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cover of episode How a Nuclear Lab Helped Catch a Serial Killer

How a Nuclear Lab Helped Catch a Serial Killer

2024/11/28
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Science Vs
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People
A
Armando Alcaraz
A
Ashley Flowers
真实犯罪播客主持人和Audiochuck媒体公司创始人
D
Dr. Ian Musgrave
J
John McKillop
W
Wendy Zuckerman
Topics
Wendy Zuckerman: 本节目讲述了加利福尼亚州一家医院发生的一系列可疑死亡事件，以及一个设计核武器的实验室如何帮助警方破获这起连环杀手案。事件始于1996年圣诞节后，多名病人死于医院，起初并未引起怀疑，但随后出现传闻，指向一名医院工作人员Efren Saldivar。 Ashley Flowers: 我分享了我对科学的热爱以及我作为一名犯罪记者对解决谜团的痴迷。 John McKillop: 我最初对Efren Saldivar是连环杀手的说法持怀疑态度，但随着调查的深入，我改变了看法。 Armando Alcaraz: 我描述了我们在劳伦斯利弗莫尔国家实验室进行的复杂的法医毒物检测工作，以及我们如何克服重重困难，最终成功地在受害者体内检测到帕库龙。 Dr. Ian Musgrave: 我解释了帕库龙和琥珀胆碱的药理作用，以及它们如何被滥用以导致受害者死亡。 Efren Saldivar: 我承认自己杀害了数十名病人，并详细描述了作案过程和使用的药物。起初我声称是为了减轻病人的痛苦，但后来承认是因为工作量过大，病人成为了我的负担。

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In 1996, several patients at Glendale Adventist Medical Center in California died under suspicious circumstances. Rumors circulated about a healthcare worker possibly injecting patients with something, leading to an investigation.
  • Multiple deaths at Glendale Adventist Medical Center
  • Rumors of a healthcare worker injecting patients
  • Lack of initial evidence

Shownotes Transcript

It’s the 1990s at a medical center in California, and patients are dying. At first, this doesn’t seem strange — it’s a hospital, and deaths happen. But then rumors start to circulate about a particular health care worker: Difficult or needy patients in his care are ending up dead. The cops get involved, but there’s a huge problem: There’s no hard evidence. Until the so-called “Lab of Last Resort” steps in. Crime Junkie host Ashley Flowers joins us as we speak to analytical chemist Armando Alcaraz, former Detective Sergeant John McKillop and Dr. Ian Musgrave. 

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSerialKiller)

In this episode we cover: 

(00:00) Deaths at a California Hospital

(05:20) Meet Efren Saldivar

(10:51) A Shocking Confession

(15:40) Pavulon and Succinylcholine

(21:00) Searching for Suspicious Cases

(25:09) The Lab of Last Resort 

(34:21) Testing the Bodies

(39:30) The Story Ends 

Credits:

This episode was produced by Joel Werner and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Music written by So Wylie, Bobby Lord and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to Roland Campos, Steve Wampler, Audrey Williams, the audiochuck team, Jasmine Kingston, Connor Sampson, Stupid Old Studios, and Penny Greenhalgh. Special thanks to the LA times staff whose very thorough reporting we used to research this episode. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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