Murder or Suicide? The Death of Jeffrey Epstein - The Best of Body Bags

The death of Jeffrey Epstein is back in the news and his brother, Mark Epstein, is on record saying he believes his brother was murdered. The death of Jeffrey Epstein has been debated since the minute it was announced to the world. On this episode of Body Bags, Joseph Scott Morgan will share what it was like to be on the air with the news and notice "red flags" as certain parts of the death story didn't seem to be correct. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack will break down the death of Jeffrey Epstein. Did Jeffrey Epstein commit suicide, or was he murdered?          Transcript Highlights  00:01:17 Joe hears story about where the meanest men in America live  00:04:47 Joseph Scott Morgan talks about covering Epstein death  00:08:23 Discuss first attack/suicide attempt   00:11:45 Talk about unusual circumstances  00:14:37 Discuss conflicting statements about noose  000:17:15 Talk about Epstein allowed unmonitored phone call   00:18:23 Discuss no cellmate to attack or stop suicide  00:20:33 Talk about two nooses in the cell  00:22:42 Discussion of cell condition and contents  00:25:49 Talk about July 23rd event  00:29:25 Discuss observing body at time of death  00:32:25 Talk about putting hospital gown on Epstein  00:34:03 Mark Epstein told his brother may have been dead 2 hours or more  00:37:40 Talk about Epstein body wheeled into hospital  00:40:34 Discussion of hyoid bone  00:42:05 Discuss facts of the body at time of death  00:44:24 Discuss agreement overturned regarding suicide  00:45:14 Talk about autopsy, who was present  00:47:00 Discuss distribution of force  00:48:16 Mentions that noose wasn't collected for evidence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

909 people, including 267 children, died by suicide or were murdered by cyanide injection on November 18, 1978, at "The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project", better known by the unofficial name "Jonestown" after the leader of the group, Jim Jones. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the group, how they ended up in the jungle of Guyana, and how most of the men, women, and children, died. Professor Morgan explains how Dr. William Eckert described the "smell of death" a mile away and 2000 feet in the air in a helicopter as he was arriving at the facility, what took place in identifying the dead, the condition of the bodies that were exposed to the elements, and what it would have been like for the victims who "drank the kool-aid".  Oddly enough, the phrase "drink the kool-aid", referring to people blindly following leadership regardless of the truth, isn't correct. The people of Jonestown did not drink "Kool-Aid". They drank a cheap, knock-off  version of Kool-Aid called Flavor Aid.           Transcribe Highlights00:01.72 Introduction - environment 01:42.95 Jonestown "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" 05:16.89 Remembering the reporting of Jonestown Suicide 09:41.90  Describing bloated bodies  10:34.71 What is left of Jonestown 12:18.99  Jim Jones cultivated political relationships 16:25.53  Jonestown was very isolated  20:06.23 Flies would be all over the scene 25:28.77 Have to determine how people were killed 29:54.63 Rep Leo Ryan killed at airstrip 6 miles from Jonestown 34:47.87 Jim Jones was not a "man of the cloth" 39:20.62 Value of Dark Tourism 40:25.99 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryland Headley was 34-years-old when he raped and murdered 75-year-old Louisa Dunne in her home in Bristol (UK) on June 28, 1967.  The biggest lead investigators had was to be found ‘lifted’ from the dusted powder of a window frame at the back of Louisa Dunne’s house and the residual trace of a palm print. It triggered the biggest finger and palm print operation in the history of the force. No suspect was found and the case went cold. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the rape/murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne, the evidence left behind, as well as similar attacks 10 years later and 212 miles away credited to the 'Ipswich Rapist', Ryland Headley. Joseph Scott Morgan explains how investigators careful collection of evidence in 1967 was used to convict 92-year-old Ryland Headley 58 years after the crime.         Transcript Highlights 00:00.43 Introduction - 1967 Cold Case 05:23.79 1967 unsolved murder - SOLVED 2025 09:43.05 Neighbor checks on Louisa Dune, 75 14:43.95 The icy fingers of death 19:24.99 Neighbor calls police after finding body 24:11.77 Scarf used to strangle victim  29:09.05 The Ipswich Rapist - 1977 34:15.57 Ipswich victims were 79 and 84 35:11.95 Ryland Headley sentenced to life, sentenced overturned, released in 1980 40:06.98 Evidence lost 44:12.49 Partial Palm Print from 1967 47:03.59 DNA from 1967 matched to Ryland Headley Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AEA: Autoerotic Asphyxia—David Carradine gained fame on TV in the early 70s as Kung Fu. Michael Hutchence was the frontman for hitmaking rock group INXS. Both men died doing the same thing: autoerotic asphyxia. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss AEA as well as other public deaths by asphyxia, including the hanging of Jeffrey Epstein, the suicide of Robin Williams, and a story about the death of a man accused of being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials and how he died of asphyxia by "pressing."           Transcript Highlights 00:02.49 Introduction  00:39.43 "Blood Beneath My Feet" 04:48.20 Asphyxia by hanging 10:00.77 Suffocation - positional asphyxia 15:06.68 Compression of the neck 19:39.06 Hanging of Lewis Payne 24:40.59 Execution by "pressing" 30:12.40 Killed by hanging in public  35:11.67 Suspension Hanging vs Supported Hanging 39:15.66 Auto-Erotic Asphyxia 45:20.99 Strangle to point of death, and stopping, to cause more terror in victim 50:42.24 Conclusion  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Update on the decapitation of Baby Isaiah during his birth. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss what happened and how the family is still having to fight for justice. The parents, Jessica Ross and Traveon Taylor Sr. have filed lawsuits against the hospital and the doctor but the first suit is about the damage done to the family by the doctor hired to do the autopsy of baby Isaiah, Dr. Jackson Gates. Dr. Gates posted pictures and video of the autopsy without the parents knowledge or permission and a jury awards the parents $2 million in damages.              Transcript Highlights00:04.96 Introduction 00:48.33 Parental grief with loss of a child 04:45.27 Use of forceps during childbirth 06:37.45 The death of baby Isaiah 10:04.56 Explanation of child birth options 14:28.88 Doctor applied enough force to decapitate baby  20:30.53 Baby Isaiah head placed on body so it wouldn't fall off 25:19.76 Funeral home reported decapitation 30:06.68 Head removed during delivery 35:09.52 Paying for autopsy 39:42.33 Lawsuit filed when autopsy doctor placed images of autopsy on social media 44:59.93 Conclusion   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the Manson family murders and the real injuries suffered by the victims,  as well as beheadings carried out hundreds of years ago in an effort to explain the difference in the type of injuries created by all manner of weapons that can be used to stab, slice, carve, and disembowel. Professor Morgan explains the difference between the facts of a case and how injuries and weapons are shown in film and how difficult it is to determine the source of a sharp force injury.              Transcript Highlights 00:13.87 Introduction - Sharp Force Injuries  01:11.86 Description of a beheading 04:56.77 Sharp force injury 10:02.83 Executioner refusing to execute 14:59.68 Stabbing injuries 20:27.08 Studying the margin - edges of injury 24:48.30 Always look for the "winking eye" 29:58.47 Thorough autopsy - tongue comes out 35:03.25 First documented autopsy, Caesar 38:58.59 Manson family knife attacks, Sharon Tate 45:03.35 Manson Murders shown in movie shows fork bouncing up and down, ridiculous 46:2 9.07 Conclusion  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A solid understanding of firearms and their function and purpose is essential to being a successful investigator. Failure to understand the things encountered in the street... there is no telling what kind of interpretation one will wind up making . Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack look at the weapons used in the murders of Lincoln, JFK, and Oswald and Joe explains why It is important to be "studied up" when working in the field.             Transcript Highlights00:00.07 Introduction  02:33.91 Brief History of firearms 06:08.03 $12 mail order gun supposedly killed JFK -- how do you figure it out 09:04.62 The Rifleman 15:48.72 The weapon used to kill Lincoln 20:12.47 Baseball bat favored by Dave 25:20.33 Never say gunshot wound on report in the field 30:25.58 JFK neck wound used for creating airway 35:14.95 The "Magic Bullet" 40:12.97 Oswald shooting injury 45:05.23 Projectile would have defect 49:28.41 Round traveling out of weapon 55:46.90 Conclusion    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blunt Force Trauma and the trial of Karen Read in the death of her boyfriend, police officer John O'Keefe. Read was accused of hitting O'Keefe with her SUV in 2022 and leaving him to die in blizzard like conditions. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the case and how Blunt Force Trauma plays a critical part in the death of O'Keefe. Joe Scott also talks about a case involving the death of a woman confined to a wheelchair and requiring 24 hour care. At first glance her death seemed natural due to her medical conditions, but upon examination determined to be a homicide due to blunt for trauma. The woman had over 160 contusions on her body caused by a dryer belt.              Transcribe Highlights00:00.03 Introduction - Blunt Force Trauma 04:21.19 Taking a hit from Jesse Tuggle 05:04.72 Motor Vehicle accidents, number one cause of blunt force trauma deaths in USA 10:11.73 Bleeding out due to blunt force trauma 15:45.67 Brain injuries  20:01.76 Abrasions caused by blunt force 25:17.35 Describing victim with 167 contusions 30:05.95 Looking for item that caused injury 35:06.97 O'Keefe injuries, Karen Read case 40:13.55 "Grading" Bruises - age of bruise  45:00.87 Bruise created by a bat 49:46.82 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzanne Morphew vanished on Mother's Day 2020. Her husband Barry Morphew was later charged with her murder, even though her body had not been found. Due to many issues, the judge dismissed the case one week before it went to trial and Barry Morphew walked out a free man. The judge dismissed the case "Without Prejudice" meaning the Morphew could be charged again at a "later date". That "later date" came when Barry Morphew was indicted by a grand jury charging him with Murder in the first-degree of his wife Suzanne Morphew. He was arrested in Arizona on Friday, June 20, 2025. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the case and why it was dropped the first time and why it is being brought again now. Professor Joseph Scott Morgan will explain the forensic evidence that is  "the smoking gun" of the case.           Transcript Highlights 00:00.00 Introduction  00:49.42 Case of Suzanne Morphew 05:08.01 Mother's Day, Suzanne missing 09:47.15 Sasha Krause similar story 16:17.97 Barry Morphew hotel room smelled like bleach 20:26.86 Vigils, volunteers searching, Barry Morphew not helping much  25:13.43 Charges dropped, investigators believe they know where bones are but can't get to them 30:30.99 Suzanne remains found 45 miles from her home 35:05.68 Remains bleached, no maggots or other bugs feasting on her remains 39:59.83 Barry Morphew used BAM on deer 45:06.59 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anjette and Ben Lyles are a young married couple with two children. Ben is a WW2 veteran and together he and Anjette work in his family restaurant in Macon, Georgia.  When Ben sells the restaurant for below market value to settle a gambling debt, Anjette is furious.  A few months after selling the restaurant, Ben gets very sick, very fast, and dies without doctors figuring out what killed him. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the death of Ben Lyles as well as Anjette's new husband, Buddy Gabbert, Anjette's first mother-in-law, Julia Lyles, and Anjette's daughter, Marcia.   Joe explains how Anjette Lyles got away with murder, at first, and what led to her ultimate arrest, conviction, and death sentence.       Transcript Highlights 00:00.21 Introduction 02:09.23 Eating at Hospital cafeteria 05:02.11 Ben Lyles sells restaurant to settle gambling debt, Anjette is furious 06:45.30 Ben Lyles dies, doctors don't know why 09:21.66 Diagnosis by symptoms 14:43.53 Ben's mother worked at Restaurant 18:26.54 Anjette buys the restaurant 20:01.78 Anjette marries Buddy Gabbert 25:07.03 Doctors not looking for arsenic 30:08.42 Symptoms were miserable, Buddy dies 35:32.05 Anjette seen lighting black candle and talking to it 40:00.01 Coroner's Inquest 44:51.91 Coroner gets anonymous letter about Anjette using arsenic ant poison to kill 50:09.65 One month after Marcia dies, Anjette is arrested, charged with murder 51:25.26 Sentenced to death. Sentence commuted to life in prison     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.