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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In part two of the New Jersey Mansion Murders, Joseph Scott Morgan explains how investigators determined the fire in the mansion is actually arson to coverup the brutal murders of Keith and his family. The fire at Paul Caneiro's home is quickly determined to be arson and Paul Caneiro is arrested the day after the fire. Paul Caneiro's wife and adult daughters think he is a hero for waking them up and getting them out of the house safely and vow to testify on his behalf. A few days after Paul Caneiro is charged with setting fire to his own home, he is charged with the murder of his brother and Keith Caneiro's family. Prosecutors say Paul Caneiro was motivated by greed. Three days before the killings, Keith Caneiro told his father-in-law, Vlassis Karidis, that Paul had stolen $90,000 from the children's college funds, and that he was planning to cut off the $225,000 salary that Paul drew from a family business. Autopsies show that Keith, Jennifer, and Jesse Caneiro all died instantly, but Sophia lived for 9 hours and died from smoke inhalation. This has led Sophia Caneiro's maternal grandfather, Vlassis Karidis, to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Caneiro. Because Sophia survived her parents, she inherited their estates and died intestate, passing the estates to her grandparents, and Karidis has standing to bring the claim.
Transcribe Highlights
00:02.96 Introduction Part Two, New Jersey Mansion Murders
04:53.02 Shooting adults, stabbing the children, 8 and 11
10:17.82 Keith Caneiro shot in head and lower back
15:06.25 Projectile investigation
20:17.30 Fire started in early morning, not reported until after 12 noon
25:45.68 Fire Hose would go right over a body in the yard if needed
30:28.94 When door opens, fire hit with oxygen
35:04.17 20 different fire companies involved for hours to put out mansion fire
40:15.09 Investigators knew the scene was more than just a fire
47:02.93 Autopsy determines Sophia lived 9 hours, died from smoke inhalation
49:41.57 Conclusion - waiting for trial
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Paul and Ketih Caneiro are brothers and business partners. They live 10 minutes from one another in New Jersey and on November 20, 2018, both of their homes were on fire. About 5 a.m. the police received a report of a fire burning at 27 Tilton Drive in Ocean Township, Paul Caneiro's home. Arriving on the scene police and fire fighters find Paul, his wife, and two adult daughters , all safe outside the home. In the first hours of the investigation officials determine the fire at Paul Caneiro's home appears to have been intentionally set and gas cans are found on the premises. While the investigation is taking place at Paul Caneiro's home, a fire is reported at the home of Keith Caneiro. While the fire at Paul Caneiro's home consisted of two fires near the perimeter of the home, the fire at Keith Caneiro's home takes 20 fire companies hours to get under control. Investigators quickly discover the fire at Keith Caneiro's mansion was staged to cover up the murder of Keith Caneiro, his wife, Jennifer, and their two young children, Jesse, 11 and Sophia, 8. Keith's body is found in the front yard, dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and back. The body of Jennifer Caneiro is found inside the house with a gunshot wound to the head and multiple stab wounds. The bodies of the children are found inside with multiple stab wounds. Joseph Scott Morgan will explain the different scientific disciplines used in solving a murder or multiple murders when fire is used to destroy evidence.
Transcript Highlights
00:00.54 Introduction,
02:00.69 Joe's respect for firefighters
04:55.44 Fire and murders took place in November 2018
10:04.10 Fire started on purpose
15:16.22 DNA expert from New Zealand
21:01.75 A financial motivation to the murders
24:56.51 Paul accused of taking money from college accounts for Keith's children
30:13.51 Data presented in court will be very complex
35:10.18 Fire at Paul Caneiro home, two set in perimeter areas of home
39:59.24 Mansion is not close to neighbors
42:43.90 Keith shot multiple times, no gun found
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Nov. 19, 1978The remains of Theresa Marcoux and Mark Harnish were discovered after an officer from the West Springfield Police Department located a 1967 green Dodge pickup truck owned by Harnish, parked in a roadway rest area on Route 5/Riverdale Street. Their bodies were lying by a nearby guardrail." "The officer saw that the driver's side window of the truck was damaged and noticed blood in and around the vehicle," the police post added, stating the victims — who had last been seen alive at approximately 12:30 a.m. that morning when leaving a friends' party — "appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds." No Firearm is found at the scene but investigators do find a fingerprint...the suspects' left thumb print is found. The "latent print" is found in what appeared to be blood on the passenger-side vent window.....but no match is found and the case goes cold. Joseph Scott Morgan breaks down fingerprints and how they are of no use if you don't have something to compare it to. Joe will also show how the suspect almost got away with a double homicide.
Transcript Highlights
00:00.00 Introduction
04:04.70 Changing from analog to digital
05:30.85 History of fingerprinting
10:04.68 Truth about fingerprints
15:15.96 A print on the scene
19:26.74 Old Truck with bullet could be old
24:34.49 There was an "ear witness"
29:17.43 Blood and drag marks
35:03.19 Was glass embedded in the bodies
40:01.98 A match
42:45.74 Conclusion - arrest
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When a body is found in a trashcan by workers of the Canton Parks Department, it doesn't matter that the park is called City Field Park. For decades City Field Park was known as "Mother Goose Land" so when the workers call 911 to report a dead body in a trashcan, they tell 911 to send help to Mother Goose Land. Joseph Scott Morgan will turn the pages of his own storybook to find out how a simple "wellness check" turns so evil, so fast. How did a 24-year-old woman wind up dead and thrown away like garbage and who is responsible for such a horrible murder.
Transcribe Highlights
00:00.00 Introduction
05:02.22 Joe relives childhood in New Orleans
10:00.21 Mother Goose Land and a body in the trashcan
15:09.92 Making a welfare check, door is open, nobody is home
20:21.00 After getting search warrant, deputies proceed into apartment, signs of bloody fight
25:09.76 Workers find body and call 911
30:10.14 Sean Goe cut holes in Raychel's car tires
34:56.46 Raychel's body wrapped in plastic
40:01.86 Raychel has 10 specific blunt force injuries, one from hammer
45:02.88 Raychel died from blunt force trauma
Conclusion - Sean Got convicted in her death
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Madeline Jane Kingsbury, 26, and Adam Fravel, 29, are no longer a couple but they are still living together while Kingsbury looks for a place to live. Kingsbury and Fravel take their two children, ages 5 and 2, to daycare on March 31, around 8am and return home at 8:15am. Madeline Kingsbury is never seen leaving the house, but she mysteriously vanishes. Just over two months later, on June 7, 2023, the remains of Madeline Kingsbury are found near property owned by the parents of Adam Fravel. Joseph Scott Morgan takes a look at the case and determines what caused the death of a 26-year-old mother of two whose remains have been left to decompose for over two months.
Transcript Highlights
00:10.14 Introduction
05:00.51 Madeline Kingsbury - vanishes after dropping children off at daycare
10:02.20 Madeline and Adam Fravel are breaking-up but still living together
15:02.91 Investigators build a timeline starting with March 31, 2023
20:02.78 Population density of Winona, farming communities, big search area
25:06.37 Early into investigation police said her disappearance is involuntary
30:30.69 Body found obscured in a culvert
35:20.79 Madeline's body wrapped in fitted sheet matching other sheeting used in her home
40:01.77 Cause of death - homicidal violence
43:03.24 Conclusion
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Jillian Kelley, 39, and Veronica Butler, 27, disappeared in late March while on a trip from Hugoton, Kansas, to pick up Butler’s children. Their abandoned car was found 3-miles from their intended location and there are signs of struggle near and in the vehicle. On April 14, nearly two weeks after they went missing, investigators discovered their bodies sealed inside a freezer and buried under concrete in a remote area of a leased field. Joseph Scott Morgan will explain the details of Jillian Kelley's autopsy, what it is like to find two bodies in one location, buried together, and what new information is known after going over the autopsy report.
Transcript Highlights
00:00:11.31. Introduction - update Kansas Moms
00:01:31.84 Jillian Kelley Autopsy
00:03:18.70 Explanation of custody arrangements
00:06:47.31 Autopsy room
00:11:28.26 Freezer with bodies inside dropped into a hole that is 10 feet deep
00:16:12.44 Looking at the tracks around the area where freezer was buried
00:21:31.67 Opening the freezer in the lab
00:26:29.62 Know idea of what type of evidence will be recovered
00:31:30.98 Veronica Butler Autopsy expected later, Jillian Kelley Autopsy now
00:36:02.75 Veronica Butler body on top of Kelley. Bodies removed
00:41:04.70.Kelley has defensive wounds, grabbed blade of knife with her hand
00:46:03.01 Difficult to determine the order of when injuries occurred
00:51:02.87 Injury with hemorrhage
00:54:54.03 Conclusion: another update when Veronica Butler autopsy released
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On a hot August day in the Nevada desert, two hikers find the body of a young woman about 20 miles east of Las Vegas near the Gypsum Wash in Clark County. The next day, August 28, the Clark County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 27-year-old Melonie White. Her death is listed as homicide due to strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head and police say she was also dragged behind a car before her body was left in the desert. Melonie and her infant son moved to Las Vegas with her boyfriend four months earlier from Phoenix, Arizona. But the boyfriend doesn't get a job and leaves Melonie alone with her baby in Las Vegas. Police investigate the case but fail to develope a viable suspect and the case turns cold. Joseph Scott Morgan will explain how the case that went unsolved for 30 years has finally been solved with DNA, gentic genealogy, and Othram.
Transcript Highlights
00:00.00 Introduction - First trip to Las Vegas
02:21.07 Death of Melonie White, 30 year mystery
05:06.81 Melonie White beaten, strangled, dragged by car into desert
10:12.12 Brothers report Melonie missing
16:26.41 Police say Melonie was tied to back of car and dragged
21:11.46 Las Vegas is an Oasis surrounded by nothingness
26:05.98 Joe describes other evidence needed
31:22.50 No Lack of trauma
35:19.83. Very personal attack
40:16.59 Describing solving cold case
41:34.76 Genetic Genealogy solves murder
44:27.92 Conclusion: Case solved after 30 years
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Sara Bermudez, 38, and her three children, Madison, 8, James, 6, and Michael, 2, are viciously attacked in the middle of the night while they sleep.
The murderer Sexually assaults Sara and her 8-year-old daughter, with a knife and stabs the family to death before setting them on fire. Sara's father finds the carnage and calls for Help. Investigators catch a break in that the killer tried to use diesel to fuel the fire but it burned itself out before totally destroying all the evidence.
Joseph Scott Morgan is going to take you inside the master bedroom and explain how investigators find a suspect from a portion of body fluid left behind at the scene. And the suspect isn't just close to the family, he is family.
Transcript Highlights
00:00.96 Introduction - chewing and identity
04:20.45 Somebody breaks into a home in the middle of the night Slaughters the mom, daughter, two boys
09:20.18 Family murdered and set on fire
14:12.60 Disturbing element to the case
18:12.07 Setting up a line to prevent contamination
22:57.18 Evidence of sexual assault
28:07.64 Knife used in sexual attack
32:56.90 Blood stains found on walls, carpet, lamp, other items
37:12.63 Finding blood in the fire
42:00.92 Mother defended her children
44:58.66 Conclusion
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How does a 130 pound, 58-year-old woman, put her 6'3", 300 pound husband on a burn pile?
When law enforcement was called to a farm outside of Atlanta, they were told a body was found burned up in a burn pile. Taking a quick look around, the body is burned beyond recognition, but it is probably 58-year-old Gary Farris. He and his wife Melody live on the 10-acre farm. Gary Farris is a big man, 6 foot 3 inches tall, 300 pounds, it looks like he might have had a heart attack and fallen into the burn pile, dead. His body is burned to the bone and he is identified by dental records. But before this death can be written up as a natural death, a bullet is found lodged in one of his ribs! Joseph Scott Morgan will unpack what it's like to investigate a death that starts in a burn pile and Dave Mack will share how investigators put together a case that ends up with Gary Farris wife, Melody, convicted for his murder.
Transcript Highlights
00:00.47 Introduction - moving heavy weight
04:31.17 How to move 300 pounds of dead weight
09:45.12 What happens to a body when it is burned
14:06.78 Melody Farris burns body of husband
19:01.72 Can't get a height on a body that's been burned
25:52.49 Collecting body from burned area
30:37.21 How big is a bullet?
34:34.87 What was used to start fire?
39:29.36 Smell of Citronella at burn pit
42:02.85 Conclusion
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Shayna Hubers calls 911 from Ryan Poston's condo in Highland Heights, Kentucky, and tells dispatch "I killed my boyfriend in self-defense". Hubers tells police Ryan Poston had been beating her all day long, tossing her around like a rag doll, and when he pulled out his gun, she grabbed it and shot him in the face. Police read Shayna Hubers her "Miranda" rights, and Hubers asks for a lawyer. Even though Shayna Hubers has just been told she "has the right to remain silent" she lacks the ability, and tells investigators that she shot him twice in the face, then, as he was twitching, she said she thought he was going to die anyway or his face would be really deformed so she shot him 4 more times to make sure he was dead. Shayna Hubers tells police "I gave him the nose job he always wanted." Joseph Scott Morgan explains how the crime scene and Ryan Poston's clothes tell a different story than the one Shayna Hubers is telling and Dave Mack digs into the background of an 18-month relationship that ended in the murder of a man who seemed to be everyone's favorite person.
Transcribe Highlights
00:03.40 Introduction - Rhinoplasty
04:55.81 Hammers, Chisels, and black eyes
09:27.14 Hubers gave boyfriend the "nose job he always wanted
14:58.88 Shayna Hubers and Jody Arias
20:15.42 What happened when Ryan Poston was murdered
25:04.98 True case of domestic abuse
30:20.01 Difference in bullet size
35:01.84 Stippling present on Ryan Poston
39:38.81 Hubers claims of abuse unfounded
44:21.70 Blood on shirt and pants indicates Poston seated
48:14.50 Conclusion
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