Thanks to the Tennessee Dental Hygienists Association

/

What a treat it was to speak to the Tennessee Dental Hygienists Association on Friday, April 11th!  It was so good to see some familiar faces (this is my third time to be there) and to meet some new ones.  I also really appreciate the interest in our book, Walk of Death, and the direct application it has to solving the mystery of at least one missing person.

Just as a reminder, if there any of you who would like to be a part of the mass disaster dental ID team, but you want to stay away from the more objectionable parts of the process, you can certainly help us with the ante-mortem database.  It’s not messy and really important. 

You may be getting an email from us soon to follow up with your interest in forensics. We are compiling a newsletter to send out, so if you haven't signed up yet, please do so below. Hopefully we can stay connected with you and your fine profession.

We couldn’t do it without you!!

"Forensic Solutions in Fiction" at Sleuthfest 2014

/
"Forensic Solutions in Fiction" at Sleuthfest 2014

I was asked recently to serve on a panel at the Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, also known as Sleuthfest 2014. While there, I was invited to serve on a panel called Forensic Solutions in Fiction.  The panel consisted of two police officers, a CSI laboratory specialist, and a forensic odontologist, all of who are now also fiction true crime writers.

We fielded questions about the accuracy of CSI type programs, real life forensic situations, and how we all take our true experiences and incorporate them into our fiction writing.  Pretty interesting discussion!

Below is the audio recording of the panel discussion.  What TV crime shows and movies do you enjoy, and how do they stack up against what we talk about here? Will our discussion affect how you watch crime dramas? Please use the comments below to let me know.

Read More

Meeting the "Medical Examiner to the Stars"

/
Meeting the "Medical Examiner to the Stars"

Hey guys! We just returned week before last from the American Academy of Forensic Science meeting, this year in Seattle.  We had a great meeting, and had the opportunity to debut Walk of Death to over 200 forensic odontologists from all across the United States and the world.  The presentation was most successful.  While in Seattle, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Tom Nogushi, affectionately known as the "medical examiner to the stars."

Dr. Nogushi served for almost 20 years in the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office and performed autopsies for many of Hollywood's famous residents.  Some of his more notable autopsies were performed on celebrities like John Belushi, Janis Joplin, Sharon Tate, Robert F. Kennedy, and Marilyn Monroe.  What a wonderfully delightful gentleman, still willing and hungry to share and teach to all who are interested. He is still a very active and spry 87 years old.

I am proud to have been able to have met Dr. Nogushi, one of the most famous individuals in the field of forensic science!

Read More

Killer Nashville

/
Killer Nashville

During the week of August 22-24, Nashvillians will have a chance to meet some very famous people. Country Music? Not this time. Mystery authors’ convention! That’s right! Didn’t know there was such a thing, huh? 

On August 22, 2013, crime scene tape will go up at Nashville’s Five-Star Hutton Hotel, and hundreds of crime fiction readers and writers will converge to learn from and sometimes match wits with forensic anthropologists, dentists, psychologists, attorneys, and law enforcement professionals. 

Read More

First Annual Walk of Death Golf Tourney

/
First Annual Walk of Death Golf Tourney

Throughout the years, one of the most influential mentors I have had is Dr. Richard Souviron, Chief Forensic Dentist for the Miami/Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office. You have seen him interviewed on 60 Minutes and other magazine/news programs. He has provided testimony (along with yours truly) for the West Memphis Three trial most recently. He is most well known for his testimony in the State of Florida vs. Ted Bundy, a landmark case in forensic identification. It is the first time a US citizen has been convicted and executed for a capital offense, where a human bitemark was the primary source of evidence.  

Our friendship has continued over the years, including his OPPOSING testimony in the case State of Tennessee vs Castleman in 1985. It was the first time bitemark evidence had ever been allowed as admissible evidence in a Tennessee courtroom. This happened to be my first time EVER in a courtroom. Talk about David vs Goliath!!

Read More

A Special Thanks To Trudy and Whit Clark

/
A Special Thanks To Trudy and Whit Clark

Well, it’s been a month now since the official launch of the Walk of Death book promotion. It’s been a fast and furious ride so far! What a special way to kick it off than to have special friends like Trudy and Whit Clark to host an event at their awesome real estate offices, Fridrich and Clark, in the Green Hills area. It proved to be a well received event for many of their realtor colleagues in the middle Tennessee area. Just a great chance to meet some of their friends and start the momentum rolling for the middle Tennessee promotion. 

Read More

Hats Off To The 100TH Anniversary Of The American Dental Hygienists Association!

/
Hats Off To The 100TH Anniversary Of The American Dental Hygienists Association!

When the invitation to speak at this prestigious meeting arrived almost a year ago, I had no idea the magnitude of this honor. Of course most all dentists have dental hygienists, those professionals in charge of keeping your pearly whites completely white. But the 100th anniversary for ANYTHING is a big deal!

Read More

Tabor Returns To His Roots - The Atomic (Secret) City

/
Tabor Returns To His Roots - The Atomic (Secret) City

What a treat it will be to get back home and see some ol’ buds from the Class of ’67. Just a few short weeks after the Secret City Festival, my self-proclaimed Oak Ridge local contact committee, Bobbie Martin , and some of her recruits will be helping us with publicity for our July 18 lecture on ‘Forensic Identification at Ground Zero and Other High Profile Cases’.

Read More

Boston Is The Next Stop On The Book Train

/
Boston Is The Next Stop On The Book Train

Next stop on the book train will be Boston! How fortunate we were to land a speaking engagement at the American Dental Hygiene Association’s 100th anniversary meeting June 19-25, 2013 at the Hynes Convention Center. The program’s special theme is entitled: “100 Years of Dental Hygiene: Proud Past, Unlimited Future. When I heard a sampling of the other speakers on the program, I really appreciated our having the chance to participate in this elite group. 

Read More