Famed pathologist who worked on Jeffrey Epstein’s death case says Debbie Collier's autopsy indicates she was murdered
WARNING: This article contains graphic content that some readers may find distressing. Discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
ATHENS, GEORGIA: A well-known forensic pathologist Dr Michael Baden, who worked on the autopsies of George Floyd, Michael Brown, and Jeffrey Epstein, has now raised his doubt on Debbie Collier’s post-mortem report. The 59-year-old was discovered dead on September 11, 2022, in the woods near Tallulah Falls in northern Habersham County.
As per reports, when her remains were found, it was nude and burnt. First, the case was treated as a homicide but later, the Habersham County Sheriff's Office issued a statement, saying, “A detailed examination of all gathered information has enabled investigators to determine, based on factual evidence and data, that Mrs. Collier's death was self-inflicted,” as reported by MEAWW.
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It added, “Furthermore, the G.B.I. Medical Examiner's Office has determined that the cause of death was Inhalation of Superheated Gases, Thermal Injuries, and Hydrocodone Intoxication and that the manner of death was suicide."
‘Medical examiner doesn’t understand forensic pathology’
But according to Baden, there are several loopholes and contradictions in the autopsy report. He told The New York Post, that given the absence of soot and carbon monoxide in the report, which is normally there if someone died in the fire, this would indicate, from a forensic point of view, that "she was dead before the fire started.” He also noted, “It would have to be severely windy to blow away any carbon monoxide. I think the medical examiner doesn’t understand what forensic pathology is.”
Debbie, before going missing, had sent a bizarre message to her daughter, Amanda, that said, “They are not going to let me go, love you. There is a key to the house in the blue flower pot by the door.” She also transferred around $2,400 to her via her Venmo account.
‘It makes it more confusing'
Baden reportedly also commented on the level of hydrocodone found in Collier's body. The pathologist mentioned that though the amount of hydrocodone found in her body was higher than usual, her tolerance for the drug cannot be confirmed exactly since she was taking it for a long time due to her back injury. He also said that if hydrocodone played a fatal role, her death should be declared due to “hydrocodone overdose with post-mortem fire injuries,” before remarking, “It makes it more confusing.”
‘We’re not just rubber stamps'
Baden also expressed his shock over the detail of the report, which stated Debbie was reportedly without clothes when she was discovered. He told the publication, “You usually need clothing to set yourself on fire." Besides, referring to a report by the medical examiners for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), which said an “investigation by law enforcement revealed circumstances consistent with a self-intentioned act,” he stated, “That means, ‘The police told me it was a suicide.’ We’re not just rubber stamps for the police, but some people think we are.”
Baden added, “Usually the GBI is much better than most. I’m kind of upset that they could call this kind of a case suicide, especially with her being found naked — that’s outrageous.”