Sometimes the story is in the fabric, not the flesh—and in the right hands, clothing can speak volumes about a death investigation.

In this episode, Dr. Priya Banerjee joins Sheryl McCollum to explore how clothing can hold vital clues in a death investigation. From the first look at a scene to the autopsy table, they reveal how stains, textures, odors, and damage can tell a story the body alone might not. Dr. Priya shares real-world cases — from waterlogged jeans covered in barnacles to garments hiding trace evidence — and explains why context, culture, and condition matter.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Welcome to Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series
• (1:00) "The clothes tell me something before I even start the exam.”
• (3:15) Stains, fibers, and fabric that preserve hidden evidence
• (5:15) When clothing speaks louder than the wounds
• (9:00) Smelling out the truth: detecting accelerants in fire cases
• (10:45) Finding the unseen with alternate light sources
• (12:30) What traditional dress can reveal in an investigation
• (14:30) Paradoxical undressing and mismatched environments
• (16:15) Rips, tears, and the unmistakable signs of struggle

About the Hosts

Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist with extensive experience in death investigation, clinical forensics, and courtroom testimony. A graduate of Johns Hopkins, she served for over a decade as Rhode Island’s state medical examiner and now runs a private forensic pathology practice. Her work includes military deaths, NSA cases, and high-profile investigations. Dr. Priya has also been featured as a forensic expert on platforms such as CrimeOnline and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She is a dedicated educator, animal lover, and proud mom.

Website: anchorforensicpathology.com
Twitter/X: @Autopsy_MD

Sheryl McCollum is an Emmy Award–winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, and the Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She works as a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department and is the co-author of the textbook Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. Sheryl is also the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute (CCIRI), a nationally recognized nonprofit that brings together universities, law enforcement, and experts to help solve unsolved homicides, missing persons cases, and kidnappings.

Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
Twitter/X: @ColdCaseTips
Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

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