EPISODE THREE: HOW A BOTANIST NEARLY SOLVED THE LINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPING

In this episode, we learn about Arthur Koehler, who pioneered the field of forensic botany. He brought this evidence strategy onto a national stage at the trial of Bruno Hauptmann for the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. 

Guests: 

Shirley Graham — botanist and former professor of plant anatomy at Kent State University

Vaughn Bryant — professor of anthropology at Texas A&M University 

Jason Byrd — associate professor within the University of Florida Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine and the associate director of the William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine

Source material: 

Anatomy of the Lindbergh Kidnapping by Shirley Graham

Court transcript for the trial of Bruno Hauptmann

Further reading: 

The Botanist on the podcast Criminal 

How Forensic Pollen Analysis Solves Crimes by Elon Green

Plant Crimes is written and produced by me, Ellen Airhart. If you like this episode, please subscribe and tell people about it through a review. If you want to make sure there’s a season two, here’s a link to my Patreon. Plant Crimes art is by Nikki Duong. Intro music by Doxent Zsigmond and theme song and outro music is by APM Music. If you want me to investigate a plant crime or you would like to advertise on the show, please get in touch via email at plantcrimes [at] gmail [dot] com, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.