Episode Archives

Crime Scene Sketch Article

Not an original of mine but good information and training..

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Update and Evidence

On today’s show I talk about the progress of the show and give some updates as well as reveal  a few upcoming additions to the Coroner Talk™ web site. I also introduce what the plus membership section of the site will be.  I then discuss some best practice rules  for packaging evidence.

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Why We Love Serial Killers – Dr. Scott Bonn

 Serial killers hold the fascination of the public, whether in true crime news accounts of individuals such as Ted Bundy or fictional depictions such as the television shows Dexter and Criminal Minds or popular movies such as the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” or “Silence of the Lambs.” Serial killers seem so purely predatory and…

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Burning Bodies – The Dame of Flame

[app_audio src=””]The human body burns predictably based it on its anatomical configuration of soft tissues and bones. Fire creates burn patterns to soft tissues: skin, fat, muscle, and then on select areas of the skeleton. These burn patterns convey how the body burned within its environment and if there was any traumatic injury present prior…

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Shaken Baby Syndrome | Craig Smith

The term “shaken baby syndrome” (SBS) was developed to explain those instances in which severe intracranial trauma occurred in the absence of signs of external head trauma. SBS is the severe intentional application of violent force (shaking) in one or more episodes, resulting in intracranial injuries to the child. Physical abuse of children by shaking…

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Science of Entomology – Prof. Jeffery Tomberlin

Predicting the postmortem interval of a decedent is a major task of law enforcement. Most methods implemented by death investigators rely on qualitative information (i.e. rigor mortis, livor mortis). Microbes represent 99% of somatic cells in and on a human body.   No data are available on the use of these organisms to predict the time…

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Forensic Entomology – Dr. Michelle Sanford Ph.D. , M-ABFE

Forensic entomology is the study of insects for medico-legal purposes. There are many ways insects can be used to help solve a crime, but the primary purpose of forensic entomology is estimating time since death. Once a person dies his or her body starts to decompose. The decomposition of a dead body starts with the action…

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Death Notifications | CT14

Death notification is acknowledged to be one of the most difficult tasks faced by law enforcement officers and other professionals, because learning of the death of a loved one often is the most traumatic event in a person’s life. The moment of notification is one that most people remember very vividly for the rest of…

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Blood Pattern – Bare Bones Forensics| CT13

Karen L. Smith earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Florida (Magna Cum Laude) and her Master’s Degree in Pharmacy with a concentration in Forensic Science from the University of Florida. Karen spent nearly 14 years as a police officer and detective at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in Florida. She…

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Ebola-Guidance for Handling Human Remains | CT11

These recommendations give guidance on the safe handling of human remains that may contain Ebola virus and are for use by personnel who perform postmortem care in U.S. hospitals and mortuaries. In patients who die of Ebola virus infection, virus can be detected throughout the body. Ebola virus can be transmitted in postmortem care settings…

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