Forensic pathologist Dr. Werner Spitz died yesterday at age 97.

https://www.audacy.com/wwjnewsradio/news/national/forensic-pathologist-werner-spitz-dies

Dr. Spitz was the Wayne County medical examiner who performed the autopsy on my brother Tim. I remember the talk in March 1977 about how grateful people were that Tim’s body had been dumped in Wayne County because this meant Dr. Robert Sillery in Oakland County would not have another chance to botch an autopsy. That’s what you’re grateful for after a six day captivity period, followed by a dead body, I guess.

I do remember that over a decade ago, when true crime author M. William Phelps was filming a show about the OCCK case, Dr. Spitz spoke with him and, in an unprecedented act of transparency, provided Phelps with a copy of his autopsy notes from Tim’s case. He explained that the cases involving kids were the hardest. We were able to read these documents without filing a FOIA request or litigation.

Dr. Spitz, along with two other high-profile forensic pathologists, participated in a “documentary” called The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey, which has been described as “true crime at its worst,” https://www.vulture.com/2016/09/jonbenet-ramsey-and-true-crime.html . My response, even prior to reading this review, was the same and I have assiduously avoided anything in any format put forth by the two main “investigators” ever since.

Bottom line is that I’m glad no one from Dr. Sillery’s office touched my brother’s body or looked at his innocent face. Even Dr. Spitz’s careful examination and findings in my brother’s case could not help the investigators get any traction in this serial murder case.