When the Textbook Doesn’t Fit

Send us Fan MailForensic pathology often draws fascination from the grim and sensational,  murder cases, mysterious deaths, and “grizzly” details that satisfy public curiosity. But as Dr. Roland Kohr explains in this episode of Kohroner Chronicles, the deeper purpose of forensics goes far beyond solving crimes. Sometimes, it’s about helping the living find peace.

Send us Fan MailMedicine loves rules, but the human body doesn’t always play along. In this episode of Kohroner Chronicles, Dr. Roland Kohr explores two unusual cases that remind us why anatomy, and forensic science, often defy the textbook.

Send us Fan MailEarly in my career as a coroner, I worked a hit-and-run involving a man I’ll call Harry. He was well known to nearly every law enforcement officer in Vigo County. Harry had battled alcoholism for years, been arrested countless times, and had lost his driver’s license long ago. He got around on a bicycle, until one night when he was struck and killed by a car whose driver fled the scene.

Send us Fan MailWhen you spend your career as a coroner or forensic pathologist, your day-to-day stories don’t often fit neatly between mashed potatoes and green beans. But in my house, they did. When my children were little, we made a point to eat dinner as a family every night, even if my “interesting cases” occasionally became the topic of conversation. Don’t worry, I watered the stories down for young ears. But sharing those experiences wasn’t just about telling tales from work; it was about teaching lessons, lessons about choices, responsibility, and how quickly small mistakes can turn tragic.

Send us Fan MailDr. Roland Kohr is diving straight into one of Indiana’s most haunting and widely discussed murder cases, the Delphi murders. In this new episode, Dr. Kohr unpacks not only the science and sequence of a forensic investigation but also the human side of what happens when tragedy meets meticulous procedure.People always want to know, who decides who does the autopsy? When does the coroner call in the pathologist? What’s the order of steps? “This case was unusual in how quickly the decision had to be made, and how much coordination was required between multiple investigators and the State Police,” Dr. Kohr said.

Send us Fan MailDr. Kohr doesn’t mince words when addressing his frustration with how the Delphi case has been portrayed in the media. Having contributed expert insights to producers, he was dismayed to discover much of his commentary never aired.  “I spent an entire day under lights giving detailed, fact-based information on the case. But what the producers told me they were doing, and what they actually produced, were two very different things,” Dr. Kohr explained.

Send us Fan MailFor most, a crime scene conjures images of detectives and evidence tape. For Dr. Roland Kohr, former Vigo County Coroner and longtime forensic pathologist, it meant stepping into environments as hazardous as they were tragic. “Of course you worry about what you’re exposing yourself to, the filth, potential bacterial growth, what you might bring home with you,” he says. His routine often included stripping down in the garage, bagging contaminated clothes, and showering immediately before setting foot inside his own house.

Send us Fan MailIn August 2025, Hulu released its highly anticipated three-part documentary Down the Hill: The Delphi Murders. Forensic pathologist Dr. Roland Kohr, who performed the autopsies on the two teenage victims in 2017, was among those interviewed. State police had specifically requested Dr. Kohr’s expertise, despite Delphi being 100 miles from his Terre Haute base, an honor he has considered a professional compliment and recognition of his reputation by law enforcement.But when the series aired, Dr. Kohr found his five-hour interview reduced to less than a minute of screen time. His comments focused narrowly on the emotional toll of working child homicide cases, while his detailed insights on forensic evidence and the murder weapon were omitted. “I was disappointed,” he admitted, “that my substantive findings never made it to air, while amateur internet sleuths were given extended credibility.”

Send us Fan MailAs a forensic pathologist, I’ve spent most of my career unraveling the cold truths the dead leave behind—examining evidence that often speaks more clearly than the living ever could. Most of the cases I cover on Kohroner Chronicles are ones I’ve performed the autopsy for or at least reviewed directly for a local jurisdiction. But now and then, I get a case that’s entirely outside the norm.This one came from a thousand miles away.I’d never set foot in Montana before—still haven’t, actually—but a public defender out there found me during my semi-retirement and asked me to review a case involving a shooting. The catch? The circumstances involved an unfamiliar cast of characters, a love triangle gone sideways, and—most bizarrely—a can of bear spray.

Send us Fan MailDr. Roland Kohr, forensic pathologist and host of The Kohroner Chronicles podcast, is no stranger to the murky waters of death investigations. But in episode 19, he pulled back the curtain on a disturbing case where a combination of questionable police conduct and a deeply flawed investigation allowed a woman who likely murdered her husband to walk free.