Final Exams

This book is an in-depth exploration of four fascinating true crime cases from the files of Cyril H. Wecht, M.D., J.D. Coauthored by crime writer Dawna Kaufmann, it explores both the technical and the human sides of murder—and includes new and shocking revelations for each case. Presented first is the puzzling death of a wealthy self-help guru at the hands of “The Harlem Kevorkian” and the case’s latest legal ramifications. Next is the abduction of a little girl, held captive within shouting distance of her loved ones, and her killer’s bizarre trial. The third case is the story of a relative who refused to give up on solving the vicious murder of a popular dentist when law enforcement tried to cover up the crime. Last is an unimaginable tale of two heroic grandparents who worked to save a baby from the depths of evil.

The late Cyril H. Wecht M.D., J.D., was an internationally acclaimed forensic pathologist, attorney and medical-legal consultant who became famous for consulting on deaths with a high media profile. His expertise was called upon in cases involving John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elvis Presley, JonBenét Ramsey, Laci Peterson and Kurt Cobain, the fatal stabbings of the family of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, the O.J. Simpson slayings, and the Waco Branch Davidian fire, among many others.

Dawna Kaufmann is an investigative reporter for several publications and has worked on some of the highest-profile trials and sex crime cases of our time. She’s the only journalist to have gotten an admission directly from W. Mark Felt that he was, indeed, Watergate’s “Deep Throat,” solving one of America’s greatest political debates. She has also worked as a network TV producer, as well as a staff writer on Saturday Night Live and other series.

Cyril H. Wecht, M.D., J.D.

and Dawna Kaufmann

Foreword by Ann Rule

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 223
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, index
Copyright Date: 2021
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8521-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4386-1
Imprint: Exposit

Acknowledgments  v
Foreword by Ann Rule  1
Preface  5
Jeffrey B. Locker: The Willing Victim 23
Jessica Marie Lunsford: The Girl in the Pink Hat 52
John J. Yelenic, Jr., D.M.D.: A Cousin’s Quest 104
Andrew David Bagby, M.D., Hell Hath No Fury… 177
Afterword  209
Index  211

• “Wecht and Kaufmann provide great mystery writing with rich forensic detail.”–Henry C. Lee, Ph.D., world-renowned criminalist

• “These are two top-notch writers in the real world of legal thrillers.”–Wendy Murphy, J.D., TV commentator and adjunct professor of the New England School of Law

• “Dr. Cyril Wecht is the Sherlock Holmes of scientific sleuthing.”–Robert K. Tanenbaum, J.D., former New York prosecutor and author

• “I have been proud to feature famed forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht on many shows involving true crime mysteries. In their latest book, Wecht and his co-author Dawna Kaufmann have written a stunning appraisal of several of his most baffling cases. With his mastery of complex forensic science, he gets the highest grade on these Final Exams.”—Geraldo Rivera, attorney and FOX News anchor