UPCOMING EPISODES

Christopher John Cornell was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was best known as the lead vocalist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. Cornell was considered one of the chief architects of the 1990s grunge movement, and is well known for his extensive catalog as a songwriter, his nearly four-octave vocal range, and his powerful vocal belting technique. Cornell struggled with depression for much of his life. He was found dead in his Detroit hotel room early on the morning of May 18, 2017, after performing at a Soundgarden concert an hour earlier.

On October 6th 2020, the world was shocked by the news that guitar legend Eddie Van Halen had died. A rock prodigy with a boyish charm, Eddie was never more comfortable than when he had a guitar in his hand. Known as the founder of the Van Halen, a band synonymous with California cool, Eddie was surprisingly an immigrant. Of both Dutch and Indonesian heritage, his family moved from the Netherlands to California when he was a child. Without knowing a word of English, Eddie overcame racism in a pre civil rights America. By age 25, Eddie’s band had sold multiple platinum albums and his innovative guitar techniques cemented Eddie in Rock and Roll history. It seemed nothing could stop him. But behind his contagious smile, there was a darker undercurrent that would plague Eddie throughout his life. He dealt with addiction issues for over 4 decades, having started drinking at just age 12. Often relying on alcohol and other substances to maintain his creativity, Eddie would spend many years in and out of rehab. He was a workaholic, often pushing his body to the limits in order to perform while secretly battling illness. Eddie died at the age of 65 from cancer. But if caught early, Eddie’s disease had reasonable survival rates. So what happened? World renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter needs to analyse every detail of Eddie Van Halen’s life in order to piece together what else may have been going on in his body, ultimately leading to his untimely death.

On October 2nd 2017, news of Tom Petty’s sudden death at the age of 66 shocked the nation. As one of America’s most adored singers and songwriters, his career spanned more than four decades. Tom overcame a troubled upbringing in Gainesville, Florida, to become a true rock and roll legend as frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, cofounder of supergroup The Travelling Wilburys and as a solo artist, producing timeless hits such as ‘Free Falling’, ‘American Girl’ and ‘I Won’t Back Down.’ On September 25th, 2017 he played the last night of a sell-out, six month tour with his beloved bandmembers to a packed out stadium in Hollywood. He seemed on top of the world. But just one week later, he collapsed at his Malibu home and was rushed to hospital, where he died the following day. Now, one of the world’s most eminent forensic pathologists, Dr. Michael Hunter wants to investigate the circumstances of Tom’s mysterious death. He will analyse every detail in Tom’s Autopsy report to piece together what led him to die so suddenly and unexpectedly.

On April 25th 2002 Lisa “Left -Eye” Lopes was killed in a mysterious car crash in the depths of the Honduran Jungle. The road was quiet, conditions were dry and initial reports suggest that hers was the only car on the road. Lisa was one third of the phenomenally successful girl band TLC and her death was met with shock and hysteria. Lisa was 5ft tall but her feisty volatile nature often brought her into contact with the law. Yet at the height of TLC’s fame she began to spend more and more time in a mysterious Jungle retreat that was set up by self-proclaimed healer Dr Sebi. Did Dr Sebi’s strict dietary regime have any influence on her tragic accident? In this episode, Forensic Pathologist Dr Michael Hunter looks at the last three weeks in the life on this musical Icon to try to work out how and why she was killed.

Whitney Houston was a global superstar. Selling over 200 million records her extraordinary voice took her from a gospel choir to become a worldwide singing phenomenon. But at 3.36pm on February 11th 2012 she was found unconscious in a bathtub in a Hollywood hotel. Within minutes she was pronounced dead. The world’s media had long been filled with sordid tales of drug and alcohol addiction but with a new recording contract and a fresh start away from her former badboy husband Bobby Brown, it seemed Whitney Houston was finally turning her life around. So what happened that meant she died so unexpectedly in a bathtub at the age of just 48. Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Hunter has the answers.

In April 1994, the twenty seven year old musician and self styled prince of grunge, Kurt Cobain was found dead at his Seattle mansion with a gunshot wound to his head. A suicide note was found at the scene and the police quickly concluded that Kurt had taken his own life. But for more than twenty years controversy has raged over the cause of Kurt’s death with many claiming he had too much heroin in his system to have shot himself. Expert Coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter has examined all the available medical evidence and with testimony from family and friends to finally reveal the real cause of Kurt Cobain’s death.

In April 1994, the twenty seven year old musician and self styled prince of grunge, Kurt Cobain was found dead at his Seattle mansion with a gunshot wound to his head. A suicide note was found at the scene and the police quickly concluded that Kurt had taken his own life. But for more than twenty years controversy has raged over the cause of Kurt’s death with many claiming he had too much heroin in his system to have shot himself. Expert Coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter has examined all the available medical evidence and with testimony from family and friends to finally reveal the real cause of Kurt Cobain’s death.

Amy Winehouse was one of the most gifted singer songwriters of her generation. Her multi-award winning album Back to Black has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Her soulful voice, the raw honesty of her lyrics and witty, down-to-earth personality won the hearts of millions. But at 3.30pm on July 23rd 2011, she was found dead in the bedroom of her home in Camden, North London. At the inquest, the coroner concluded she had died of alcohol poisoning. Winehouse fought a very long and public battle with addiction. But in the weeks leading up to her death, she had made huge progress - she was clean of drugs and she was trying to tackle her alcoholism. So why did Amy Winehouse suddenly drink herself to death? Using information revealed by her autopsy, testimony heard at the Inquest and eyewitness accounts, world renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter investigates the last days of Amy Winehouse.

Janis Joplin was a true rock and roll icon and her explosive performances electrified audiences around the world. She fully embraced the rock and roll spirit of the age and had a music career that was going stratospheric. But on October 4th 1970, aged just 27 years old, Janis Joplin died alone in her Los Angeles hotel. Her body lay undiscovered for 18 hours. Forensic pathologist, Dr Michael Hunter is using Janis Joplin’s autopsy report to build up a picture of her last days and hours to find out exactly how this young, talented musician suddenly died.

Known affectionately as “The Last Great Rockstar”, grunge icon Scott Weiland died on December 3rd, 2015. The singer and songwriter was just 48. his death came suddenly while on the road with his new band The Wildabouts. Scott sold over 20 million records as lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, and super-group Velvet Revolver, and he famously lived the rockstar lifestyle to the full. As sales skyrocketed he indulged in all the excesses that come with success in the music business, but all the time he was battling alcoholism and mental illness. At the height of his career he developed a devastating heroin addiction, and towards the end of his life his behaviour became increasingly unpredictable and erratic. The Examiner’s Report cites mixed drug toxicity as the cause of death - but there was no heroin found in Scott’s system, and renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter believes that Scott’s well documented drug use doesn’t present the full picture. He investigates Scott’s troubled past and discovers a catalogue of traumatic events and dangerous activities in Scott’s lifestory. Together they created the circumstances for him to die suddenly and without warning on a cold winter’s day alone on his tour bus.

In April 1994, the twenty seven year old musician and self styled prince of grunge, Kurt Cobain was found dead at his Seattle mansion with a gunshot wound to his head. A suicide note was found at the scene and the police quickly concluded that Kurt had taken his own life. But for more than twenty years controversy has raged over the cause of Kurt’s death with many claiming he had too much heroin in his system to have shot himself. Expert Coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter has examined all the available medical evidence and with testimony from family and friends to finally reveal the real cause of Kurt Cobain’s death.