

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan
CrimeOnline and iHeartPodcasts
Join 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.
Theme Music: Audio Network
Theme Music: Audio Network
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 25, 2025 • 50min
Decapitated, Decomposing, Remains of Missing 13-Year-Old Found in Abandoned Tesla!
A 2023 Tesla Model Y was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills along Bluebird avenue on July 29, 2025. The dented and dirty Tesla has Texas license plates. After several weeks of no movement, a neighbor reports the car abandoned, starting a timeline in the middle of a horrible story that includes Celeste Rivas, reported missing from her parents home on April 5, 2024 when she is just 13, and a 20-year-old singing star on-the-rise, D4VD, on his first world tour promoting his first full-length CD, "Withered". How did the dismembered, decomposing body of Celeste Rivas end up in the frunk of an abandoned Tesla registered to D4VD? Transcribe Highlights 00:00:02.45 Introduction - Celeste Rivas case 00:01:25.02 Suspect identified, not officially named 00:02:08.82 Due to volume of info, this is part 1 00:03:05.66 Body found in frunk of Tesla 00:04:59.97 Tesla abandoned in the Hollywood Hills 00:10:20.12 Smell of death 00:15:07.96 Movement of wrecker could cause bag to leak 00:20:06.74 Tesla is 2023 Model y - abandoned 00:25:32.97 Victim didn't crawl in bag and seal it 00:30:29.09 Explaining problem with a "wet" body 00:35:35.67 Took 10 days to identify Celeste Rivas 00:40:05.21 Getting prints, other evidence from bag containing remains 00:44:39.22 Celeste reported missing April 5, 2024 - she was 13 00:49:24.02 Conclusion of Part 1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 20, 2025 • 41min
MURDER on Cruise Ship: Cheerleader, 18, Found Stuffed Under Bed, Who Killed Anna?
Anna Kepner is on the Carnival Horizon on a 6-day cruise with her father, stepmother, and other family members. Feeling sick at dinner, she excuses herself and goes to her cabin. When she doesn't show up for breakfast, the family goes to her cabin, but she is gone. A massive search of the 14-story floating city of 4,000-plus people is conducted without success. At around 11 a.m., a maid finds Anna wrapped in a sheet, stuffed under a bed, and covered with a life jacket. Dead. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the difficulty of investigating a death at sea on a cruise ship and try to find the truth of what happened to the 18-year-old cheerleader on the trip of a lifetime. Transcribe Highlights00:03.30 Introduction - claustrophobic 02:08.57 18-year-old found dead on cruise ship 05:12.17 Story has changed since it broke 10:18.26 FBI Involved 15:30.26 Info used in first reports 20:16.47 Who declared "death" 25:07.30 FBI responds with a lot of manpower 30:30.25 Who will be tasked with releasing information 35:41.67 Where does investigation start? 39:52.30 Conclusion - update coming soon See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 19, 2025 • 41min
SHOCKER! Unsolved 1997 Rape/Murder SOLVED! Who Killed Margaret Anselmo
Margaret Anselmo, 45, a floral designer, mother of two, left her apartment on the morning of January 3rd, 1997, to cash a check. A delivery driver found her body, face down in a snowy alley later that day. She had been raped and beaten to death. Police believed she was the victim of an apparent random act of violence. Her cause of death was due to blunt force trauma to the head. Her killer, not identified. Until now. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack look at the life and brutal death of Margaret Anselmo as her very cold case from 1997 heats up, thaws out, and a suspect is identified. To find out how you can help Othram Labs continue the quest to solve the unsolvable, thaw out the coldest of cold cases, go to www.dnasolves.com Transcribe Highlights00:00.00 Introduction telling stories of the dead 03:01.22 January 3, 1997 Margaret Anselmo going to cash a check 08:26.31 Drag marks in the alley 14:08.92 Did Margaret have a regular route she took? 19:53.22 STR looking into the "known suspects" 24:20.14 Othram labs looks like a "starship" 29:14.34 Suicide is rarely mentioned in press 33:44.91 One piece of puzzle helps connect 34:11.62 Police say "if suspect was alive, he would be charged" 39:08.10 Donating to Othram 41:00.92 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 18, 2025 • 38min
Killer Massage From Porn Star Leaves Ex-Husband HEADLESS!
Former porn star Devyn Michaels is accused of killing her ex-husband, father of her two daughters, by striking him in the head while giving him a massage, then cutting off his head. Police uncover a strange story - Devyn Michaels is married to her ex-husband's son, her stepson, and her stepson/husband is now half-brother to her two daughters. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack pull back the curtain on another strange story out of Las Vegas...but still haven't found the head Transcript Highlights 00:00.03 Introduction 00:14.82 Description of massage 01:32.62 Massage with decapitation 03:58.90 Suspect and her porn names 08:09.93 Mom discovers headless body of son 12:56.06 Toxic chemicals 18:29.70 Victim Body was "smoking" 23:26.68 Scientific conclusion? 29:19.61 Story of Judge and son 34:03.07 An awareness you have been struck 38:02.82 Polygraph reaction 41:05.14 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 13, 2025 • 53min
Naked, Covered in Feces, Jailers Laugh as Inmate Freezes To Death in 'The Freezer'
On January 12, 2023, the family of Tony Mitchell called for a mental health welfare check on the 33-year-old. He has sprayed his face and body with black spray paint and claims to have a "portal to hell." When deputies show up, Mitchel discharges a weapon. Deputies are able to get Mitchell into custody, and even though he is obviously suffering a mental health crisis, Mitchell is taken to the Walker County Jail and placed in a holding cell with a cement floor, no running water, no bathroom facilities, no elevated place for a bed, no blankets, and a drain in the floor for when jailers have to hose it out. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss what happened to Tony Mitchell, a man who was left naked and covered in feces in a holding cell nicknamed the "Freezer" for two weeks. Transcribe Highlights 00:06.89 Introduction 01:22.04 The Count of Monte Cristo 05:08.34 Tony Mitchell in jail 10:31.72 Tony Mitchell was having a mental health crisis 15:25.49 Justify treatment saying "he shot at cops" 20:45.54 Medical staff contracted to care for inmates 24:59.03 Mitchell holding cell not meant for longterm hold 30:13.18 Not toilet, no running water, drain in middle 35:37.41 Mitchell body temp dropping 40:10.44 Cold can bring about memory issues 45:17.42 Nurse begged jailers for three hours to take Mitchell to hospital 50:03.26 Over 20 people indicted 52:49.10 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 12, 2025 • 43min
Granny Shot In Head, Buried Naked Under Sheets, Home Ransacked: Where is Granddaughter?
Neighbors call for a welfare check on Tammy King after not seeing her for a couple days. Tammy is 61, and is raising her 17-year-old granddaughter, Tara King. Law Enforcement does the welfare check and find Tammy dead under a pile of sheets in the middle of her bedroom floor, and it looks like the house was ransacked! Tara is not home, and neither is her boyfriend, 18-year-old Uriah Urick. Tammy has been dead for a couple days. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack will take a look under the covers placed on the body of Tammy King, and see if there is a chance the killer will be caught. Transcribe Highlights 00:00.57 Introduction - Grandparent 04:03.63 Grandma raises granddaughter 08:06.49 Tara King, Uriah Urick 13:31.94 Welfare check 18:28.66 Collecting rare weapons 24:04.49 Body Covered 34:17.72 Size of ammunition 39:26.08 Drug dealer involved 42:45.83 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 11, 2025 • 55min
Four People Beaten to Death to Create Plot For Movie!
Deputy Jason Loftsgard is the first officer on the scene of a possible carbon monoxide poisoning death. He checks on the victims, Romondus Cooper, 44; Amanda Parker, 33; Keonna Ryan, 26; and Brent Brown, 34, and finds only Brown to still be alive. The deputy also notes, "These people didn't die of natural causes." State Trooper Tylor Fairbanks said. "Carbon monoxide does not cause your head to collapse on itself, and carbon monoxide poisoning also does not leave pools of blood on the ground." Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the entire scene, from the carbon monoxide poison call to the trial of Luke Truesdell that is going on right now. Is it possible Luke Truesdell really killed four people with a pipe just to create the plot for a true-crime movie? Transcript Highlights 00:00.52 Introduction, 2019 coverage of murder with a corn rake 03:05.95 Murder weapon is a metal pipe 06:57.81 Who was the main target? 12:11.61 Carbon Monoxide poisoning 18:18.11 How do you beat 4 people to death 23:03.53 The term "Brain Them" 28:03.99 Determine who was killed first 33:00.01 Suspect show himself to investigators without knowing 39:15.42 The Most Dangerous Game 44:57.51 Each victim beaten to death with metal pipe 49:55.91 Looking for degree of trauma 54:37.06 Conclusion: Trial ongoing - Will updateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 6, 2025 • 46min
Hero. Legend. Buford Pusser and the Cold Case Unsolved Murder of His Wife
Buford Pusser went on a domestic call in the early morning hours of August 12, 1967. Pusser's wife, Pauline, went with him on the call. On the way a car pulled up alongside them and shots were fired, killing her and leaving Buford shot in the face. Buford survived the attempt on his life, Hollywood came calling and a feature film about Buford became a big hit, Walking Tall. The legend of Buford Pusser only grew when he died in a car accident right before he was set to star in the sequel to Walking Tall. It would be easy to blame Hollywood for covering up the truth about the man to make him into a hero, but that isn't the truth. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the investigation into the unsolved Cold Case murder of Pauline Pusser and attempted murder of Sheriff Buford Busser. Transcribe Highlights 00:00.12 Introduction - Hero 01:41.83 Walking Tall 05:10.58 The story of Buford Pusser 09:03.79 The dead tell tales 15:10.75 The ambush of Buford and his wife 20:03.38 Looking at surgical notes before autopsy 25:20.93 Clandestine burials 30:18.23 Domestic calls are to toughest 35:02.19 Pauline had a healing broke nose at death 39:51.21 Shot in the back of the head 45:05.22 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 5, 2025 • 49min
SHOCKING! 314 Human Bodies Found in Nevada Desert!
The headline might be a little misleading but....if 314 bodies were dumped from their caskets and left in the hot desert sun to become one with the desert, you would probably take notice. In truth, the cremains of 314 people were found about an hour south of Las Vegas, neatly placed in the middle of nowhere. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack begin with questions that might not have answers as they discuss the cremains found in Nevada and what will happen next. Transcript Highlights 00:00.33 Introduction 01:39.69 What to do with Cremains of a loved one 04:13.91 300 piles of human cremated remains 09:09.23 Remains of Michael Jordan's father 14:34.82 Neat piles of cremains means something 19:26.91 A lot or regulations with cremation 24:49.41 Cremains are left in piles 29:42.45 Investigation will involve multiple agency's 34:18.39 Positive identification of the dead 39:45.31 Nevada is a coroner state 45:00.68 Nightmare scenario for death investigation 48:34.32 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 4, 2025 • 57min
Severed Foot 2nd Floor. Body on 5th: Jump? Fall? Thrown? Death of Caitlin Tracey
Caitlin Tracey is reported missing by her husband Adam Beckerink. He claims he hasn't seen his wife in a month. The next day, a foot is found on the second floor stairwell. A search of the rest of the stairwell inside the condo building and the body of Caitlin Tracey is discovered on the 5th floor. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack breakdown the relationship of Caitlin and Adam Beckerink, accusations of domestic violence, 911 calls, and the medical examiner report and what was found in the examination of Caitlin Tracey. Did she Jump? Did she fall? Was she thrown? Transcript Highlights 00:00:00.07 Introduction 00:02:43.52 The death of Caitlin Tracey 00:05:21.13 Husband reports her missing, day before her body is found 00:11:11.78 Man found, public place, advanced decomposition 00:15:27.36 Every dead body is a murder until proven different 00:20:21.53 Not celebrating getting married 00:25:12.68 Domestic violence 00:30:26.91 Belt buckle struck victim on face and neck 00:35:06.87 People fall from height 00:40:09.43 Other insults on her body 00:45:50.38 Could a person thrown themselves over the side without hitting sides 00:50:30.29 Looking for bruising that doesn't match up 00:55:07.34 Old blood versus newer blood 00:57:13.23 Conclusion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


