Stay ConnectedJoin Joseph Scott Morgan every week as he explores a world that not many have had a chance to visit, the realm of death. Jo Scott will lead listeners on a journey through the blood soaked death scenes of America and then into the autopsy room to fully understand the science behind each case. Jo Scott is one America’s leading experts on applied forensics and is regularly featured on ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’, ‘The Piketon Massacre’, Court TV and more.
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Neighbors call for a welfare check on Tammy King after not seeing her for a couple days. Tammy is 61, and is raising her 17-year-old granddaughter, Tara King. Law Enforcement does the welfare check and find Tammy dead under a pile of sheets in the middle of her bedroom floor, and it looks like the house was ransacked! Tara is not home, and neither is her boyfriend, 18-year-old Uriah Urick. Tammy has been dead for a couple days. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack will take a look under the covers placed on the body of Tammy King, and see if there is a chance the killer will be caught.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.57 Introduction - Grandparent
04:03.63 Grandma raises granddaughter
08:06.49 Tara King, Uriah Urick
13:31.94 Welfare check
18:28.66 Collecting rare weapons
24:04.49 Body Covered
34:17.72 Size of ammunition
39:26.08 Drug dealer involved
42:45.83 Conclusion
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Deputy Jason Loftsgard is the first officer on the scene of a possible carbon monoxide poisoning death.
He checks on the victims, Romondus Cooper, 44; Amanda Parker, 33; Keonna Ryan, 26; and Brent Brown, 34, and finds only Brown to still be alive.
The deputy also notes, "These people didn't die of natural causes."
State Trooper Tylor Fairbanks said. "Carbon monoxide does not cause your head to collapse on itself, and carbon monoxide poisoning also does not leave pools of blood on the ground."
Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the entire scene, from the carbon monoxide poison call to the trial of Luke Truesdell that is going on right now.
Is it possible Luke Truesdell really killed four people with a pipe just to create the plot for a true-crime movie?
Transcript Highlights
00:00.52 Introduction, 2019 coverage of murder with a corn rake
03:05.95 Murder weapon is a metal pipe
06:57.81 Who was the main target?
12:11.61 Carbon Monoxide poisoning
18:18.11 How do you beat 4 people to death
23:03.53 The term "Brain Them"
28:03.99 Determine who was killed first
33:00.01 Suspect show himself to investigators without knowing
39:15.42 The Most Dangerous Game
44:57.51 Each victim beaten to death with metal pipe
49:55.91 Looking for degree of trauma
54:37.06 Conclusion: Trial ongoing - Will update
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Buford Pusser went on a domestic call in the early morning hours of August 12, 1967. Pusser's wife, Pauline, went with him on the call. On the way a car pulled up alongside them and shots were fired, killing her and leaving Buford shot in the face. Buford survived the attempt on his life, Hollywood came calling and a feature film about Buford became a big hit, Walking Tall. The legend of Buford Pusser only grew when he died in a car accident right before he was set to star in the sequel to Walking Tall. It would be easy to blame Hollywood for covering up the truth about the man to make him into a hero, but that isn't the truth. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the investigation into the unsolved Cold Case murder of Pauline Pusser and attempted murder of Sheriff Buford Busser.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.12 Introduction - Hero
01:41.83 Walking Tall
05:10.58 The story of Buford Pusser
09:03.79 The dead tell tales
15:10.75 The ambush of Buford and his wife
20:03.38 Looking at surgical notes before autopsy
25:20.93 Clandestine burials
30:18.23 Domestic calls are to toughest
35:02.19 Pauline had a healing broke nose at death
39:51.21 Shot in the back of the head
45:05.22 Conclusion
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The headline might be a little misleading but....if 314 bodies were dumped from their caskets and left in the hot desert sun to become one with the desert, you would probably take notice. In truth, the cremains of 314 people were found about an hour south of Las Vegas, neatly placed in the middle of nowhere. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack begin with questions that might not have answers as they discuss the cremains found in Nevada and what will happen next.
Transcript Highlights
00:00.33 Introduction
01:39.69 What to do with Cremains of a loved one
04:13.91 300 piles of human cremated remains
09:09.23 Remains of Michael Jordan's father
14:34.82 Neat piles of cremains means something
19:26.91 A lot or regulations with cremation
24:49.41 Cremains are left in piles
29:42.45 Investigation will involve multiple agency's
34:18.39 Positive identification of the dead
39:45.31 Nevada is a coroner state
45:00.68 Nightmare scenario for death investigation
48:34.32 Conclusion
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Caitlin Tracey is reported missing by her husband Adam Beckerink. He claims he hasn't seen his wife in a month. The next day, a foot is found on the second floor stairwell. A search of the rest of the stairwell inside the condo building and the body of Caitlin Tracey is discovered on the 5th floor. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack breakdown the relationship of Caitlin and Adam Beckerink, accusations of domestic violence, 911 calls, and the medical examiner report and what was found in the examination of Caitlin Tracey. Did she Jump? Did she fall? Was she thrown?
Transcript Highlights
00:00:00.07 Introduction
00:02:43.52 The death of Caitlin Tracey
00:05:21.13 Husband reports her missing, day before her body is found
00:11:11.78 Man found, public place, advanced decomposition
00:15:27.36 Every dead body is a murder until proven different
00:20:21.53 Not celebrating getting married
00:25:12.68 Domestic violence
00:30:26.91 Belt buckle struck victim on face and neck
00:35:06.87 People fall from height
00:40:09.43 Other insults on her body
00:45:50.38 Could a person thrown themselves over the side without hitting sides
00:50:30.29 Looking for bruising that doesn't match up
00:55:07.34 Old blood versus newer blood
00:57:13.23 Conclusion
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Robin Lawrence was stabbed to death in her home on November 18, 1994.
She was stabbed 49 times and her body wasn't found for two days. Her 2-year-old daughter, Nicole, was not harmed, but for two days she went without food, water, or her necessary medication having had a liver transplant as an infant. Evidence was found, including DNA, but no arrest was made, and the case went cold.
Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack talk about the background of the case and how a detective noticed a brown stain on a wash cloth that contained all the evidence needed to catch the killer....30 years after the murder.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.48 Introduction - Serial Killer
02:28.94 Only killed once
05:26.03 1994 Cold Case Murder solved
10:06.28 2-year-old, alone with dead mom
15:01.19 Victim stabbed 49 times
20:13.30 Nicole used tissues to stop blood
25:34.21 Suspect attracted to victim
30:16.59 "Gaping" wound usually a slice
35:18.47 Blood and DNA talked about in news
40:29.10 Victim's father, 101, lived to see arrest
44:35.96 Cold Case Detectives reach out to Parabon Nano Labs
50:25.28 Conclusion
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Stephen Bryant became a one man crime wave in October 2004, murdering three men, attempted to kill another man and committed some robberies as well. Bryant dipped a pot holder in the blood of one of his victims and wrote "Victim number four in two weeks, catch me If you can" on the wall. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack break down the crimes of Stephen Bryant, his victims, how they were murdered, and why Bryant gets to choose his method of execution.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.03 Introduction - Buffet
03:21.10 8 day crime spree
08:15.43 Killer gets time to "get right"
14:43.16 Firing squad execution
18:41.71 Why do autopsy on execution
24:42.77 Cruel and unusual
30:02.90 Crime spree begins 18 months after release from prison
35:40.44 What's next?
39:41.74 Conclusion
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Kada Scott, 23, recent graduate of Penn State, working overnight job at an assisted living facility vanishes shortly after arriving for her shift on October 4. A massive search effort takes place until police get a very specific anonymous tip that leads them to Kada's body on October 18. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack break down the clues that helped police collar a suspect, and what investigators really discovered when the remains of Kada Scott were found in a shallow grave. Keon King, a 21-year-old man whom police allege was the last person in contact with Scott, has since been arrested and charged with murder, arson and tampering with evidence in connection with the case.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.03 Introduction - College Professor
02:18.15 Kada Scott, Penn State Graduate
05:11.97 Working in assisted living facility from 10pm-6am
09:15.54 Kada met someone in the parking lot
14:56.56 Working overnight makes your really tired
19:26.79 Police don't always share everything they know
24:44.66 Cell phones connect to towers, place us in certain places
30:04.26 Suspect will focus on the abandoned building
35:33.89 Before cell phones, you had to find a phone booth
40:33.21 Kada had gunshot wound to the head
46:02.73 Kidnapped October 4, body found October 18
51:06.81 We will do follow-up, Conclusion
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A gruesome story out of Staten Island: a 45-year-old man is beaten to death with a meat tenderizer by his girlfriend's 19-year-old son.
Damien Hurstel allegedly told police he wanted to know what it was like to kill somebody. His plan was to kill Anthony Casalaspro, 45, cut off his head, and liquefy his body in a blender.
Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss what happened when Hurstel attempts to carry out his fiendish plan and how a meat tenderizer, a handsaw, a spoon, a blender, and a bathtub are all part of the crime scene.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.03 Introduction: No Country For Old Men
03:01.10 Learning from failure
08:10.78 Mental Health issues
12:18.65 Desecrating remains, displayed body parts
17:54.27 Arrival on scene
22:05.02 Cutting Body into pieces is hard
28:04.13 Suspects wants to know what it is like to kill somebody
33:36.79 Matching up the pattern from weapon
38:10.84 Blood in the blender would be everywhere
43:00.20 Mom says "why did you kill him, I still love him"
44:53.74 Conclusion
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On November 10, 1984, 16-year-old Theresa Fusco was fired from her job at the snack bar at the Hot Skates roller skating rink in Lynbrook, on the south shore of Long Island, New York.
She was seen leaving in tears at 9:45 p.m., to walk to her home four blocks away. She did not come home, however.
On December 5, 1984, her naked body was found covered with leaves and debris in a wooded area not far from the roller rink. An autopsy revealed Theresa was raped and died as a result of ligature strangulation.
Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack explain how three men were convicted and sent to prison for a rape and murder they did not commit, and how evidence found at the time of the murder brought about the arrest of a man more than 40 years after the crime.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.07 Introduction, cold coffee
05:55.58 Theresa Fusco, 16
10:40.20 Body found nearby wooded area
15:33.76 1984 autopsy led to arrest in 2025
19:10.03 Getting a false confession
25:05.93 Evidence of trauma, strangulation, blunt force trauma
30:37.56 3 men go to prison for a rape murder they did not commit
35:03.84 Case starts off cold in 2005
40:02.17 Prosecutor says the match is100%
42:25.42 Conclusion
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