A lifeless new-born baby is found discarded in a motel dumpster. Authorities quickly arrest the infant’s teenage parents, charging them with murder. Did Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson, in fact, murder their own baby? When Tammy Wynette died suddenly at a relatively young age, why was no autopsy performed? Was someone trying to hide the real cause of death? Did Sam Sheppard (who later served as the basis for the television series The Fugutive ) really kill his wife? And if not, who committed the murder? Things are not always as they appear, as world-renowned forensic pathologist Dr Cyril Wecht shows in this riveting behind-the-scenes look at nine famous cases.Drawing on police reports, depositions, trial testimony, and autopsy reports - as well as his four decades of experience - in Mortal Evidence Dr Wecht, with the assistance of co-authors Greg Saitz and Mark Curriden, raises important issues and offers fresh perspectives on each case. In the nationally known baby case involving Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson, Dr Wecht reviews the evidence and comes to a startling conclusion. In fascinating detail, he demonstrates how the tools of forensic pathology often uncover murky, long-hidden secrets that track seemingly unsolvable crimes. Writing in the first-person, Dr Wecht leads readers into the heart of the investigation, focusing each chapter on a single engrossing drama.He reveals the most startling evidence that shows why, in his professional judgement, JonBenet Ramsey’s killer most likely came from within her home. Dr Wecht also offers insight into the O.J. Simpson trial and the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, and shocking revelations about Robert Berdella’s conviction for grisly torture and sex-abuse crimes against young men. The other cases covered include the drug-related death of casino magnate Ted Binion; the 1982 showdown between religious sect members and police in Miracle Valley, Arizona; and Robert Curley’s death by long-term, methodical thallium poisoning. Whether you find the fictional plots of such dramas as ‘C.S.I.’ and crime scene documentaries exciting or you are just fascinated by true crime investigation, you’ll be amazed by the true stories Dr. Wecht has to tell in this amazing real-life thriller. As this intriguing page-turner proves, the science of forensic pathology has changed the face of detective work forever.
