The Education of a Coroner

by John Bateson

ARTICLES AND REPORTS

  ABC News. “Marin County Sheriff Robert Doyle Re-elected.” June 9, 2010.

  Allen, Teresa, and Erik Ingram. “Murder Shakes Up Bolinas.” Marin Independent Journal, February 1, 1983.

  Anderson, Lessley. “Death in the Family.” SF Weekly, October 13, 2004.

  Angle, Pat. “Ladd Deaths Blamed on County Agencies.” Marin Independent Journal, August 19, 1975.

  ———. “ ‘Worst Job’: Picking Up Pieces.” Marin Independent Journal, February 10, 1981.

  Associated Press. “Baby Linked to Murders.” March 2, 1993.

  ———. “Girl Regains Baby after Murder of Adoptive Parents.” January 6, 1989.

  ———. “Murder Conviction Overturned in ‘Pendragon’ Plot.” September 18, 2007.

  Bard, Bonnie, Spencer Silas, and Nels Johnson. “Slain Teenagers Mourned.” Marin Independent Journal, December 2, 1980.

  Bay City News. “16 Years for Man Who Killed Pregnant Lover.” February 20, 2008.

  Becker, Ingrid. “Jurors See Video of Slaying Site.” Marin Independent Journal, May 15, 1992.

  ———. “Life Term for Ex-saloon Owner.” Marin Independent Journal, August 19, 1992.

  Berton, Justin. “James Mitchell Gets 35 to Life for Killing His Ex.” San Francisco Chronicle, August 16, 2011.

  Breithaupt, Brad. “Brutal Marin Murder.” Marin Independent Journal, February 10, 1983.

  ———. “Woman Killed in Blaze.” Marin Independent Journal, February 1, 1983.

  Brewer, Jim, and Kevin Lowry. “How Cops Learned of Grisly Killing.” Marin Independent Journal, July 3, 1975.

  Brewer, Jim, and George Williamson. “Youths Held in Grisly Murders.” Marin Independent Journal, July 2, 1975.

  California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Condemned Inmates List, February 6, 2015.

  ———. “Monthly Report of Population as of October 30, 2013.”

  California Department of General Services. “Preliminary Analysis of Potential Reuse and Relocation of San Quentin Prison.” June 2001.

  Callaghan, Catherine. Bodega Miwok Dictionary. University of California Publication in Linguistics, vol. 60, December 1970.

  Cane, Paul. “ ‘Olive Family Quiet, Gentle.’ ” Marin Independent Journal, July 2, 1975.

  CBS News. “Marin Ranked as Healthiest County in California for 5th Year Running.” March 26, 2014.

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Suicides in National Parks—United States, 2003–2009.” December 3, 2010.

  CNN. “California Lawmaker Proposes Selling San Quentin Prison.” March 31, 2009.

  Connell, Mary. “ ‘Delightful Cynic’ Finds a Way to Mix Sensitivity with Forensic Expertise.” Marin Independent Journal, March 15, 2000.

  Corwin, Miles. “Woman Is Killed in Courthouse Hallway; Bailiff Then Shoots Her Alleged Attacker.” Los Angeles Times, December 5, 1987.

  Craig, Pat. “Porn Moguls Mitchell Brothers’ Story Told by Daughter.” Marin Independent Journal, January 27, 2014.

  Curtis, Kim. “Jury Urges Death in Marin Slayings.” Associated Press, December 18, 2004.

  Daily Mail. “Notorious Killer Who Murdered Five People in Bizarre Plot ‘to Speed Christ’s Return to Earth’ Hangs Himself on Death Row.” April 16, 2013.

  Davis, Gregory J., and Randy L. Hanzlick. “The Medical Examiner and Coroner Systems.” Medscape, May 20, 2013.

  Dougan, Michael. “Trail Led to Son in Tiburon Man’s Slaying.” San Francisco Chronicle, May 18, 1999.

  Doyle, Jim. “Settlement in Rapper’s Trial for Boy’s Death.” San Francisco Chronicle, November 8, 1995.

  Fernandez, Elizabeth. “Killer to Be Freed After 23 Years.” San Francisco Chronicle, December 23, 2003.

  Fierro, Marcella. “Comparing Medical Examiner and Coroner Systems.” National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2015.

  Fimrite, Peter. “Farewell to a Porn King.” San Francisco Chronicle, July 20, 2007.

  Frontline. “Post Mortem: Death Investigation in America.” February 1, 2011.

  Frueh, Sara. “ ‘Badly Fragmented’ Forensic Science System Needs Overhaul.” Press release from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, February 18, 2009.

  Garretson, Con. “Guilty Plea Deal in San Rafael Killing.” Marin Independent Journal, October 29, 2003.

  ———. “Guilty Verdict in Novato Motel Murder.” Marin Independent Journal, December 11, 2003.

  ———. “Human Bones Found at Novato Construction Site.” Marin Independent Journal, May 10, 2005.

  ———. “Was Killing Rage or Deliberate?” Marin Independent Journal, November 25, 2003.

  Gladstone, Mark. “San Quentin ‘Decrepit.’ ” San Jose Mercury News, April 14, 2005.

  Glionna, John M. “Guards on Death Row Face Escalating Dangers.” Los Angeles Times, April 21, 2001.

  Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District. “Highlights, Facts, and Figures.” 6th ed., July 2009.

  Greer, Jeff. “Pet Not the Best Bodyguard.” Marin Independent Journal, March 13, 1980.

  Guthrie, Julian. “Porn King’s Daughter Could Go Prime Time.” San Francisco Chronicle, December 2, 2014.

  Halstead, Richard. “Marin Parents Who Lost Children to Prescription Drug Abuse Join New Task Force.” Marin Independent Journal, March 23, 2014.

  ———. “Syringes Found Near Body at Hospital.” Marin Independent Journal, December 4, 2004.

  ———. “White’s Hill Roadway Plagued by Accidents.” Marin Independent Journal, September 24, 1996.

  Hanzlick, Randy. “An Overview of Medical Examiner/Coroner Systems in the United States.” Presentation to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, not dated.

  Harris, Ron. “Blues Guitarist’s Daughter Killed.” ABC News, August 10, 2000.

  Hatfield, Larry D., and Donna Horowitz. “Four Dead in Novato Shooting Rampage.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 4, 1995.

  Haupt, Angela. “America’s 50 Healthiest Counties for Kids.” U.S. News & World Report, June 16, 2014.

  Hickman, Matthew J., Kristen A. Hughes, Keven J. Strom, and Jeri D. Ropero-Miller. “Medical Examiners and Coroners’ Offices, 2004.” Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2007.

  Hill, Angela. “Grim History Displayed at San Quentin.” Contra Costa Times, January 11, 2015.

  Horowitz, Donna. “Houseboater Slain in Drug Dispute.” Marin Independent Journal, March 5, 1980.

  ———. “Marin Suicide Center Busy.” Marin Independent Journal, May 20, 1983.

  ———. “No Progress in Identifying Brutally Murdered Woman.” Marin Independent Journal, September 28, 1977.

  ———. “Women Won’t Stay Away from Tam.” Marin Independent Journal, October 17, 1980.

  Horowitz, Donna, and Alex Neill. “FBI Agent Key to Old Murder Cases.” Marin Independent Journal, April 5, 1991.

  Ingram, Erik. “Artist Found Shot to Death.” Marin Independent Journal, August 4, 1980.

  ———. “Ban Bodies as Evidence, Lawyer Asks.” Marin Independent Journal, February 27, 1981.

  ———. “Caller Says He’s Slaying Suspect—Intends to Kill.” Marin Independent Journal, October 22, 1980.

  ———. “Falling Branch Kills Woman.” Marin Independent Journal, July 6, 1981.

  ———. “ ‘Frightened’ Suspect’s Letter to Sheriff.” Marin Independent Journal, October 21, 1980.

  ———. “Guilty Plea in Slaying of Optician.” Marin Independent Journal, October 14, 1980.

  ———. “Gun Lists Checked in Kane Case.” Marin Independent Journal, October 26, 1977.

  ———. “Investigators Still Baffled on a Motive for Slayings.” Marin Independent Journal, October 29, 1980.

  ———. “Man’s Dumped Body Discovered.” Marin Independent Journal, May 12, 1983.

  ———. “McDermand Profile Drawn.” Marin Independent Journal, October 24, 1980.

  ———. “M
rs. Wickersham Is Sentenced.” Marin Independent Journal, February 29, 1980.

  ———. “Murder Case Focuses on One Suspect.” Marin Independent Journal, February 16, 1981.

  ———. “Navy Deserter Linked to Two Cases.” Marin Independent Journal, November 7, 1980.

  ———. “Possible Link in Mount Tam Slayings.” Marin Independent Journal, October 18, 1980.

  ———. “Probers Optimistic in Search for Killer.” Marin Independent Journal, March 25, 1980.

  ———. “Sailor Admits Slaying Woman.” Marin Independent Journal, February 13, 1981.

  ———. “17,000 for Eight-Hour Week? It’s Possible in Marin County.” Marin Independent Journal, February 25, 1974.

  ———. “Sheriff Lines Up Group to Patrol Mount Tam.” Marin Independent Journal, March 12, 1980.

  ———. “Slaying Probe Focuses on Weapon.” Marin Independent Journal, March 13, 1980.

  ———. “Slayings Suspect Calls Sheriff Again.” Marin Independent Journal, October 27, 1980.

  ———. “Suspect on Spending Spree?” Marin Independent Journal, April 25, 1980.

  ———. “Tam Valley Slaying Suspect Calls Sheriff; Says He’s OK.” Marin Independent Journal, October 25, 1980.

  ———. “Tam Valley Suspect Pleads Not Guilty.” Marin Independent Journal, October 31, 1980.

  ———. “Tam Valley Woman, Son Slain.” Marin Independent Journal, October 17, 1980.

  ———. “Two Convicted in Drug Murder.” Marin Independent Journal, August 20, 1980.

  ———. “Two Face Trial in Houseboat Shooting.” Marin Independent Journal, April 4, 1980.

  ———. “Youths Find Bloody Knife Near Site of Murder.” Marin Independent Journal, March 11, 1980.

  Ingram, Erik, and Nels Johnson. “Could Slayings Have Been Averted?” Marin Independent Journal, December 2, 1980.

  ———. “Detectives Take Another Look at 1977 Slaying on Mountain.” Marin Independent Journal, January 9, 1981.

  ———. “San Anselmo Slaying Remains Unsolved.” Marin Independent Journal, January 8, 1981.

  ———. “Tam Valley Suspect Surrenders.” Marin Independent Journal, October 28, 1980.

  Ingram, Erik, and Jeff Levine. “Double Killing Clues Studied.” Marin Independent Journal, October 20, 1980.

  Ioffee, Karina. “Deadly Jump in Opiate Abuse.” Contra Costa Times, September 7, 2014.

  Johnson, John. “Tragedy Leaves Troubling Questions.” Los Angeles Times, March 17, 2002.

  Johnson, Nels. “Barbecue Murders Revisited.” Marin Independent Journal, September 3, 1995.

  ———. “Cameras Film Tam Valley Slaying Arraignment.” Marin Independent Journal, October 29, 1980.

  ———. “Marin County’s Murder Mysteries.” Marin Independent Journal, April 7, 1991.

  ———. “Marin’s Coroner Sees His Office as One Requiring High Degree of Professionalism.” Marin Independent Journal, February 7, 1976.

  ———. “Report: Marin Coroner/Sheriff’s Office Merger Will Save Big Bucks.” Marin Independent Journal, November 4, 2010.

  ———. “Two Teenagers Held in Couple’s Slaying.” Marin Independent Journal, July 2, 1975.

  Johnson, Nels, and Brad Breithaupt. “Murder, Drug Link Probed.” Marin Independent Journal, February 11, 1983.

  Johnson, Nels, and Erik Ingram. “Marin’s Grim List of Unsolved Murders.” Marin Independent Journal, January 5, 1981.

  ———. “1976 Slayings Tied to Global Drug Trade.” Marin Independent Journal, January 7, 1980.

  Journal of the American Medical Association. “SAMHSA: Pain Medication Abuse a Common Path to Heroin.” October 9, 2013.

  Keown, Don. “What Does a Pathologist Do?” Marin Independent Journal, May 13, 1983.

  Klien, Gary. “ ‘Barbecue’ Killer Riley Won’t Be Paroled.” Marin Independent Journal, May 17, 2005.

  ———. “DA Won’t Fight Ruling in Murder Case.” Marin Independent Journal, September 20, 2005.

  ———. “Dad Gets Prison in San Rafael Baby Killing.” Marin Independent Journal, July 29, 2009.

  ———. “Daughter of Porn King Artie Mitchell Sentenced in Federal Fraud Case.” Marin Independent Journal, October 15, 2014.

  ———. “Evidence Suggests Novato Victim Died in Violent Struggle.” Marin Independent Journal, December 21, 2006.

  ———. “Girl’s Remains a Mystery.” Marin Independent Journal, May 12, 2003.

  ———. “Helzer Gets Death in Bishop Case.” Marin Independent Journal, August 4, 2004.

  ———. “Marin Library Builds Database of Old Coroners’ Files.” Marin Independent Journal, January 1, 2011.

  ———. “MGH Workers Overdosed on Same Drug.” Marin Independent Journal, November 20, 2004.

  ———. “Novato Killer Rocks Court, Takes Back Confession.” San Jose Mercury News, February 15, 2008.

  ———. “ ’70 Civic Center Gunman Denied Parole.” Marin Independent Journal, September 9, 2005.

  ———. “Sheriff, Coroner Lock Horns in Historic Election.” Marin Independent Journal, June 5, 2010.

  ———. “Sheriff Defeats Coroner for Marin Sheriff-Coroner.” Marin Independent Journal, June 8, 2010.

  ———. “Tips on Unsolved Murders Come in; Reward Offered.” Marin Independent Journal, May 15, 2005.

  Klinger, Karen. “Slain Hub Woman Found by Fireman.” Marin Independent Journal, January 28, 1977.

  ———. “Student Found Slain.” Marin Independent Journal, February 7, 1976.

  Knight, Heather. “S.F. Hires New Chief Medical Examiner.” San Francisco Chronicle, January 21, 2015.

  Kroll, Michael. “San Quentin Investigating Odd Death of Psychotic Spared Execution.” Albion Monitor, July 16, 1997.

  KTVU News. “Court Restores Murder Conviction of Man in Marin Pendragon Cult.” January 6, 2009.

  Lagos, Marisa. “Novato Man Won’t Face Extra Charges in Death of Pregnant Woman.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 25, 2007.

  Larsen, Rebecca. “Suspect Left Jail Two Weeks Before Girl’s Death.” Marin Independent Journal, October 2, 1976.

  Leader, Lewis. “The Woman Who Pleased Everyone but Herself.” San Francisco Examiner, July 11, 1980.

  Lee, Henry K. “DUI Killer from Marin Is Killed in Prison.” Crime, July 28, 2010.

  ———. “Justin Helzer Hangs Himself in Prison.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 16, 2013.

  Levine, Jeff. “The Grim Process of Identifying Decomposed Bodies.” Marin Independent Journal, December 1, 1980.

  ———. “Guarding Against a Riot.” Marin Independent Journal, March 4, 1981.

  ———. “How Search Teams Tracked Down Bodies in Difficult Terrain.” Marin Independent Journal, December 1, 1980.

  ———. “Protecting Prisoners from Other Inmates.” Marin Independent Journal, March 4, 1981.

  ———. “Screening Inmates Helps Cut Violence.” Marin Independent Journal, March 3, 1981.

  ———. “Suspect Asked for Early Paycheck.” Marin Independent Journal, October 18, 1980.

  Levine, Jeff, and Spencer Sias. “Murder Toll: 61 Since 1970.” Marin Independent Journal, March 2, 1981.

  Leydecker, Mary. “Canal Man Slain in His Apartment.” Marin Independent Journal, April 7, 1980.

  ———. “Charles Riley Said He Was High on LSD.” Marin Independent Journal, November 17, 1975.

  ———. “Contractor’s Confession to Jail Mate Bared.” Marin Independent Journal, January 9, 1976.

  ———. “Death and Surrender End West Marin Robbers’ Chase.” Marin Independent Journal, September 5, 1975.

  ———. “ ‘Grinning Cat’ Testimony at Murder Trial.” Marin Independent Journal, January 5, 1976.

  ———. “Hypnosis Expert Says Riley an Unusually Easy Subject.” Marin Independent Journal, December 1, 1975.

  ———. “Hypnotic Voice of Riley Heard.” Marin Independent Journal, December 5, 197
5.

  ———. “Jury Will Hear Riley Tapes Telling of Olive Slayings.” Marin Independent Journal, November 18, 1975.

  ———. “Keeping Peace Inside the Prison.” Marin Independent Journal, March 4, 1981.

  ———. “Lambson Killing Still a Mystery.” Marin Independent Journal, November 12, 1977.

  ———. “ ‘A Lovely Young Lady.’ ” Marin Independent Journal, March 10, 1980.

  ———. “Mill Valley Man Bludgeoned to Death.” Marin Independent Journal, March 24, 1983.

  ———. “Mrs. Olive’s Death Denied as Riley Doing.” Marin Independent Journal, November 21, 1975.

  ———. “Novato Murder Suspect Found.” Marin Independent Journal, May 19, 1976.

  ———. “Pair Slain in Tam Valley.” Marin Independent Journal, May 27, 1976.

  ———. “Parent Killer Pleads Guilty to Forgery.” Marin Independent Journal, August 1, 1987.

  ———. “Poisonous Mushroom Victim Died.” Marin Independent Journal, December 22, 1981.

  ———. “Prosecution Claims Evidence Proves That Riley Is Guilty.” Marin Independent Journal, December 15, 1975.

  ———. “San Rafael Invalid Kills Wife, Himself.” Marin Independent Journal, August 10, 1981.

  ———. “San Rafael Woman Slain.” Marin Independent Journal, May 8–9, 1976.

  ———. “Sister Sees Slaying as a Voluntary Job.” Marin Independent Journal, January 8, 1976.

  ———. “Slain Man Pilgrim Descent.” Marin Independent Journal, May 28, 1976.

  ———. “Three Die in Quentin Racial Strife.” Marin Independent Journal, July 13, 1977.

  ———. “Tragedy Strikes Anew for Mill Valley Woman.” Marin Independent Journal, July 15, 1981.

  ———. “Woman’s Siege Ends: Ex-Boyfriend Dead.” Marin Independent Journal, July 15, 1981.

  ———. “Youth, Evasiveness Trip Marlene Olive.” Marin Independent Journal, July 21, 1979.

  Leydecker, Mary, and Jeff Levine. “A Violent World Behind the Walls.” Marin Independent Journal, March 2, 1981.

  Leydecker, Mary, and Ed Smith. “Siege in San Anselmo.” Marin Independent Journal, July 14, 1981.

  Leydecker, Mary, Spencer Sias, and Jeff Levine. “Getting Tough Proves Expensive, Dangerous.” Marin Independent Journal, March 4, 1981.

  Liberatore, Paul. “Delivery Boy Tells Girl’s Hold on Riley.” Marin Independent Journal, November 15, 1975.