The Murders of Tylee and JJ: The DNA Solution?

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 Aug 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 Aug 202242min

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 Juli 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 Juli 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 Juli 202234min

College freshman AJ Hadsell returns home for spring break, March 2015. Five weeks later her body is discovered face-down in a ditch, covered by a sheet of plywood. Investigators immediately identify that foul play is involved. Deep bruises are visible on Hadsell's torso and face. Hadsell has been murdered. Detectives turn their attention towards AJ’s stepfather, Wesley Hadsell, as their primary suspect, but why?   AJ Hadsell dies of a heroin overdose, but the family is adamant that AJ did not use drugs. Here is the first connection to the stepfather. Wesley Hadsell has been kicked out of the family home by AJ’s mother due to his drug use, heroin specifically. Then, authorities find suspicious items in his car, including some of AJ’s belongings, as well as duct tape and a shovel.    In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard explore and explain the details of AJ’s murder, the difficulties of investigating a body that has been outside and exposed to the elements for weeks, and why AJ’s stepfather, Wesley Hadsell, was the first suspect in this case.   Show Notes: 01:00 - Introducing the case; 18 year old AJ Hadsell, found face-down in a drainage ditch. 05:00 - The murder investigation begins immediately upon finding AJ Hadsell’s body. 06:40 - Why it was obvious that this was a death caused by another person, from the autopsy table. 11:00 - Once a body has excessive decomposition, it can be very difficult to ascertain cause, method, and/or modes of death. 15:30 - The unique and morbid skillset that Medical Death Investigators need to have in order to be successful in their jobs. 16:00 - The mode of death in the case of AJ Hadsell.  21:00 - With three times the lethal amount of Heroin found in her body, AJ Hadsell’s life had a horrific ending. 24:00 - Heroin as a mode of murder and the search for AJ’s killer. 25:30 - Drug testing via hair follicle and how this helped authorities rule out self-administered accidental Heroin overdose. 30:00 - Who had access to AJ Hadsell and could remove her from her home without signs of distress? 31:00 - Wesley Hadsell’s history of violence against women and other evidence used by investigators to charge Wesley with the murder of AJ Hadsell 32:30 - The tragedy in this case continues to intensify as details about the positioning of AJ’s clothing on her body when she was found. 37:30 - Determining assault can be extremely difficult after weeks of decomposition. 38:00 - Wesley Hadsell was found guilty of First-degree Murder and Concealment of a Dead Body in February, 2022. He maintains his innocence. He has been sentenced to Life + 15 years in prison.    Rest in peace, Anjelica “AJ” Hadsell. 1996 - 2015.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Juni 202238min

Murdered in a uniquely gruesome and prolonged series of events; Reggie and Carol Sumner are the helpless victims of a month-long plan carried out with the help of a familiar face. Buried alive in a pre-dug hole near the Florida/Georgia line, these two high-school sweethearts suffer their terrible end at the hands of Tiffany Cole, her boyfriend Michael James Jackson, Alan Wade, and Bruce Kent Nixon, Jr. Tiffany Cole buys a vehicle from the Sumner family and travels to Jacksonville regularly to pay down her debt. That is, until her new boyfriend,  Michael James Jackson,  hatches a plan that ends in the Sumners' deaths. After being buried alive, under hundreds of pounds of dirt, an autopsy determines that the couple's cause of death is mechanical asphyxiation (i.e. physical interference with breathing and or circulation).    In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard take a closer look at these horrifying deaths.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Juni 202235min