Bubba On the Lake

Episode #53: A Sit-Down with Medical Examiner and True Crime Expert Joseph Scott Morgan

Date: April 9, 2026

Host: Bill "Bubba" Bussey
Guest: Joseph Scott Morgan, Medical Examiner, Forensic Expert, Host of Body Bags podcast

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Bubba sits down with Joseph Scott Morgan—renowned medical examiner, forensic investigator, author, and host of the podcast Body Bags. They discuss the complex and at times haunting world of death investigation, Joseph’s unique career journey, the toll such work takes on the human psyche, prominent true crime cases (including the Guthrie disappearance and JonBenét Ramsey), forensic education at Jacksonville State University, and the evolving intersection of forensics and media. This episode offers both captivating true crime insights and a deeply human look at the cost—and calling—of speaking for the dead.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Joseph Scott Morgan's Background and Path to Forensics

• Origin Story:
  • Born in Monroe, Louisiana, moved to Georgia as a child, but considers New Orleans home.
  • Started at the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office—got his start by helping at the hospital morgue before joining the coroner’s team (“I was the one that was checking bodies in and out... I started going to autopsies on my own.” – Joseph, 11:46).
• Career Highlights:
  • Progressed from hospital orderly to coroner’s apprentice, then to senior investigator in Fulton County, Georgia, and later transitioned to academia.
  • Spent 20+ years in the field, and two decades in academia (now at Jacksonville State University).
• Unique Perspective:
  • He describes how working in the National Guard and enduring things like gas chamber training paralleled building a tolerance for the difficult aspects of death investigation (“I became one of those people that could stand in there... in the morgue and be around the most horrific things you’ve ever seen.” – Joseph, 16:52).

2. The Psychological Toll and Calling of Death Investigation

• Emotional Cost:
  • Morgan openly discusses the cumulative trauma:
    • “It took a toll. The last time I left the medical examiner’s office in Atlanta, I was in an ambulance because I thought I was having a heart attack... panic attacks.” (19:59)
  • Wrote a memoir as part of therapy, nearly destroyed it but was convinced to publish (“I was going to burn it... wound up becoming a book, and it got a lot of attention.” – 19:26).
• Mission and Advocacy:
  • Sees himself as an advocate for the forgotten dead (“The dead are the least among us... It’s amazing how the dead are treated. We forget about the dead. Nobody thinks about the dead until it’s your dead.” – 21:47).
  • Highlights lack of resources and political attention given to forensics vs. other causes (“You never see politicians rushing up to the mic to say: Hey, we're going to get a new morgue... Dead people don't vote.” – 23:26, 25:11).

3. Forensics in the Media: Becoming a Broadcast "Rock Star"

• True Crime Surge:
  • Bubba acknowledges the explosion of true crime and forensics in media:
    • “I think there may be more medical examiner shows than there are cop shows out there now.” (28:21)
• Entry into Media:
  • First big case was the Jodi Arias trial (2013) for HLN/CNN, after a producer reached out.
  • Morgan prepared meticulously, but was coached simply: “Teach me.” This became his mantra for all media appearances—always educate (32:13).
  • Now averages nearly 300 media appearances a year, always promoting Jacksonville State University alongside forensic education.
• Story About Nancy Grace:
  • Met Nancy Grace through overlapping roles in Fulton County. Describes her as “bombastic—but real,” and highlights her sincere empathy for victims.
  • Their initial interaction: “She cussed me on the phone and I hung up on her.” (36:39)
  • Now a regular expert on her programs and credits her for supporting forensic education at Jack State.

4. Evolution and Education of Forensics at Jacksonville State University

• Unique Academic Program:
  • Houses both field and lab forensic tracks (“Field mice and lab rats” – 42:12).
  • Facilities include trace evidence lab, fully equipped crime scene house, blood spatter lab, interview/interrogation rooms, full courtroom, and a hands-on cadaver lab.
• Real-World Training:
  • Students handle real human remains under strict supervision, gaining practical skills from autopsy basics to morgue photography and fingerprinting (“You’re actually safer with the dead than you ever are with the living.” – 45:10).
• Impact:
  • Morgan is proud of his alumni who work globally, viewing graduates as “little bitty sailboats we’re kind of putting knowledge into, and then... out to the tide.” (46:54)

5. Notable Cases and Forensic Failures

The Guthrie Disappearance (48:41–58:32)

• Main Issues:
  • Scene was not properly secured:
    • “The initial part to this case—they treated it as missing elderly person... There was blood visible, but they didn’t lock it down.” (51:03)
  • Potential evidence (blood, doormat, footprints) was not properly collected, while unauthorized people entered, contaminating the scene.
• Consequences:
  • As forensic technology is now highly sensitive (“Going into a crime scene now is almost like going into a surgical suite…” – 51:52), these missed steps likely compromised the case extensively.

JonBenét Ramsey Case (58:45–70:20)

• Scene Contamination:
  • “They had everybody and their brother in that house. They did not lock down that house. You've got a note... then they find her body in the basement, right, at the same house where they're eating, drinking coffee and eating Christmas cake...” (59:11)
• Perpetrator Likely Had Intimate Knowledge:
  • “Whoever perpetrated this homicide had very intimate knowledge of this house... This thing is massive and it’s multi-storied...” (62:32)
• Ransom Note and Evidence:
  • The note was written with the family’s pad and pen, suggesting it was composed in the house—very atypical.
• Missed Chances for DNA:
  • Modern genealogy could solve the case if evidence is preserved ("Now we can do it at a microscopic level with a tiny sample... They claim they have DNA. I want to know what status of it is, how's it being protected and are they submitting it for genealogical test?” – 70:08).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the toll of death investigation:
  “I just adapted. I had to. I’ve been on my own since I was very young and had to make my way. And I just, I embraced that life... But you don’t see that when you’re young.” – Joseph, 16:52

• On the dead needing an advocate:
  “It’s amazing the way the dead are treated... Nobody thinks about the dead until it’s your dead... So I have to offer a voice for them.” – Joseph, 21:47

• On the transition to media:
  “He said, ‘You're a professor, right?... Teach me.’ And so from that moment on, Bubba, anytime that I go on air, that’s what I keep in my mind.” – Joseph, 32:13

• On forensic failures in famous cases:
  “You have to work every single day thinking that today I’m going to work a major case... It doesn’t matter if you live in Dog Patch, it’s not just in big cities.” – Joseph, 59:11
  “If you screw it up from the beginning... you’re leaving the door open. And you don’t know what you’re opening the door to because this is evil.” – Joseph, 61:16

• On preservation of evidence and technology:
  “You cannot say now that we don’t have the technology to solve something... Now we can do it at a microscopic level with a tiny sample.” – Joseph, 70:08

Important Timestamps

• 09:05: Joe Scott Morgan’s introduction and background
• 11:46: Getting started in autopsy work, early career
• 16:52: The “gas chamber” analogy and coping with morgue work
• 18:53: The emotional cost of the job and writing his memoir
• 21:47: Advocacy for the forgotten dead
• 25:11: “Dead people don’t vote”—the lack of resources for forensic work
• 29:04: Bubba asks about the transition into media
• 32:13: First major case—Jodi Arias, and being told to “teach me”
• 36:03: Story about getting connected with Nancy Grace
• 40:34: Forensic education at Jacksonville State University, program details
• 47:10: On the unique preparation of JSU forensic grads
• 49:22: Discussion of the Guthrie disappearance and scene security failures
• 58:45: JonBenét Ramsey case: missed steps and possible theories
• 70:08: How DNA technology and genealogy could change older cases
• 71:13: Joe invites listener questions for a future episode

Episode Flow & Tone

The episode maintains a conversational, occasionally humorous Southern tone but does not shy away from emotional gravity or technical detail. Bubba’s down-home style allows Joseph to share candid reflections—sometimes raw, sometimes technical—making complex forensic issues accessible and always rooted in human empathy.

Listener Takeaways

• Forensics is as much about advocacy as it is about science—Morgan sees himself as “a voice for the dead.”
• Securing and processing a crime scene is absolutely crucial; missteps can thwart justice for decades.
• Forensic science has evolved immensely, but evidence preservation is key.
• True crime's popularity has thrust professionals like Morgan into the media spotlight—he uses that platform to educate and uplift his university.
• There are vast educational opportunities at places like Jacksonville State for aspiring forensic investigators—real-world, hands-on, and unique in the region.
• Famous cases like Guthrie’s and JonBenét's illustrate both progress and ongoing challenges in forensic science and policing.

Engagement & Next Steps

• Joe Scott Morgan encourages listener questions:
  “Send Bubba some questions... I’ll be glad to answer anything you got within reason.” (71:13)
• Contact: bubba@bubbaonthelake.com

For fans of true crime, forensic science, or the intersection between media and criminal justice, this episode is a compelling mix of gritty real-world insight, Southern storytelling, and genuine mission-driven conversation. Stay tuned for a promised Part 2, where Bubba and Joseph will dive even deeper into infamous cases and emerging science.