00:24:24 Discussion of the depth of depravity   00:28:08 Discussion of skeletonized body on the property  00:31:49 Talk about trying to render body down to ash  00:36:36 Discussion of method of destruction after burning  00:40:22 Discussion of other serial killers  00:44:12 Talk about the size of the property  00:44:34 Conclusion   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Juni 202444min